From July 19 to 29, the inaugural International Summer School on Climate Leadership and Digital Finance, hosted by the Business School of Harbin Institute of Technology, was successfully held and brought to a fruitful conclusion. With strong support from the Office of Undergraduate Studies and the Graduate School of Harbin Institute of Technology, the programme attracted 81 students from 12 countries, including China, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Vietnam, and Kazakhstan. Structured around three core pillars—academic courses, campus cultural immersion, and on-site enterprise visits—the summer school created a cross-cultural platform that deeply integrated theoretical learning with industrial practice for young scholars from around the world.
In line with Harbin Institute of Technology's ambition to become a world-class university, the Business School capitalised on the institution's robust support for international academic collaboration and invited distinguished faculty from the University of Edinburgh Business School in the United Kingdom to co-deliver the programme. This partnership brought cutting-edge international academic resources and real-world industry contexts directly into the classroom.
The opening ceremony took place on July 19. Sun Zhiqiang, Deputy Director of the Training Division of the Graduate School of Harbin Institute of Technology, attended the ceremony and addressed the participants, encouraging them to cherish this valuable international learning platform, explore frontier knowledge, and broaden their global perspectives. Qu Fayi, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Business School of Harbin Institute of Technology, delivered a welcoming speech in which he reaffirmed the university's strong commitment to interdisciplinary talent development and internationalised education, and extended a warm welcome to all participating students. A highlight of the ceremony was a special session titled "One-on-One with Academician," featuring Gbenga Ibikunle, Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, who gave a thematic lecture and engaged in lively discussions with the audience.
Opening Ceremony
One-on-One Session
The academic module featured systematic course series delivered by three core instructors, focusing on the two frontier areas of climate finance and digital transformation. Academician Gbenga Ibikunle taught Market Microstructure: Digital Transformation of Financial Markets, offering a clear framework for understanding the digital evolution of the financial sector. Zhang Yupu, Assistant Professor at the University of Edinburgh Business School, delivered the Climate Finance and Sustainable Development series, elaborating on the institutional mechanisms of green financing and illustrating the application of various financial instruments amid the low-carbon transition. Wang Tong, Associate Professor at the University of Edinburgh Business School, drew on business and financial management cases to teach Causal Inference and Machine Learning, demystifying the principles of artificial intelligence and highlighting the practical value of causal reasoning.
Lectured by Gbenga Ibikunle
Lectured by Zhang Yupu
Lectured by Wang Tong
For the cultural immersion component, students visited the University History Museum and the Aerospace Museum of Harbin Institute of Technology. At the history museum, they traced the university's founding and evolution, gaining a deeper appreciation for the enduring spirit of scientific inquiry and innovation that has driven generations of scholars at Harbin Institute of Technology. At the Aerospace Museum, students observed a wide array of aerospace models up close, learned about China's achievements in aerospace innovation, and came to understand the true meaning behind the university's motto: "Strict Standards, Sufficient Efforts."
Campus Culture Study Tour
The enterprise visit module took students to Harbin Kaina Technology Company Limited and China Merchants Bank, Harbin Branch. There, they observed first-hand how digital technologies are empowering traditional industrial upgrading, and witnessed the practical application of artificial intelligence and digital tools in water resource management, financial services, and other sectors—effectively bridging the gap between classroom theory and industrial practice.
Visits to leading‑edge enterprises
The closing ceremony took place on July 29. Ma Tao, Dean of the Business School of Harbin Institute of Technology, presented certificates of completion to each student. In his closing remarks, he urged the students to uphold independent and critical thinking beyond mastering technical tools, and to live up to the responsibilities of their generation. Student representatives then took the stage to share their reflections and key takeaways from the programme.
Closing Ceremony
The successful conclusion of this international summer school marks a solid first step for the Business School of Harbin Institute of Technology in advancing internationalised education and interdisciplinary talent development. It not only provided a high-level academic exchange platform for outstanding students from across the globe, but also amplified the voice of Chinese universities in global conversations on climate governance and digital financial transformation. Looking ahead, adhering to its educational philosophy of "Tech-Empowered Business," the Business School of Harbin Institute of Technology will continue to expand high-level international exchange platforms, explore new models for nurturing global business talent, and build lasting bridges between academia and industry, as well as between China and the wider world.
