On October 4, the High-end Forum on Constructing Independent Knowledge System of Labor Economy and Management in China and Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Establishment of the School of Labor and Human Resources of Renmin University of China (short for RUC) were held at RUC. Xu Fang, Deputy Secretary of Capital University of Economics and Business, was invited to attend the meeting, and delivered a keynote speech in “Global Forum on Labor Economics and Management Discipline” held in the afternoon.

“The Global Forum on Labor Economy and Management Discipline” was held in Run Run Shaw Conference Hall at RUC where the participants exchanged ideas and learned from each other on the construction of China’s Independent Intellectual Property Rights system in disciplines like Labor Economics, Human Resource Management, Labor and Social Security. Participating guests and leaders included Zeng Xiangquan, Head of the Employment Research Institute of RUC, Klaus F. Zimmerman, President of International Labor Organization (ILO), Liu Xiangbing, Party Secretary of China University of Labor Relations, Mo Jiahao, Vice President of Lingnan University, Wang Chunchao, the Dean of the School of Economics of Jinan University, Wang Yanzhong, Director of the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Fang Lee Cooke, Professor of Monash University, Australia, Distinguished Professor of Monash University, Australia, Tomoaki Ishii, Professor of Meiji University, Jiang Kaifeng, Distinguished Professor of The Ohio State University, U.S.A., Zhao Zhong, Dean of the School of Labor and Human Resources of RUC. Professor Feng Xiliang, Director of the Academic Committee of the School of Labor and Economics of CUEB, Professor Miao Rentao, Dean of the Department of Talent Studies, Zhang Chenggang, Director of the Center for the Study of New Employment Patterns. More than 100 experts, as well as teachers and students from home and abroad attended the meeting.

Xu Fang delivered a keynote speech on the topic of “Deepening Socialist Labor Science with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era and Constructing an Independent Knowledge System for Chinese Labor Economy Management”. She remarked that constructing an independent knowledge system of China’s labor and economic management is a necessity for labor science in the new era. It is necessary to tell the principles, reasons and theories behind the development of labor science in China, to tell Chinese stories well, and to contribute Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to the academic world.

She introduced the glorious history of CUEB, especially when the Party and country leaders received our personnel at Zhongnanhai twice at the establishment of CUEB. She pointed out that CUEB and RUC have enjoyed time-honored partnership not only between the two universities, but also between the School of Labor Economics of CUEB and School of Labor and Human Resources of RUC. She then reviewed the accomplishments of Labor Economics in the two universities as the first batch to establish majors including Personnel Management, Human Resource Management, Labor and Social Security. Besides, the two universities were also in the first batch to develop master programs in Labor Economics and national key discipline of Labor Economics, and take a lead to establish Talent Discipline of the master and doctor degrees. After years of development, a multi-level, full-fledged and cross-disciplined system has been established in the School of Labor Economics. The School has undertaken  a series of major and key projects funded by the National Social Science and made great achievements in representative research domains including digital economy and labor market, digital and intelligent human resource management, labor relations in new types of employment, social security in pursuing common prosperity, hubs for talent and innovation construction, issues on population and aging, and environment and distribution pattern of population in China’s capital circle, which made contributions to the national strategy and capital development in the new era.

Then Xu Fang put forward three viewpoints in regard to independent knowledge system construction of Labor Economics and Management in China:

1. The construction is a timely endeavor. She illustrated its significance in terms of policy formulation, protection of interests and rights of the labor, research in workforce and personnel cultivation, as well as in the establishment of related curriculum with Chinese characteristics, research and theory building, as well as in inter-disciplinary construction.

2. The construction has a solid foundation. We should take Marxism as our guide and develop its theories in the labor domain. We should apply the worldview and methodology of  Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era , deepen research in theories of Western Labor Economics, and inherit and develop current accomplishments, especially those from traditional Chinese culture.

3. The construction has a bright future. Chinese modernization brings about potential in labor science and the knowledge system. Related disciplines in CUEB endeavor to make breakthroughs in discipline development, expansion in research domains, transition in personnel cultivation to digital and intelligent mode, as well as the cooperation of government, enterprises, universities and research institutes.

The forum held an in-depth discussion on issues and emerging domains in Labor Studies, which would bring about positive impact on the independent knowledge system in Labor Economics Management, as well as on the discipline development and the personnel cultivation in this field.