The Central University of Finance and Economics successfully Concluded a Symposium on the National First-class Undergraduate Program in Supply Chain Management and a Deliberation Meeting on the Supply Chain Management Program Curriculum

On October 30, 2023, the Central University of Finance and Economics conducted an important symposium focusing on the national first-class undergraduate program in supply chain management and discussed the corresponding curriculum. The symposium featured experts and scholars from the Ministry of Education's Logistics Education Steering Committee and included relevant leaders and professors from Central University of Finance and Economics. The goal was to collaboratively advance the field of supply chain management education and to work towards cultivating more high-quality talents of supply chain management.

The symposium opened with a welcoming address by Vice President Li Jianjun of Central University of Finance and Economics. He welcomed the leaders, experts, and professors in attendance and expressed his gratitude. He highlighted the significance of supply chain management, particularly in light of the current national emphasis on enhancing the resilience and security of industrial and supply chains. Li Jianjun mentioned that the Central University of Finance and Economics has consistently upheld the educational philosophy of “seeking truth and excellence,” and is dedicated to nurturing high-quality talents of supply chain management to serve the development of national industries and modernization. He expressed his gratitude to the faculty and students for their hard work and also appreciated the support from the nation and society. He stated that the university would continue to contribute more to the modernization of China and the development of industrial and supply chains.

Next, Lin Guangbin, Dean of Academic Affairs at the Central University of Finance and Economics, introduced the university’s reform measures and implementation outcomes in teaching, highlighting its efforts in improving educational quality. Chen Yunsen, Director of the University Development Planning Office (Discipline Construction Office) at the Central University of Finance and Economics, gave a detailed introduction to the university’s discipline development plans, highlighting the significance of discipline construction. Lin Song, Dean of the Business School, shared the achievements in development and discipline construction of the Business School and introduced the accomplishments of the Business School, Central University of Finance and Economics in business studies.

The symposium further discussed the construction of the national first-class undergraduate program in supply chain management at the Central University of Finance and Economics, with a special report presented by Deputy Dean Chen Jinliang of the Business School. He mentioned that the construction of the supply chain management program is an important initiative in line with the national industrial policies and industrial development trends. Since being approved to offer the supply chain management program in 2019, the Central University of Finance and Economics has continually increased its investment in teaching and research to promote the development of the discipline. The supply chain management program has been recognized as a national first-class undergraduate program, laying a solid foundation for the cultivation of talents of supply chain management. In addition, he introduced the teaching model and curriculum system of the supply chain management program.

Following that, Professor Liu Zhixue from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Vice Chairman of the Logistics Education Steering Committee and Head of the Supply Chain Management Working Group under the Education Steering Committee, provided suggestions. He emphasized the uniqueness and importance of the supply chain management program and suggested that Central University of Finance and Economics should continue to improve in areas such as curriculum setting, faculty team construction, and textbook development. He also suggested clarifying the program's unique features and positioning.

Professor Zhao Lindu, Vice Chairman of the Logistics Education Steering Committee and Chief Professor of Southeast University, highlighted the exemplary role of Central University of Finance and Economics. He hoped that the university could summarize its own experience and promote the construction model of the supply chain management program. Moreover, he suggested some possible construction directions, including conducting more in-depth research on the core courses of supply chain management, increasing forward-thinking, and integrating regional advantages in the development of the discipline.

Professor Xia Chunyu, Vice Chairman of the Logistics Education Steering Committee and Former Party Secretary of Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, emphasized the importance of maintaining inheritance and innovation. He suggested that Central University of Finance and Economics should appropriately retain the excellent courses of logistics management in the construction of the supply chain management program, while combining the characteristics of the university to create a unique combination of supply chain management, logistics, and finance. He also pointed out the need to strengthen the research on the frontier theories and practical applications of supply chains, produce high-level research outcomes, and thus enhance teaching.

"Yang Changchun, a member of the Logistics Education Steering Committee of the Ministry of Education and the former Vice President of the University of International Business and Economics, suggested that Central University of Finance and Economics should focus on the financial field, conduct in-depth research on digital supply chain finance, and continuously promote the construction of first-class courses in the new liberal arts. Guo Zhaoming, Secretary-General of the Logistics Education Steering Committee and Vice President of the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing and Liu Xiaoping, a member of the Logistics Education Steering Committee and the former Assistant President of the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications provided more specific suggestions, including increasing practical courses in the curriculum system and adding courses that reflect supply chain resilience and security. They also suggested that Central University of Finance and Economics should break down professional boundaries and continuously explore new “supply chain +” models that combine “liberal arts with liberal arts” and “liberal arts with engineering.”

Finally, Huang Youfang, Vice Chairman of the New Liberal Arts Construction Working Group of the Ministry of Education, Chairman of the Logistics Education Steering Committee, and the former President of Shanghai Maritime University, summarized the symposium. He suggested conducting in-depth research on the differences between supply chain management and logistics management and formulating systematic training programs based on corporate needs. He pointed out that Central University of Finance and Economics should conduct in-depth research on new liberal arts construction and data integration to promote the theory and practice of supply chain management.

This symposium gathered the wisdom and strength of the experts and scholars from the Logistics Education Steering Committee of the Ministry of Education, providing valuable opinions and suggestions for the national first-class undergraduate program in supply chain management at Central University of Finance and Economics. The Central University of Finance and Economics will actively draw on these suggestions, continuously build the supply chain management program, and cultivate more high-quality talents of supply chain management for China, thus contributing more to the enhancement of industrial and supply chains.