From April 18^th to 20^th, 2025, the 1st China Finance and Accounting Young Scholars Forum was successfully held at Tongji SEM. The forum was jointly organized by the Committee of Finance & Accounting, Chinese Society for Management Modernization, Tongji SEM, and Special Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China. It was co-organized by the School of Management at Xiamen University and strongly supported by journals such as Accounting Research and Foreign Economics & Management, as well as enterprises like Industrial Securities and ASD Co., Ltd.

The forum, under the theme of “Construction of an Autonomous Knowledge System and Theoretical Innovation in Finance and Accounting in China”, brought together scholars from across the country. The Academic Council of the Chinese Finance and Accounting Annual Conference provided strong support for the event. Seventeen council members recommended papers and thirteen attended in person, demonstrating their commitment to nurturing young scholars. The forum also attracted faculty and student representatives from various universities, reflecting its broad academic appeal and social impact.

On the morning of April 19th, the forum opened with a ceremony at the Tongji Building, chaired by Professor BAI Yunxia, Director of the Department of Accounting. Professor LIU Run, Deputy Party Secretary of Tongji University, delivered the opening address on behalf of the university. He emphasized the urgent need to develop a uniquely Chinese finance and accounting theoretical framework in light of the country’s ongoing economic transformation and pursuit of high-quality development. He encouraged young scholars to pursue both problem-oriented research and theoretical innovation while aligning their work with national strategic needs to enhance its practical and international significance.

Professor LIU Run, Deputy Party Secretary of Tongji University

Professor SHI Qian, Party Secretary of Tongji SEM, highlighted the school’s strengths in management science and engineering. He also noted how the accounting discipline is integrating with emerging fields such as data science and artificial intelligence. Significant progress has particularly been made in intelligent accounting. The school emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration and industry-academia integration to promote academic exchange and talent development, and to contribute Tongji’s insights to China’s modernization process.

Professor SHI Qian, Party Secretary of Tongji SEM

Professor WU Chaopeng, Vice President of Xiamen University and Secretary General of the Annual Council, reflected on the original intention behind the establishment of the Young Scholars Forum. He noted that the core mission of the forum is “mentorship and inheritance”, with the aim of establishing a high-quality, sustainable platform for intergenerational academic exchange. He encouraged young scholars to transcend intellectual boundaries and embrace academic responsibilities in order to drive in-depth theoretical innovation in the new era.

Professor WU Chaopeng, Vice President of Xiamen University

During the opening ceremony, Professor Huang Jun, Associate Editor of Accounting Research, and Professor Yin Huifang, Associate Editor of Foreign Economics & Management, delivered short presentations on their respective journals’ development goals, submission standards and support for young researchers. They emphasized that both journals have traditionally valued submissions from emerging scholars and published the early influential works of many academics who are now prominent.

The forum featured two parallel sessions and four thematic sub-forums, focusing on “Corporate Governance and Business Behavior”, “Artificial Intelligence and the Quality of Financial Accounting Information”, “Economic Consequences of Policy and Regulation”, and “ESG and Sustainable Development”. Twenty papers recommended by council members and guest experts were discussed. Breaking away from the traditional fixed commentary format, the experts — while recusing themselves from evaluating their own recommendations — freely selected papers to comment on and discuss, thereby promoting flexibility and depth in academic exchange.

During the sub-forum discussions, the participating experts provided constructive feedback on the papers presented. Their suggestions covered theoretical frameworks, data processing, methodological approaches and practical relevance. These evaluations went beyond technical corrections, demonstrating intellectual rigor and academic values and helping young scholars to improve the quality of their research through critical reflection.

The “mentorship and inheritance” philosophy was vividly demonstrated throughout the forum. Rather than a one-way transmission of knowledge and experience, it was a dynamic two-way dialogue across generations. Through in-depth discussions with senior scholars, young researchers clarified how to improve their work and enhanced their academic interests, awareness of problems, and theoretical perspectives.

This China Finance and Accounting Young Scholars Forum provided an excellent platform for academic presentations and discussions. Structured research presentations, in-depth intellectual exchanges and candid scholarly critiques in an open atmosphere created a dynamic gathering of minds. The forum showcased the latest progress in Chinese finance and accounting research, while also contributing meaningfully to the development of a uniquely Chinese theoretical framework. This lays a solid foundation for future academic innovation.