On October 11, 2024, the Economics and Management School of Wuhan University and Duke Kunshan University jointly hosted an economics symposium at Wuhan University. The symposium brought together renowned scholars and young talents in the field of economics to discuss cutting-edge topics such as environmental economics, development economics, microeconomic theory, and experimental economics, providing attendees with a high-quality academic exchange platform.

At the opening ceremony of the joint symposium, Professor NIE Jun, Dean of the Economics and Management School of Wuhan University, delivered a speech. Professor NIE emphasized that Duke Kunshan University and the Economics and Management School of Wuhan University have established a solid foundation for cooperation in academic research. He mentioned that the school is honored to have appointed three scholars from Duke Kunshan University, including Professor ZHANG Junjie, as adjunct professors. Additionally, the two universities are jointly training several Ph.D. students, marking the depth and breadth of their collaboration. In the subsequent adjunct professor appointment ceremony, Professor NIE awarded adjunct professor certificates to Professor CUI Jingbo and Professor Gergely Horvath from Duke Kunshan University. This ceremony not only recognized the academic achievements of the two professors but also symbolized the further deepening of the cooperative relationship between the two universities.

During the morning keynote session, Professor ZHANG Junjie from Duke Kunshan University delivered an in-depth discussion on "The Impact of Climate Change on Rural Credit Risk." Professor Zhang's research focuses on the vulnerability of China's rural banking system under climate change, particularly the impact of extreme weather conditions on agricultural loan default risk. His findings provide empirical support for how the financial system can respond to climate change. He also discussed the coping strategies of rural credit cooperatives in climate events and emphasized that climate risk should be a key factor in bank risk management and decision-making.

Following that, Professor FU Shihe from Wuhan University shared his research findings on "Does the Cleaner Production Partnership Program Improve Air Quality?" Professor Fu's research analyzed the actual impact of environmental policies on air quality, showcasing through rich data and case studies the implementation effects of the cleaner production program in different regions. He pointed out that the policy effects are closely related to regional environmental and economic conditions. His research provides valuable insights for evaluating the effectiveness of environmental policies and offers important guidance for the optimized implementation of policies.

In the afternoon, the symposium was divided into two parallel sessions, where in-depth discussions were held on topics related to environmental economics, development economics, and microeconomic theory and experimental economics. Eight scholars from Duke Kunshan University and Wuhan University presented their latest research findings.

This joint symposium deepened the cooperation and exchange between Wuhan University and Duke Kunshan University in the field of economics and laid a solid foundation for future collaborative research. Looking ahead, both parties will continue to strengthen cooperation in the field of economics, hold bilateral academic symposiums annually, jointly train high-level Ph.D. students, and promote the internationalization, innovation, and development of economic research.