From July 15th to 18th in 2024, the first session of Summer Camp of Shenzhen University WeBank Institute of FinTech (SWIFT) was successfully held to promote ideological and academic exchange among outstanding university students in China, and to enhance young students’ understanding of the financial technology discipline, especially to select excellent students to further their studies at SWIFT. This event was strongly supported by the Finance Committee Office of the Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (Local Financial Regulatory Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality), Shenzhen Talent Bureau, Shenzhen Human Resources and Social Security Administration, People’s Government of Futian District, Hong Kong Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, Shenzhen Financial Technology Association, and Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited.


Opening Ceremony

On the morning of July 16th, over 120 participants attended the opening ceremony, including Professor Ge Rui, Vice Dean of SWIFT; Associate Professor Wang Liwen, Assistant Dean; Luo Zhenwei, Secretary General of Shenzhen Financial Technology Association, and representatives of faculty and students from financial technology-related programs at CUHK, CUHK (Shenzhen), HKUST, PolyU, SYSU, JNU (Shenzhen), HIT (Shenzhen), SUSTech, and Shenzhen University.

Professor Ge Rui extended a warm welcome to students and mentioned in his speech that SWIFT is committed to offering full-time undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs in the field of financial technology, planning and developing various specialized directions to meet the talent training needs of different sub-areas of the financial technology industry. He expressed his hope that the students will deepen their understanding and thinking about financial technology through participating in the summer camp, so as to further enhance their personal comprehensive qualities and team collaboration abilities.

Luo Zhenwei stated that Shenzhen, as the window of China’s reform and opening up, has always been at the forefront of digital finance development. Shenzhen gathers top global digital finance companies and countless innovative talents, making it one of the most active and prosperous regions in the digital finance ecosystem. He believes that the Summer Camp can not only deepen students’ understanding and awareness of digital finance but also inspire their enthusiasm and determination to engage in the industry, cultivating more future leaders for the sector.

Chang Jiaxin, an outstanding participant representative of the 2023 Summer Camp and a 2022 academic graduate student in Management Science and Engineering, shared her experiences and gains during the opening ceremony. She encouraged the new campers to cherish this rare learning opportunity, actively participate in various activities, and strive to enhance their professional skills and comprehensive quality based on her personal experiences. Besides, Zeng Hongyuan, a representative of the 2024 Summer Camp, also expressed his expectations and aspirations for the camp life, stating that he would give his all efforts, together with full enthusiasm and a firm belief, to engage in the learning and practice.

At the opening ceremony, Associate Professor Wang Liwen presented the flag to the camper representatives, marking the official launch of the first session of the summer camp. All campers, carrying this honor and responsibility, embarked on a journey to explore the mysteries of digital finance.

   


Highlights Review

The Summer Camp lasted for 4 days. During the 4 days, students, focusing on the topic “The Role of Digital Finance in Enhancing Productivity”, formed groups and chose a participating company from the camp. Through visiting the company and engaging in dialogues with industry experts, they analyzed practical cases in financial technology and submitted a research report. And then, each group presented their chosen case using PPT, and expert judges scored their presentations before the end of the event. In addition to the research topic, the camp also provided each student with talent assessments and skill evaluations in financial technology, aiming to help participants understand their strengths and weaknesses, providing guidance for their future career development.

   

Project Release                    Talent Assessment

Furthermore, an academic poster exhibition and a master’s program introduction were organized. At the exhibition, campers can gain in-depth understanding of the research achievements of Shenzhen University students in various fields, including digital finance and AI. Through these posters, not only were the students’ innovative thinking and practical abilities showcased, but the excellent level of Shenzhen University in academic research was demonstrated. What’s more, the introduction to the master’s program provided campers with a clearer understanding of the graduate education of the school. Through the explanation, campers could learn more about the curriculum, research directions, and academic resources in master’s programs, which provides a reference for their future further studies.

    

The summer camp also invited several well-known experts and professors from the industry to conduct round-table dialogue with the theme of “Facilitating a Positive Cycle of Education, Technology, and Talent to Accelerate the Development of New Quality Productive”, chaired by the vice dean, Qi Han. Additionally, campers were organized to visit several renowned companies, such as Shenzhen Stock Exchange, Hong Kong Monetary Authority, Tencent Headquarters, WeBank, and Bosera Fund, etc. Through a series of exciting activities, including the presentation of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao FinTech Master Program, campers could gain an in-depth understanding of the cutting-edge trends, latest technologies, and application scenarios in digital finance in Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

   

Roundtable Dialogue

  

Visit Shenzhen Stock Exchange       Visit Tencent Headquarters

 

Visit WeBank

Beyond that, the institute has meticulously planned a series of colorful activities, such as a visit to Shenzhen University WeBank FinTech Lab, symposiums, and a tour to Shenzhen University Museum, providing campers with opportunities to delve an in-depth understanding into the academic atmosphere and cultural heritage of Shenzhen University.

                             

On July 18th, the final day of the Summer Camp, the campers visited relevant financial institutions in Hong Kong and participated in a sharing session and closing ceremony at the Hong Kong Cyberport. During the closing ceremony, outstanding campers were selected based on their performance over the four days. Out of the 19 pre-recommended students who participated in the summer camp, 8 were honored with the title of “Outstanding Camper”.

                             

By participating in a variety of activities, campers have had the chance to engage in diverse practical experiences and gained a lot. They expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to visit a wide range of enterprises, acquire extensive knowledge, and make friends from all over the country. They also gained a deeper understanding of Shenzhen University and SWIFT. Finally, we look forward to seeing more people continue to pay attention to and join SWIFT in the future, to explore the unlimited possibilities of financial technology together, grow hand in hand, and create brilliance.