On the afternoon of June 15th, the Antai Master of Finance (MF) Program Development Exchange Meeting was held at the Haoran High-Tech Building of Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Xuhui Campus. 

School leaders, academic supervisors, industry mentors, program partners, and MF alumni from all previous classes gathered on campus to review the fruitful achievements of the program’s development with current students. During the in-depth exchange, the guests had a lively discussion on the future development of the program and jointly envisioned the unlimited future of Antai MF.

Accompanying Teachers and Students - Creating a Communication Platform between Campus and Industry

2024 marks the 40th anniversary of the restoration of the former School of Management (now Antai College of Economics and Management) at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Antai MF is about to welcome its 12th graduating class. On this special occasion, the Antai MF Program Development Exchange Meeting, with the theme of “One Century, One Hall, Resonating Finance”, welcomed MF alumni from home and abroad back to the campus. The event was hosted by Zhang Qi, Associate Professor of Finance at Antai College of Economics and Management, Associate Professor at the SJTU-BOC Institute of Technology and Finance, and Academic Director of the Antai MF Program.

Chen Fangruo, Dean of Antai College of Economics and Management and Dean of the SJTU-BOC Institute of Technology and Finance, expressed in his speech that he hopes to provide a platform for dialogue and exchange through the event, offering more industry resources for the development of the program and the cultivation of students. The future development of the college requires the joint efforts of all faculty, students, and alumni. He welcomed alumni to return to Antai often and work together to build a world-class business school rooted in China.

Liu Shaoxuan, Associate Dean of Antai College of Economics and Management and Executive Dean of the SJTU-BOC Institute of Technology and Finance, welcomed the alumni back to the familiar campus and the warm harbor of the college. He also hoped that the alumni and industry guests could provide valuable suggestions for the development of the program from their respective industry perspectives.

Feng Yun, Head of the Department of Finance at Antai College of Economics and Management and Associate Dean of the SJTU-BOC Institute of Technology and Finance, shared the development of the finance discipline and talent cultivation through rich and multidimensional data.

Zhang Qi presented a report card full of honors and fruitful achievements to the guests from the perspectives of program development review, award-winning situations of faculty, students, and alumni, curriculum system, and program outlook.

Wu Chongfeng, Director of the Financial Engineering Research Center, Professor of the Department of Finance, Professor of the SJTU-BOC Institute of Technology and Finance, and Head of the Applied Economics Discipline at Antai College of Economics and Management, spoke as a mentor representative. He stated that the development and achievements of alumni are not only a reflection of the program’s hard power but also a valuable resource that the college can tap into in the future.

Huang Shujuan, Director of the Alumni Development Office at Antai College of Economics and Management, expressed gratitude to the alumni who have always supported the college’s development. She said that efforts will continue to be made to provide more types and forms of alumni services in the future.

Li Chenglin, Executive General Manager of the Fixed Income Investment Line at CITIC Wealth Management Co., Ltd., Meng Deyang, Founding Partner of YS Venture Partner, Cheng Yu, Vice General Manager of the Investment Banking Department at China International Capital Corporation Limited, and Huang Yunhao, Senior Researcher of the Equity Research Department at Ruiyuan Fund, took the stage as MF alumni representatives to share their learning experiences during school and industry insights after starting their careers.

Resonating with the Industry - Harmonizing the Rhythm of Technology and Finance in the Era

The second part of the program development exchange meeting took the form of group discussions. Guests from various industries expressed their unique insights and views on issues such as curriculum design, student competitiveness, employment changes, and opportunities.

In response to the current macroeconomic environment, the alumni encouraged current students to link the basic ideas of finance with related industries. Not only should they lay a solid foundation in financial professionalism, but they also need to combine their own professional background advantages to seek stability in uncertainty.

In addition, the alumni suggested that younger students pay attention to the development of various industries, try more industries that match their abilities and interests, and find the right positioning in the current market environment. They encouraged more communication with enterprises, observing the industry from an industrial perspective, thinking about the cyclical fluctuations of the industry, and supplementing classroom learning with practical experience.

Regarding curriculum design, some alumni stated that while theoretical courses are important, in addition to laying a good foundation, it is worth considering adding case studies of outstanding companies to be closer to the industry and practice. Mentors and partners from the industry put forward suggestions from the perspective of combining courses and practice. On the one hand, the industry characteristics of finance determine that in addition to theory, it is necessary to broaden industry knowledge, and more practical courses should be set up. On the other hand, institutions are also willing to participate more deeply in the construction of a practical curriculum system, helping students improve their industry thinking and enhance their employability. At the same time, more attention should be paid to alumni resources.

The representatives of the 2022 MF students who are about to graduate agreed with the suggestions of the senior alumni. The existing course content has helped them connect with the industry and greatly improve their employability and practical skills. In the current employment environment, they should maintain an optimistic and open mindset, looking forward to more soft skills courses in the future to help younger students develop in multiple dimensions.

At the end of the event, Liu Shaoxuan gave a concluding response. He stated that talent cultivation needs to constantly adapt to the changes of the times. At the current key node where finance and technology are closely integrated, he hopes to continuously deepen the joint participation of industry partners and alumni in the future, integrate multiple disciplines, and fully utilize the platform resources of the college to jointly answer the changes of the times.

No technology, no finance! Standing at a new starting point for development, the Antai MF program, driven by technology finance, will move forward with firm confidence and ride the momentum!

About SJTU Technology Finance Institutes

The SJTU-BOC Institute of Technology and Finance was established in February 2022. With the strong support of the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Education, and other ministries and commissions, as well as the Shanghai Municipal Government, it is a global, platform-based, and open technology finance institute built by Antai College of Economics and Management in collaboration with Bank of China, following international first-class standards.

With the support of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Bank of China, and leaders from the academic and business communities, the SJTU-BOC Institute of Technology and Finance is committed to innovation and actively undertakes the functions of talent cultivation, interdisciplinary research, achievement transformation, and high-end think tanks. At the same time, the institute also explores integrated models and paths in research on achievement transformation methodology, cultivation of innovation and entrepreneurship among faculty and students, and pilot programs for diversified incentive mechanisms, fully leveraging the synergy of industry, academia, research, innovation, and application. The institute is striving to provide a mature, finalized, replicable, and promotable solution for the innovation and practical exploration of the transformation model of scientific and technological achievements in Chinese universities, contributing the wisdom of SJTU.