On January 2, 2025, a team led by Professor QIU Jiaping from Dishui Lake Advanced Finance Institute (“DAFI” or the “Institute”) with other members including Associate Professor TANG Yushan and SUN Chang, Foreign Affairs Secretary of the Faculty Affairs Department,DAFIflied from Shanghai to San Francisco to attend the highly anticipated 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Finance Association (AFA) (the “Meeting”), a landmark event in the global finance community. The Faculty Affairs Department of DAFI orchestrated this visit, with SUN Chang overseeing all travel arrangements and on-site activities.
Founded in 1939, the AFA has long stood as a global pioneer in financial academia. Its annual meeting serves as a melting pot of ideas for the finance industry, bringing together experts, scholars, and practitioners from across the world. Thanks to academic presentations, seminars, and discussions, attendees can share cutting-edge findings, explore industry trends, and forge a critical bridge between theory and practice in the field of finance.
During the Meeting (January 2–5, 2025), the DAFI team pursued two parallel priorities. On one hand, steady progress was made in talent recruitment: the team carefully screened a pool of outstanding candidates, infusing a steady stream of talent to fuel the Institute’s future growth. On the other hand, team members actively participated in academic sessions, engaging in in-depth exchanges with global scholars on topics such as financial market volatility, innovation in risk management, and AI Finance. They shared unique insights while also absorbing forward-thinking ideas from the community.
The welcoming reception (the “Reception”) hosted by DAFI on the evening of January 3, 2025 emerged as a highlight of the Meeting, drawing over 100 guests. Professor QIU Jiaping delivered a compelling speech, detailing the Institute’s founding story, its strategic decision to locate in Lingang, and its vision to “uphold a century-old business and strive to become a world-class financial institute forging ahead the development of emerging finance”. As a source of technological innovation in Shanghai and across China, Lingang resonates with San Francisco – a global sci-tech innovation capital, forming a “Lingang-San Francisco” innovation link that sparked strong resonance among representatives from new industries, emerging finance, and the next generation of scholars.
Professor QIU stated, “DAFI integrates industry and technology to create a robust platform for financial scholars to conduct research and collaborate. It is not only a top choice for senior professors returning to China but also aspires to be the premier destination for young scholars seeking to build their careers back home. The Institute is committed to fostering a vibrant academic ecosystem and providing good living support, and we warmly welcome top financial talents from around the world to join us.”
Prominent scholars attended the Reception to show their support for DAFI, including Professor XIU Dacheng from the University of Chicago, Professor HE Zhiguo from Stanford University, and Professor YAO Wenxiong from Georgia State University. They engaged actively with attendees, voiced high praise for the Institute’s development philosophy and plans, and helped elevate the event to a memorable peak.
Currently, China’s younger generation of scholars is making active strides in financial research, and students trained in domestic institutions are gaining recognition on the international stage. These young researchers are driving innovative work aligned with the needs of the times. After learning about DAFI’s strengths, many guests at the Reception pledged to recommend DAFI to their colleagues and students.
DAFI’s participation in the Meeting showcased its strength and appeal. Through in-depth dialogue with the global finance community, the Institute broadened its global perspective and opened up new avenues for its own development. Looking ahead, DAFI will continue to guide more financial talents toward innovative practice, infuse the global financial community with a steady stream of Chinese wisdom and expertise, and write an even more brilliant chapter in the field of finance.
