News

On February 14th, 2022, China issued a list of eligible universities for the second stage of its initiative to build top-class universities and assemble academic disciplines. Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) has been listed in 18 of the disciplines, including Industry & Business Administration which was co-constructed by SAIF. In this stage of the "Double First-Class"initiative of Industry & Business Administration, SJTU took Industry & Business Administration as the main construct, and three first-level disciplines as supporting elements, including Management Science & Engineering, Applied Economics, and Public Management. It was co-constructed by SAIF and its main research fields included: Enterprise Management, Data Science & Management Optimization, Accounting & Finance, Technological Innovation & Industrial Development, and Business Environment & Policy Innovation. In the first stage of "Double First-Class"initiative (2016-2020), SJTU achieved expected results in the construction of "Business and Management"(which will change into "Industry & Business Administration"in the second stage), with some of the tasks having been completed beyond expectations. It ranked A+ in the 4th round of discipline assessment by the Ministry of Education, and, of its five directions, ranked in the top 100 in the QS World University Rankings. Accounting & Finance, which was constructed mainly by SAIF, ranked in the top 50 globally and in the top three among mainland universities.

On January 12th, 2022, the Professional Master's Thesis Supervision Meeting was held at SAIF by the Thesis Supervision Committee (TSC). The meeting allowed supervisors to exchange ideas and deepen their understanding of quality standards and requirements for thesis writing in each SAIF program. Nearly 40 professors who would be supervising the master's theses in the 2021-2022 academic year attended the lunch, meeting either onsite or online. Professor Qigui Zhu (Secretary of the CPC SAIF Committee, Chairman of TSC) chaired the meeting and delivered a speech. He thanked thesis supervisors from SAIF and beyond for their contributions to the quality improvement of these in the past year. He pointed out that through the whole process of a master's student's cultivation, all the supervisors must attach importance to moral education, and take care of students both in academic matters and in also in life. He also emphasized the importance of academic integrity. In the meeting, Professor Tan Wang (Academic Director of the MF Program), Professor Jie Chang (Academic Director of the MBA Program), and Professor Fei Wu (Academic Co-Director of the EED Program) introduced each aspect of thesis work for the MF, MBA, and EMBA programs respectively, and summarized the overall development in 2021. Professor Xianglin Li (Academic Co-Director of the MF program) made an additional explanation. Professor Tzukuan Chiu was also invited to share her experience in teaching thesis writing courses. Professor Nengjiu Ju (Co-Chairman of TSC) introduced the basic process of thesis guiding work for the MF, MBA, and EMBA programs and shared a speech on "how to ensure thesis quality". In the discussion session, supervisors shared their views on: "the topic of the thesis", "the form of the thesis", "the requirements and responsibilities of supervisors", "the kind of guidance that should be given to different types of students of MF, MBA, and EMBA programs", and "how to effectively improve the standardization of thesis and improve students'enthusiasm for thesis writing".

