On October 24, 2025, the 40th Anniversary Conference marking the re-establishment of School of Management at Fudan University (Fudan SoM) was held at the Zhengli Campus. Distinguished guests, faculty members, students, and alumni gathered to reflect on four decades of dedicated progress, chart a new blueprint for future development, and jointly witness this milestone moment.

Inspiring Minds · Advancing Together

Li Jin, President of Fudan University and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered an opening address. He highly commended the School for its four decades of leadership-driven development and outstanding achievements. Over the past forty years, the School has pioneered a distinctive growth paradigm and development path for Chinese business schools, establishing Fudan University as a prominent Chinese presence in global management education.

The year 2025 also marks the 120th anniversary of Fudan University. In his congratulatory letter on the University's anniversary, President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of advancing knowledge innovation, theoretical innovation, and methodological innovation in philosophy and the social sciences. President Jin encouraged the School to boldly pursue innovation and transformation, striving toward the forefront of world-class business schools. On behalf of the University, he articulated three expectations for the School's future development:

First, to strengthen strategic planning and secure a commanding position in the advancement of management science. By formulating a high-quality blueprint under the 15th Five-Year Plan, the School should refine a three-tiered strategic framework encompassing strategic orientation, strategic domains, and key priorities, proactively deploy future initiatives, and focus on interdisciplinary integration. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the School is encouraged to achieve breakthroughs in selected research areas and ascend to the ranks of the world's leading institutions, positioning itself at the forefront of global paradigm shifts in management education.

Second, to focus on educational transformation and build a premier hub for cultivating future management talent. The School should deepen reforms in management education, embedding the cultivation of top-tier innovative talent throughout the entire training process. By creating a comprehensive innovation ecosystem characterized by deep interdisciplinary integration, deep engagement with practice, and a closed-loop approach to teaching and learning, the School aims to nurture future managers who possess both a strong sense of national responsibility and a global perspective, alongside technological insight.

Third, to deepen international cooperation and amplify the voice of Chinese management scholarship. Rooted in the great practice of Chinese modernization and resonating with the spirit of the times, the School should elevate management practices in the Chinese context into theoretical contributions of universal relevance. On global issues such as sustainable development, AI governance, and climate change, the School is encouraged to actively articulate its perspectives, enhancing China's discourse power on the global stage.

Zhiyao Yin, representative of the International Advisory Board members of Fudan SoM and Chairman and CEO of Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., delivered remarks. He noted that over forty years, Fudan SoM has traversed a development path that took mainstream Western business schools seventy to eighty years to complete—a journey marked by perseverance and entrepreneurial spirit, closely mirroring his own professional experience.

He emphasized that the School has never rested on past achievements but has consistently led reforms in Chinese management education with a forward-looking vision. Its strong commitment to the Sci-Tech Innovation Strategy and Globalization Strategy aligns precisely with China's urgent demand for high-level, innovation-oriented management talent. Through four decades of unremitting effort, the School has cultivated generations of visionary and responsible leaders while achieving remarkable academic accomplishments.

Mr. Yin expressed the hope that the School would continue to deepen collaboration with sci-tech enterprises, advance reforms in the relations of production for innovation-driven development, and achieve breakthroughs in both theory and practice related to emerging technology enterprises—becoming a source of influential thought leadership in sci-tech management and a cradle for future leaders in China and beyond.

Standing at a new starting point, Mr. Yin reaffirmed that he and fellow International Advisory Board members would continue to closely support the School's development, serving as a bridge to global top-tier resources and contributing to the School's ambition to lead China and influence the world.

Markus Baer, Associate Dean of Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, delivered remarks. He noted that since its launch in 2002, the Fudan–WashU EMBA Program has become an exemplary model of collaboration between two leading institutions in China and the United States, earning global recognition.

Looking ahead, he emphasized that cooperation remains the key to addressing global challenges. Quoting President John F. Kennedy, he stated: "Our problems are man-made; therefore, they can be solved by man." He expressed his firm belief that global collaboration in education helps bridge differences and cultivates the capacity to tackle complex challenges. As technology advances rapidly, societies increasingly need leaders with foresight and adaptability. For students, graduation represents the beginning of a transformative journey, and he expressed confidence that the partnership between Olin Business School and Fudan SoM will continue to flourish.

Chong'en Bai, Dean of School of Economics and Management at Tsinghua University, delivered remarks highlighting the deep historical ties and parallel development trajectories of the two institutions. Both pioneered the establishment of academic departments before forming full-fledged schools and jointly led the introduction of MBA and EMBA education in China, opening new pathways for the internationalization of management education.

