On 24 August, the Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences (IAS) of the University of Macau successfully hosted the 2nd Greater Bay Area Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Forum, which aims to promote academic exchanges in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, to build a global interdisciplinary platform for exchanges and research, and to cultivate top innovative talents.
More than 30 doctoral students from Peking University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Renmin University of China, Zhejiang University, Wuhan University, Sun Yat-sen University, Jilin University, Southwestern University, Northwestern University, Beijing University of Science and Technology, China University of Political Science and Law, Hainan University, University of Macau, and Macau University of Science and Technology had an in-depth discussion on interdisciplinary issues.
Professor Ge Wei, Vice Rector (Research) of the University of Macau, delivered an opening speech. He extended a cordial welcome to doctoral students from universities at home and abroad to assemble at the University of Macau to engage in interdisciplinary discourse on cutting-edge issues, and gave a brief introduction of the University of Macau and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Doctoral Forum. In his speech, he expressed gratitude to the doctoral students who had contributed to the preparation and organization of the conference, wished the conference a smooth run, and anticipated that the participating doctoral students would overcome disciplinary boundaries, engage in comprehensive discourse, and promote the integration and advancement of diverse disciplines.
The forum comprised four sub-forums, which not only continued the tradition of academic discussions and exchanges between presenters and critics, and presenters and the audience, but also introduced a new session of professors’ conclusions at the end of each sub-forum. In this session, senior professors from different fields were invited to comment on the research of doctoral students, with the aim of providing more in-depth academic guidance to the students.
Professor Yu Xingzhong, Director of IAS and Chair Professor of the Faculty of Law of the University of Macau, presented awards to the winners of the forum and delivered a speech at the closing ceremony. In his address, Professor Yu highlighted the significant impact of the forum, noting the remarkable number of high-quality contributions it attracted, and valuable new explorations and attempts in interdisciplinary research on the basis of the first forum. He emphasized the growing trend of interdisciplinary research in contemporary academic circles and encouraged the doctoral students to sustain their enthusiasm for research, broaden their perspectives, engage in extensive learning based on a firm grasp of their respective disciplines and explore more possibilities of collaboration and innovation.