On January 27th, 2022, SAIF announced that the Institute Council decided to approve the request of Professor Chun Chang (Professor of Finance, Huifu Chair Professor) to step down as Executive Dean. Professor Shijun Cheng was then designated as the new Executive Dean. SAIF recognized the major and extensive contributions to the construction and development of SAIF made by Professor Chang Chun since he became Executive Dean in 2010. He played a crucial role in the development of SAIF, including the establishment of the international model of research and education, innovative institutional building, the development of our education and research programs, as well as branding and outreach initiatives. Meanwhile, as a distinguished scholar, Professor Chang has obtained major achievements in a number of research areas (Winner of the Sun Yefang Financial Innovation Award in 2016).His pioneering efforts and dedication in teaching/educational activities have also contributed to the development of finance education and research both at SAIF and in China.SAIF looks forward to his continuing contribution to the school’s development in his role as a senior faculty and a leading finance scholar. Professor Shijun Cheng is a senior Professor of Accounting at SAIF and has been a Special-Term Professor since the inception of SAIF. Prior to joining SAIF as a full-time professor in 2018, he accumulated rich expertise and experience from his service as Dean of School of Management, Jinan University (Guangzhou). After joining SAIF in 2018, Shijun acted as Deputy Dean, overseeing our MBA and MF programs and several major administrative functions, including finance and HR. In 2020, he started to serve on the Institute Council as a member in 2020 and participated in the Institute's planning and operation process, demonstrating a strong sense of mission, responsibility and implementation. His character and work have received wide recognition.In addition, as an alumnus of SJTU (1993, Ph.D. in Industrial Management Engineering), Professor Cheng is full of passion and confidence in serving the Institute and contributing to the development of the University. Professor Shijun Cheng said that he would work closely with the leadership team to implement development strategies and decisions made by the Institute Council to serve the construction of Shanghai International Finance Center, and to promote the construction of SJTU as a world-class university. He also hoped to work with all faculty, staff, students, alumni, colleagues, and other concerned stakeholders to build SAIF into a top-class financial school in China as swiftly as possible. Profile Dr. Shijun Cheng is theExecutive Dean and Professor of Accounting at the Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He earned his D.Eng. in Industrial Management Engineering from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and his Ph.D. in Accounting from the University of Pittsburgh. Previously he was on the faculty of the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, and the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland (with tenure). He was also the Dean of the School of Management at Jinan University in Guangzhou. His research is focused upon corporate governance, compensation and incentives, and managerial accounting. Prof. Cheng has published in top academic journals such asThe Accounting Review,Contemporary Accounting Research,Review of Financial Studies, andthe Journal of Financial Economics. He serves (or has served) on the editorial boards ofContemporary Accounting Researchandthe China Journal of Accounting Research, and was on the first academic committee forChina Industrial Economics. Prof. Cheng has taught Managerial Accounting, Financial Accounting, Essentials of Accounting for Decision Makers, Performance Measurement and Compensation Design, and Corporate Governance for doctoral, masters, and undergraduate programs (as well as non-degree programs).

In the international academic community, the top five journals in economics are: the American Economic Review (AER), Econometrica (ECA), the Journal of Political Economy (JPE), the Quarterly Journal of Economics (QJE), and the Review of Economic Studies (RES). The top three journals in finance are: the Journal of Finance (JF), the Journal of Financial Economics (JFE), and the Review of Financial Studies (RFS). In 2021, a total of 6 papers by SAIF finance professors were published or accepted by the above-mentioned top international academic journals. According to statistics, 52 papers (including accepted and to be published, the same below) were published by SAIF Full Professors in 2021, of which 34 were published in international academic journals. By the end of 2021, SAIF professors published a total of 738 papers, of which 215 were published in top international academic journals, maintaining a leading position among similar institutions. The research results not only reflected the strong intellectual drive at SAIF, but also the academic rigor of the various teaching programs as well. The 6 papers published or accepted by the top international academic journals were: Air Pollution, Affect, and Forecasting Bias: Evidence from Chinese Financial Analysts(JFE) co-authored by Professor Yongxiang Wang (Professor of Finance at SAIF), Rui Dong (Renmin Business School), Raymond Fisman (Department of Economics, Boston University), and Nianhang Xu (Renmin Business School); Under-Diversification and Idiosyncratic Risk Externalities (JFE) co-authored by Professor Chao Zi (Assistant Professor of Finance at SAIF), Felipe S. Iachan (EPGE School of Finance, Brazil), and Dejanir Silva (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign); Property Rights, Land Misallocation, and Agricultural Efficiency in China (RES) co-authored by Professor Yongxiang Wang (Professor of Finance at SAIF), Amalavoyal Chari (University of Sussex, UK), Elaine M. Liu (University of Houston, National Bureau of Economic Research), and Shing-Yi Wang (University of Pennsylvania, National Bureau of Economic Research); Air Pollution, Behavioral Bias, and the Disposition Effect in China (JFE) co-authored by Professor Jie Li (Assistant Professor of Finance at SAIF), Massimo Massa (Institut Européen d'Administration des Affaires), Zhang Hong (Wudaokou School of Finance, Tsinghua University), and Jian Zhang (School of Business and Economics, the University of Hong Kong); Premium for Heightened Uncertainty: Explaining Pre-Announcement Market Returns (JFE) co-authored by Professor Jun Pan (Professor of Finance, Chair Professor at SAIF), Professor Jiang Wang (Mizuho Financial Group Professor at Sloan School of Management, MIT, Chair of Academic Council, Senior Advisory Visiting Professor at SAIF), Xing Hu (Wudaokou School of Finance, Tsinghua University), and Haoxiang Zhu (MIT Sloan School of Management); Extrapolative Bubbles and Trading Volume (RFS) co-authored by Professor Ning Zhu (Deputy Dean, Professor of Finance at SAIF), Jingchi Liao (Shenzhen Stock Exchange), and Cameron Peng (London School of Economics and Political Science).