Dean Bai noted that Fudan SoM has achieved outstanding accomplishments in academic research, talent cultivation, international collaboration, and societal impact, representing the highest level of management education in China and engaging in equal dialogue with the world’s leading business schools. Beyond its own development, the School has actively contributed to advancing Chinese management education and broader social progress through policy advisory roles, consensus building, and participation in international organizations. He expressed his hope that the School would continue to work closely with peer institutions to cultivate management talent with global leadership capabilities.

Seeking Truth · Passing on the Legacy

Over four decades of perseverance and dedication, generations of faculty members have remained steadfast in their commitment to the pursuit of truth. At the conference, four faculty representatives shared heartfelt reflections on their growth, exploration, and teaching journeys at the School.

Professor Xiaohong Jiang, Department of Finance and Accounting, recalled being among the earliest cohorts of students at the School in the 1980s. Recommended by President Xide Xie, she pursued an MBA at the MIT Sloan School of Management, becoming one of the earliest Chinese students to do so after the reform and opening-up period. In late 2017, she returned full-time to Fudan SoM, focusing her research on Chinese sci-tech enterprises and venture capital. From a few desks to today's dual-campus structure, she expressed pride in having witnessed and contributed to the School's remarkable growth, noting that forty years mark not only a milestone but also a new beginning.

Professor Wen Yu, Department of Statistics and Data Science, shared her journey from "Fudan student" to "Fudan faculty member." She emphasized the profound influence of her mentors and reflected on the lasting significance of teaching in shaping student development. As the School celebrates its 40th anniversary, she expressed the hope of preserving its spiritual traditions while continuously expanding intellectual frontiers, especially amid the transformative wave of artificial intelligence.

Associate Professor Mengran Xu, Department of Marketing, described her early experiences assisting senior faculty in case-based teaching. She highlighted how the School's broad platform and multicultural environment enabled her to grow from an explorer into a committed member of the community, pledging to continue cultivating interdisciplinary research and education.

Associate Professor Feiyu Jiang, Department of Statistics and Data Science, shared a moment when overhearing students express interest in a statistics course reaffirmed the value of teaching. He described the School as "inclusive," fostering diversity, experimentation, and interdisciplinary collaboration—qualities essential for innovation.

Each alumnus represents a seed sown across the world, while the School remains a constant source of warmth and belonging. Alumni representatives from various cohorts shared their interpretations of the School's spirit and its enduring legacy.

Speakers reflected on themes including sci-tech innovation, globalization, entrepreneurship, cultural heritage, and social responsibility, illustrating how the values cultivated at the School continue to guide diverse professional journeys and societal contributions.

Expanding Horizons · Witnessed by Time

The School's four decades of progress have been made possible by steadfast support from leaders, alumni, and society at large. During the ceremony, distinguished guests collectively affixed commemorative seals to the "Imprint of Fudan SoM" scroll, symbolizing the collective strength behind forty years of innovation and the shared commitment to future advancement.

Tributes were paid to retired faculty members for their selfless dedication, and special commemorative gifts were presented by alumni, reflecting deep gratitude and continuity of spirit.

Transformation · A Boundless Future

Dean Xiongwen Lu delivered a closing address, expressing sincere gratitude to predecessors, leaders, alumni, and partners for their unwavering support. He reflected that while forty years may be a brief moment in history, for the School it represents a powerful symphony of innovation and transformation. In just four decades, the School has achieved a development trajectory comparable to that of Western business schools over seventy to one hundred years, standing confidently among the world's leading institutions.

Looking ahead, he outlined five areas for continued innovation: refining educational infrastructure, fostering interdisciplinary scholarship, deepening globalization, improving the management education ecosystem, and advancing the Sci-Tech Innovation Strategy. By distilling new management theories rooted in Chinese practice yet universally relevant, the School aims to contribute Chinese wisdom to global knowledge.

The conference concluded with a choral performance of "The Sea of Stars" by the School's faculty and student choir.

Leaders, International Advisory Board members, representatives from global business schools and international organizations, alumni, donors, faculty, students, and partners from various sectors attended the event. The opening ceremony of the 2025 Global Business Education Deans' Forum and Global Business Education Expo was held concurrently, bringing together representatives from nearly 50 leading business schools across five continents to explore the future of business education and global collaboration.