On June 10, the 6th ECUST-USF International Conference was held online. The conference was sponsored by ECUST School of Business and organized by USF China Business Studies Initiative and the Business School of the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC), with over 300 participants from more than 20 countries. Prof. Ma Tieju, Dean of ECUST School of Business, Prof. Charles Moses, Dean of USF School of Management, and Prof. Yang Xiaohua of USF delivered speeches respectively. Yan Haifeng, Vice President of ECUST, attended the conference.

The conference featured a keynote presentation by Farok J. Contractor, President of the Academy of International Business (AIB) and Chair Professor of Management and Global Business at Rutgers Business School. Prof. Farok J. Contractor focused on "The Challenges for Multinational Companies in the Context of Carbon Neutrality", analyzed the problems faced by global carbon emissions, proposed carbon neutrality solutions, and gave constructive advice on the new challenges faced by companies in achieving carbon neutrality.

In the deans' forum, Ma Tieju, Dean of ECUST School of Business, Charles Moses, Dean of USF School of Management, Martin Lockett, Dean of UNNC Business School, Zhan Li, Dean of Fairfield University School of Business, and Dayle Smith, Dean of Loyola Marymount University School of Business, had an in-depth exchange on how to recruit and attract talents, as well as a lively discussion on the development and future trends of global business schools.

In the forum for business executives and policy makers, Ker Gibbs, member of the National Committee on US-China Relations and former President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, Philipe Reinisch, founder of SILKROAD 4.0, Ron Zheng, Vice President of Roland Berger (Greater China), Qionglin Lu of BASF Greater China Procurement Center and Wei-Tai Kwok, former COO of Amber Kinetics, a U.S. photovoltaic company, and member of Lafayette City Council, California, USA, had an in-depth exchange on current government policies related to climate change and the development status of related industries.

Profs. Stephen Roddy, Adrienne Johnson and William Riggs of USF, Yufu Cheng, President of R20 Regions of Climate Action, a non-profit organization, Prof. Peter Hofman of UNNC Business School and Dr. Yuwei Shi, Visiting Professor of University of California, Santa Cruz, further discussed the path towards carbon neutrality through national and international cooperation based on practical experience and lessons in California.

Zhang Jidong, researcher of the International Cooperation Center of National Development and Reform Commission, Yan Xiao, founder and chief scientist of MS Energy, and Shao Shuai, professor of ECUST School of Business, had a thorough discussion on carbon neutrality and business operation, strategic choices of enterprises under carbon neutrality, and the development and application of new technologies in the field of climate change.

In the forum for Chinese scholars, Prof. Bu Maoliang of Nanjing University Business School, Prof. Zheng Qinqin of Fudan University School of Management and Prof. Long Yong of School of Economics and Business Administration, Chongqing University analyzed the problems and challenges faced by enterprises in the context of carbon neutrality from theoretical perspectives such as institutional theory, and discussed issues of corporate social responsibility, environmental protection and sustainable development.

In the forum for journal editors-in-chief, Prof. Wei Liqun, editor-in-chief of APJM, Song Chengyu, editorial director of Foreign Economics & Management, Liu Jianli, deputy editor-in-chief of Business Management Journal, and Pei Jien, president of the Journal of Shanghai University of International Business and Economics and International Business Research, shared their views on the core issues of research topic selection, design and submission.

In the forum for doctoral students, Wang Molin of ECUST, Yue Zhang of Fudan University, and Luo Yuxue of UNNC, presented their papers and reported their research results, and the guests and doctoral students exchanged views on the research contents.

It is reported that the ECUST-USF International Conference, which aims to promote international publicity and enhance international and domestic cooperation, has played a positive role in strengthening academic brand construction and attracting global talents.

Written by: Department of Business Administration         Reviewed by: He Xiaoming