On January 26th, SAIF held its 2022 Annual Board Meeting. Qing Wu (Member of the Shanghai Municipal Standing Committee, Executive Vice Mayor of Shanghai, Chairman of the SAIF Board) presided over the meeting and delivered a speech. Yuan Hua (Deputy Secretary General of Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Director of Development & Reform Commission, Vice Chairman of SAIF Board), Ping Wang (Director of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, Director of SAIF Board), Jizhen Cao (Director of Shanghai Municipal Financial Bureau, Director of SAIF Board), Changsheng Tao (Chief Economic Manager of Shanghai Municipal Financial Regulatory Bureau), Zhenbin Yang (Secretary of the CPC SJTU Committee, Vice Chairman of SAIF Board), Zhongqin Lin (President of SJTU, Director of SAIF Board), Guangshao Tu (Adjunct Professor of SJTU, Executive Director of SAIF Board), Kuiling Ding (Executive Vice President of SJTU, Director of SAIF Board), Xuemin Xu (Vice President of SJTU, Director of SAIF Board), Jiang Wang (Mizuho Financial Group Professor at Sloan School of Management, MIT, Executive Director of SAIF Board), and other esteemed leaders and professors attended the meeting. During the meeting, Professor Chun Chang (Executive Dean) presented the annual work report for 2021 on behalf of SAIF. The directors reviewed the achievements of SAIF in the past year and discussed various aspects for further work and development. Chairman Qing Wu put forward four suggestions for the new phase of SAIF in his concluding speech. First, we must innovate in order to improve our professional talent training system in line with the zeitgeist of modern Shanghai. Second, we must strengthen the construction of our international top-tier faculty. Third, we should enhance our standing with a high-end think tank. Fourth, we should keep moving forward towards the construction of a world-class Finance College.

