Experts talk about connectivity between Asia and Europe

The 5th International Advisory Committee Meeting and International Forum on Connecting Asia and Europe took place in Beijing on May 18. Chinese and foreign participants talked about connectivity between Asia and Europe and the opportunities and challenges involved.

The meeting was held by the School of Economics and Management of Beijing Jiaotong University in an effort to seek and construct opportunities for business schools in the context of Sino-European connectivity.

Experts, entrepreneurs, government officials, and scholars took part in the event.

Gao Yan, vice president of Beijing Jiaotong University, delivered an opening speech at the meeting, saying that the university is committed to building a business school in line with international standards. It will learn from top-grade business schools in the world and strive for global development.

Gao Yan, vice president of Beijing Jiaotong University, delivers a speech at the meeting.

Zhang Qiusheng, dean of the School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, summed up the development suggestions for the School of Economics and Management put forward by members of the International Advisory Committee at its fourth session.

Zhang Qiusheng, dean of the School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, gives a speech at the meeting on May 18.

He also talked about the measures and achievements made by the school in 2018 in talent cultivation, scientific research, social service, teachers’ projects, international exchanges and cooperation, and global certification and ranking.

"We won several teaching achievement awards at the national and Beijing municipal levels in 2018 and finished 227 scientific research projects throughout the year," Zhang added.

Regarding international cooperation, the school signed 10 new international exchange program agreements last year and its first self-assessment report of AACSB certification was approved.

In addition, Zhang said that connectivity between Asia and Europe brought about new opportunities to Chinese business schools, detailing the influence in terms of talent flow, scientific research cooperation, social services, platform building and social responsibility.

As the Belt and Road Initiative presents good opportunities for opening-up and cooperation, the scholars and professors also shared their views and opinions on various topic of connectivity between Asia and Europe under the BRI.

The topics included the current situation and the impact of the China Railway Express, the international human resource management risk as well as infrastructure investment and financing of Chinese enterprises under the BRI, and the influence of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor. Participants dwelled on policies, road connections, smooth trade, currency, and people-to people exchanges under each topic.

In his concluding speech, Cheng noted that reform and practical impact were the distinctive features of this meeting, and encouraged the School of Economics and Management of Beijing Jiaotong University to innovate and serve enterprises with real-world results, cultivate people with entrepreneurship, enhance the school's international competitiveness and serve society from a global perspective.

T.C. Edwin Cheng, dean of the Faculty of Business of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, speaks at the meeting on May 18.

Yan Xuedong, director of Beijing Jiaotong University’s international cooperation and exchange department, Guo Xuemeng, director of the university’s international cooperation and liaison office, Zhang Li, secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Economics and Management, and Hua Guowei, deputy dean of the school attended the meeting.