【SEU News Network, December 6th】(Correspondents: Lei Yilin, Zhang Ziyang, Photography: Hang Tian) On December 5th, an interdisciplinary innovation high-end forum with the theme of "Digital Economy and Technology" was held at the Nanjing Dongjiao State Guesthouse. Zuo Wei, Party Secretary of Southeast University, Lin Kang, Deputy Director of Jiangsu Provincial Development and Reform Commission, Liu Guangliang, President of China Construction Bank Jiangsu Branch, Cheng Xiang, Deputy President of Bank of China Jiangsu Branch, Qian Xudong, Deputy Mayor of Kunshan City, Shen Kunrong, Chairman of Jiangsu Digital Economy Association and Dean of Economic Growth Research Institute of Nanjing University, Wang Fang, President of China Construction Bank Nanjing Branch, and others attended the meeting. Ning Jizhe, Vice Chairman of the Economic Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Tan Fangzheng, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Thomas Sargent, Nobel Laureate in Economics, and Jack Dongarra, Turing Award winner participated online. The meeting was chaired by Zhong Wenqi, Vice President of Southeast University.
Zuo Wei delivered a speech representing Southeast University. He mentioned that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party and the state have attached great importance to the development of the digital economy, elevating it to a national strategy and formulating development plans and supportive policies. The report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China further emphasized the need to accelerate the development of the digital economy and build internationally competitive digital industry clusters. Universities, as important convergence points for the "three firsts" in science and technology as the first productive force, talents as the first resource, and innovation as the first driving force, are also significant intersections of the "three strategies" of strengthening the country through science and education, driving innovation and strengthening the country through talent. In the new journey of comprehensively building a socialist modern country, universities have great responsibilities and a glorious mission. First-class universities will undoubtedly play an essential and irreplaceable role in promoting independent innovation in the digital economy. Zuo Wei said that Southeast University, centering on the national strategy of digital economy, has made forward-looking planning, advanced layout and active exploration, and has made significant achievements and breakthroughs in international cutting-edge technologies and innovation in the field of digital communication technology and digital technology application. Its characteristics and advantages in digital economy research are also increasingly evident. Zuo Wei hopes that by establishing the Institute of Digital Economy and Technological Innovation of Southeast University, we can cultivate urgently needed talents and cross-fertilization industry leaders in the field of digital economy, build several digital application demonstration platforms focusing on national needs and key industries and urban construction in Jiangsu Province. Additionally, create an internationally influential scientific research team in the digital economy, produce major and key research results, and form a distinctive paradigm for theoretical and applied research on the digital economy with characteristics of Southeast University.
In his speech, Ning Jizhe mentioned that General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out in the report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China the need to build a digital China, accelerate the development of the digital economy, promote in-depth integration between the digital economy and the real economy, and create internationally competitive digital industry clusters. The report emphasized the promotion of the development of integrated clusters of strategic emerging industries and the construction of a new generation of information technology, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, new energy, new materials, high-end equipment, green environmental protection, and other new growth engines. It also urged to accelerate the realization of high-level scientific and technological self-reliance, strengthen independent original scientific and technological breakthroughs oriented by national strategic needs and win the battle of key core technologies. The report stressed the importance of strengthening the construction of fundamental disciplines, emerging disciplines, and interdisciplinary studies, as well as accelerating the construction of world-class universities and advantageous disciplines with Chinese characteristics. Ning Jizhe stated that General Secretary Xi Jinping's report has provided guidance for the development of the digital economy and technology, interdisciplinary studies, and innovation. He also shared his understanding and experience in implementing the report of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, focusing on five aspects: accelerating the development of the digital economy and the construction of a digital China, promoting deep integration between the digital economy and the real economy, creating internationally competitive digital industries that can drive growth, overcoming core technological obstacles, and cultivating disciplinary advantages.
Tan Fangzheng first affirmed the significance of the forum and congratulated it on behalf of the Social Science Department of the Ministry of Education. He mentioned that the digital economy has posed new challenges to the research of traditional economic theories and raised new requirements for a series of key supporting technologies. The Ministry of Education has launched the construction of the knowledge system of philosophy and social sciences and the improvement of the consulting and policy services of universities this year. The purpose is to promote knowledge innovation, theoretical innovation, and methodological innovation through organized research, guide universities to focus on national strategies, deepen evaluation reform, promote interdisciplinary innovation, and accelerate the construction of China's independent knowledge system. Tan Fangzheng expressed his hope that Southeast University will fully leverage its disciplinary and talent advantages, take this forum as an opportunity to be motivated by interdisciplinary innovation, and focus on major theoretical and technological issues in the development of the digital economy. He encouraged Southeast University to strengthen collaboration among universities, research institutions, enterprises, and local communities, actively construct China's independent knowledge system in the digital economy, and strive to cultivate top innovative talents who can serve the development of the national digital economy, contributing its wisdom and strength in promoting academic prosperity in China, developing Chinese theories, spreading the voice of China, comprehensively constructing a socialist modern country and promoting the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Zuo Wei, Lin Kang, Liu Guangliang, Cheng Xiang, Qian Xudong, Shen Kunrong, and Wang Fang jointly unveiled the " Digital Economy and Technological Innovation Institute of Southeast University " and released the first set of key issues for the institute.
After the unveiling ceremony, Thomas J. Sargent, Jack Dongarra, and Shen Kunrong made key reports on national and global frontier issues about digital economy and technology.
In recent years, Southeast University has achieved a series of significant landmark achievements in the field of digital economy and technology. The university has deepened its discipline layout of "strong engineering, advantageous science, boutique liberal arts, distinctive medical science, promoting emerging areas, and strengthening cross-disciplinary areas." In response to the national strategic needs for digital economy, Southeast University has cooperated with China Construction Bank, Bank of China, and Kunshan Municipal Government to jointly establish the Digital Economy and Technological Innovation Institute of Southeast University.
The institute has the first national doctoral program in the field of digital economy and management, which was independently approved by Southeast University and submitted to the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council for record. In the future, the institute will closely follow the main line of deep integration between digital technology and the real economy, aiming to build an internationally influential scientific research team in the field of digital economy and technology, cultivate a batch of industrial shortage talents and first-class leading talents in the cross-compound of digital economy and technology. The institute strives to become the center for theoretical research, scenario promotion, practical application, and high-end talent cultivation in China's digital economy field.
Translated by: Li Zhaoting
Reviewed by: Luo Jiaoying