Recently, SAIF released the Employment Report of the Full-time Financial MBA (FMBA) Graduates in 2021. The report showed that, the "Finance +"multidisciplinary FMBA graduates have been recognized and favored by the market. Nearly 80% of the graduates chose to work in the finance industry, and another 20% chose to join real enterprises or government/regulatory institutions. Their salaries and positions have significantly increased compared against those before enrollment. About 64% of the graduates have an annual starting salary of RMB 300,000 or more. As China's first financial MBA program, the SAIF FMBA Program has been highly recognized by the industry for its world-leading financial education system and outstanding teaching. Graduates have continued to gain great favor from financial institutions and enterprises. This year, 36 FMBA graduates had an average starting salary of RMB 362,000 (up 25.8% and 49.9% over figures from 2020, and before enrollment, respectively), with the median being RMB 300,000 (an increase of 7.1% and 50% over figures from 2020, and before enrollment, respectively). Aimed at fostering industry leaders with modern financial expertise, the SAIF FMBA Program is committed to training a community of financial talent with local influence and international competitiveness. Entrepreneurs and professional managers with an industry background, a financial mindset, and an innovative spirit are also welcomed to join. Statistics show that in this intake, before joining SAIF, 67.6% of the FMBA graduates came from the financial sector and 32.4% came from non-financial industries. After two years of systematic education and training through the SAIF FMBA Program and guidance from the Career Development Center (CDC), their professionalism, skills, and global outlook have been strengthened. They have a clearer understanding of their ability and have the wherewithal to combine their interests and personal characteristics to find a more suitable career path for themselves. According to the recent statistics, 79.4% of this year’s FMBA graduates preferred the finance industry and 14.7% were engaged in the technology and medical industries. Compared to past years, this year's graduates chose to enter more diversified industries, with asset management and securities being the two main industries that attracted them — 38.2% of the students entered asset management institutions and 29.4% were engaged in brokerage firms. The employers included leading brokerage firms and well-known institutions in China, such as: China International Capital Corporation, Huatai United Securities, Guotai Junan Securities, China Renaissance, Yunqi Partners, and China Asset Management. Many graduates joined government-guided funds, industrial funds, and emerging technology enterprises, such as: Shanghai Pudong Technology Investment, Shanghai Semiconductor Equipment & Material Investment Management, Beijing Yuanxin Technology Group, and Kingstar. The Shanghai Stock Exchange, the Securities Association of China, and other regulatory bodies have also attracted MBA graduates. In terms of functions, investment and research positions are the most popular categories among this year's SAIF FMBA graduates, accounting for 32.4% and 20.6% respectively. In addition, strategic investment/planning and sales/trading both represent 11.8%. Another 5.9% of graduates chose to be management trainees. In 2008, SAIF launched the first FMBA Program (Finance Track). The program integrates top educational resources globally, comparable to the finance curriculum of the MIT Sloan Business School, the Wharton Business School, and other top international business schools. It also focuses on Chinese economic and financial development, covering basic finance, professional finance, and management courses.

Recently, SAIF released the Employment Report of MF (Master of Finance) Graduates in 2021. The report showed that, despite the adverse influence on the global economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the average and median numbers for annual starting salary were RMB 429,000 and RMB 400,000, respectively (up 21% and 33% from 2020). These figures showed the strong competitiveness for SAIF MF graduates in the job market, and among them, each Fintech Graduate received three job offers on average. There were 89 SAIF MF graduates in total this year, including 71 Chinese students and 18 foreign students. Apart from two graduates who decided to continue their studies, the placement rate of the other 87 graduates was 100%. The average annual salary of the first 24 MF Fintech track graduates was RMB 472,000 and the median figure was RMB 445,000. The average annual salary of the MF General track graduates was RMB 412,000 and the median figure was RMB370,000, which showed a significant rise compared to year 2020. Among all employed students, 68.4% earned more than RMB 300,000 per year and 15.2% earned more than RMB 600,000 per year. As SAIF's flagship program, SAIF MF has been taking the lead in employment data among comparable institutions and universities. This year, overall employment statistics still fully highlight SAIF MF's differentiators of Internationalization, Specialization, and High Level. According to recent statistics, 38.8% of the graduates preferred investment banks, securities, and financial advisors; another 31.3% were engaged in the asset management industry. In terms of functions, investment research posts once again became the most popular positions for this year's SAIF MF graduates, accounting for 42%, followed by sales transaction, investment banking, and consulting/strategic investment (accounting for 18.8%, 15.0% and 12.5%, respectively). In terms of employers, MF graduates were attracted by different kinds. These included renowned international investment banks (JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America Securities, Citigroup, Nomura International, etc.), leading domestic institutions (Tencent Investment, Capital Today, Chinese Investment Corporation, etc.), traditional domestic securities firms (CICC, CITIC Securities, China Securities, Huatai United Securities, etc.), leading consulting firms (E Fund, GF, Da Cheng, Zhong Ou, BOCIM, etc.), and consulting institutions (Boston Consulting Group, Bain Capital, etc.) Online leaders have also become hotspot targets for SAIF MF graduates, including Tencent, Meituan Dianping, and other unicorn companies. To meet development demands of the financial industry, SAIF was the first to set up a MF Fintech Track in China. After completing two years of systematic courses and practical internships in finance, the first class of Fintech Track graduates are heavily favored by the market. The placement rate of Fintech graduates is 100% and they each receive more than three job offers on average. To be specific, 62.5% of the Fintech graduates entered the securities industry, 20.8% entered hedge funds or privately offered funds, and another 8.3% entered the technology & internet industry. Their main job functions are investment research (secondary market) and sales & trading, , accounting for 45.8% and 37.5% respectively. In terms of employers, more than half of the Fintech graduates chose top investment banking firms such as CICC, CITIC Securities, China Securities, or Huatai United Securities. Other employers include Morgan Stanley, DTL, Jiukun Investment, Chongyang Investment, and other well-known Chinese and foreign financial institutions. Tencent also hired two Fintech graduates this year for big data analysis and research. Unlike the MF-General Track, the MF-FinTech Track prefers students with a background in science and technology or a second major in mathematics, statistics, or computer science. In addition to Finance courses, the curriculum focuses on Statistics & Machine Learning, Computer Skills & Applications, and other professional skills training. It cultivates top inter-disciplinary talent who can understand basic principles of finance; master modern artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data, cloud platforms, blockchain, and other technologies; and demonstrate programming skills. Xuebo Xu, a graduate from Jilin University who majored in financial mathematics and joined CICC after graduating as a Fintech SAIFer, said that "The curriculum at SAIF is of high quality, with comprehensive technical courses such as C++, machine learning, database, measurement and financial engineering, etc. These courses focus on combining theory and practice together, requiring students to do everything from building models to programming by ourselves, which prompted us to grow up quickly to meet the industry's needs in just two years." The Master of Finance Program is a full-time flagship program launched by SAIF in 2009. All of its students have graduated from world-class universities, and the average admission rate is below 5%. With all courses taught in English, the SAIF MF Program trains international financial professionals who are proficient with modern financial theory, techniques, and skills — and are familiar with the practices of the financial sector in China and across the world. Compared against other similar programs in China, SAIF MF features world-class faculty from leading international universities, a dynamic curriculum design in line with international standards, and an internationalized and open-minded educational system. In addition, its modern teaching approaches are supported by a simulation laboratory. Curriculum and courses are closely linked with development of the international financial industry and reflect the reality of Chinese and international markets. Students not only have the opportunity to participate in joint admission programs with world-renowned institutions such as Columbia University, the London School of Economics, and others, but may also enjoy access to international resources and exclusive short-term overseas modules from all over the world. After years of hard work, SAIF MF Program has become a benchmark program in China. In the Masters of Finance Ranking published by the Financial Times, the SAIF MF Program maintained its leadership in Asia for three consecutive years. This year, the SAIF MF Program Admissions Committee selected 79 MF22 pre-admitted students based upon 7 dimensions and 14 indicators, with a final acceptance rate of only 2.5%. MF22 pre-admitted students, originating from 985 universities, have diverse professional backgrounds and rich practical experience, earned outstanding awards, and possess soft power. Among them, 41% majored in science and technology and 58% majored in finance and economics. Of the pre-admitted FinTech students, 72% had majored in science and technology and 54% had inter-disciplinary dual degrees. "We want to endow our students with not only the ability to think systematically and innovatively, but also the cutting-edge skills that Fintech provides, which will help all SAIF MF graduates to grow continuously in the next decade or even decades and become modern professionals close to the market and with outstanding expertise and international vision,"said Professor Tan Wang (Faculty Director of the SAIF MF Program and Professor of Finance at SAIF). "Over the past ten years, SAIF MF has been on the road to success, step by step, by adhering to our international vision and integrating our curriculum with China's financial needs, while persisting in continuous innovation. The organic combination of the two ensures that our program is full of vitality, and that our students can learn and apply what they have learned in practice. In the future, we will continue to adhere to this roadmap and direction."

On September 23rd, the Faculty and Staff Autumn Semester meeting was held at SAIF. Professors Chun Chang (Executive Dean, Huifu Chair Professor at SAIF), Qigui Zhu (Secretary of the CPC SAIF Committee), and Jiang Wang (Executive Director, Chair of Academic Council at SAIF) delivered speeches. Nearly 200 SAIF professors and staff attended the conference. Professor Chun Chang said that SAIF has progressed well in many aspects during the past year, including: the Phase III Strategic Plan (2021-2030), faculty construction, think-tank construction, talent training, and external cooperation. He emphasized that the current situation requires further promotion of academic, think tank, and applied research — as well as talent training, which brings both development opportunities and new challenges to SAIF. He urged all faculty and staff to focus on research and innovation to support talent cultivation and face challenges. Professor Qigui Zhu said that 2021 is the first year of both the SAIF Phase III Strategic Plan (2021-2030) and the third phase of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, and that we should make every effort to achieve these goals. Professor Jiang Wang pointed out in his concluding speech that there are two keys to achieve goals faster and with a better outcome. One is to implement the specific tasks to make sure that the Plan proceeds at a steady pace. The other is to innovate.

From September 13th to September 15th, the 2021 MF Opening Ceremony was held at the Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance (SAIF). This year's orientation week was held in a combined online and on-site format, which enabled students from all over the world to attend. MF2021 has 71 students from China and overseas. Due to the pandemic, international students in Italy, France, Germany, and Malaysia attended the ceremony virtually. During the ceremony, Professor Chun Chang (Huifu Chair Professor, Executive Dean at SAIF) delivered a welcome speech. In his speech, he encouraged students to balance the following four aspects in their future life at SAIF: the balance between long-term and short-term goals, between the expectation from your parents and your own pursuits, between personal values and social responsibilities, and between study and enjoying life. Professor Tan Wang (MF Academic Director, Professor of Finance at SAIF), Professor Xianglin Li (MF Academic Co-Director, Associate Director of CAFR, Professor of Practice at SAIF), Hongjun An (Founder and Chairman of Genharmony), Professor Chao Zi (Assistant Professor at SAIF), Lin Yang (Director of MF Program) and all MF Program staff attended the opening ceremony. Hongjun An, Professor Wang, and the MF Program Head Ms. Lin Yang shared their life experiences and conveyed their best wishes to the 2021 class. As freshmen at SAIF, MF-General21 student Xiaoshuang Chen (graduate from Peking University with a Bachelor's degree in Economics) and MF-Fintech21 student Junming Chen (graduate from Tsinghua University with a Bachelor's degree in Automation) expressed their excitement and expectation for their new start at SAIF. Taoran Wang from MF-General20 and Yufang Peng from MF-FinTech20 also shared their learning and living experiences at SAIF as senior representatives. Professor Wenjun Qiu (Guest Professor of Practice at SAIF) encouraged students to integrate theory with practice in their study and to actively participate in the CFA Research Challenge. In order to help students better adapt to their upcoming new life at SAIF, the staff from various departments gave an in-depth overview of SAIF MF's curriculum design and comprehensive services. Professor Jie Hu, Professor of Practice at SAIF and former CEO of the Financial Division at Xunlei Group, brought an impressive first class to the students, entitled "A New Face of the Old Financial Kingdom". Professor Hu guided the students in a review of the past, present and future of the financial world, inspiring an industry-oriented macro perspective and deepening their understanding of the industry. Mr. Zhang, who had worked at JP Morgan in London, brought a wonderful practical course to the students, giving them a glance at the financial workplace and training their networking skills. Standing at the starting point of a meaningful new journey, the students wrote down small objectives for the next two years and their wishes for the future. The program team then sealed these "time capsules" for them to open in person when they graduate two years later.

Gianluca Salvicchi was born in Rome. At the age of 13, he started to learn Mandarin and, up to now, has visited Shanghai three times and has studied at SJTU twice. Gianluca is fond of Chinese culture, appreciates education in China, and has confidence in China's economic development. He also acquired a Chinese name -"Zhan LuJiang". Now, at the age of 22, Gianluca has been enrolled in the MF program at SAIF. He's looking forward to his life as a SAIFer and it has always been his dream to study in Shanghai. "I will be able to merge my two loves, China and Finance", he said. Studying at SJTU Again The story between Gianluca and China began when he was in his senior year of high school in Italy. At the age of 13, he became curious about China, a country also possessing an ancient civilization. When he first came to Shanghai for an exchange program, he fell in love with the city immediately. After the one-year exchange, he extended for another year and decided to study in China for a bachelor degree. In 2017, he was admitted to the School of Electronic Information and Electrical Engineering of SJTU and became an engineering student. Unfortunately, for family reasons, he had to quit SJTU at that time. "Compared to the metro system in Rome, I'm more familiar with the one in Shanghai. It carries my memories of this city". After visiting Shanghai three times, Gianluca is profoundly attracted by the city. He believes that China and SJTU have encouraged him a lot, allowing him to broaden his horizons and helping him with his future development. Influenced by his father, Gianluca has been very interested in financial knowledge since he was a child. After returning to Italy, he entered the Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali (LUISS Guido Carli), known as the "Harvard of Italy", to study economics. During the four years study at university, a friend introduced him to the development of the SJTU Minhang Business Area. He learned that China was developing rapidly and he was even more optimistic about China's future economic development. "China is seeking its path of development, and I'm happy to see its energy and capacity. I believe that Shanghai will further expand its competitiveness as an international financial center. The internationalization of the RMB is also around the corner. I hope I can contribute to the development of China's finance development in the future." For Gianluca, SJTU is his second home, and SAIF is the perfect choice to combine his interests in both China and Finance. Therefore, it is no surprise for him to choose SAIF. "It has everything I want - professional knowledge, financial skills. And it can help me return to Shanghai and support me with my future career," he said. Choosing SAIF As a finance student, Gianluca had always been interested in secondary market investment activities and macroeconomic developments. He has used his professional knowledge to manage his personal assets and achieved good results. In the future, he hopes to create value for his clients in the same way. "I want to become a good wealth management advisor and I hope to set up my own hedge fund in the future." Though it's not time for school yet, Gianluca has already started preparatory courses, including: Overview of Financial Markets, Business Chinese, Introduction to Python, C and C++ Programming. "These preparatory courses at SAIF helped me consolidate and deepen my understanding of financial knowledge," Gianluca said. "The programming courses and other skills courses can help me become an inter-disciplinary talent. And the Chinese language course arranged specifically for international students is good for my business communication skills." He also received one-to-one career counseling from the CDC, which benefited him a great deal. "The coach objectively pointed out my shortcomings and strengths, gave me advice on course selection, and also taught me some interview skills, which gave me confidence in my future career development."Gianluca was deeply moved by the thoughtfulness of the CDC staff. To avoid late-night courses for international students, they arranged time reasonably. "Although school has not started yet, SAIF has already provided various preparatory courses and career planning for students. I think it is very professional and I can also feel its warmth and love." Due to the coronavirus, Gianluca will take courses virtually at this stage. He is looking forward to the upcoming semester, "I hope the pandemic will be controlled soon. And I hope to study in the SAIF classroom as soon as possible."In the future, besides further enhancing his financial knowledge and skills at SAIF, he also hopes to found a club to study secondary markets with friends. "SAIF is a platform that gathers finance talents in and beyond China. I believe we can work out a lot of interesting ideas here!" Gianluca likes asking questions because he enjoys the intellectual challenge when seeking answers. Despite setbacks sometimes, he believes that he will grow quickly in this process of exploration. As a foreigner, he often describes himself as "a foreign body with a Chinese soul". He believes that with the support of SAIF, his future will be promising.