The first-level discipline of Applied economics at Shenzhen University is closely integrated with Shenzhen's industries, based in the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, and serves the regional and national economic development. This discipline has formed the following advantages and characteristics in its long-term construction and development:
1. Rich Experience in Discipline Construction
The teaching and research of the supervisor team are closely combined with the practice of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and China's economic development, forming five advantageous and characteristic research directions: Regional Economics, Finance, Industrial Economics, International Trade, and Risk Management & Insurance. After long-term development, the discipline's supervisor team now consists of 59 members, having established a stable academic tradition and distinct disciplinary culture, and accumulated abundant experience in discipline construction.
2.Academic research has industry influence. The supervisory team of this discipline has presided over multiple projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the National Social Science Foundation of China, and provincial and ministerial-level projects. Many academic papers have been published in authoritative domestic and foreign periodicals such as "Social Sciences in China", "Economic Research Journal", "Management World", "Production and Operations Management", and "Journal of Banking and Finance". The teaching team of this discipline has an excellent knowledge and age structure, and strong teaching and research capabilities.
In the past five years, this discipline has published 280 academic papers, with an average of 3.7 research papers per person. These papers have been published in journals such as "Management World", "Economic Research Journal", "Quarterly Journal of Economics", "Quantitative & Technical Economics", "China Industrial Economics", "Finance & Trade Economics", "Economic Trends", "Financial Research", and "OMEGA: The International Journal of Management Science, Production and Operations Management, Journal of the American Statistical Association, Journal of Corporate Finance, International Review of Financial A total of 205 academic papers were published in journals such as "Analysis" that were indexed by SCI, SSCI, CSSCI, CSCD, RCCSE and reprinted by the Renmin University Reprint Materials, accounting for approximately 73.2%. The discipline team closely combines the reality of regional and China's economic development to conduct research on topics. They have presided over 19 projects funded by the National Social Science Foundation and the National Natural Science Foundation, as well as 18 provincial and ministerial-level projects. On average, they have presided over approximately 0.49 projects at or above the provincial and ministerial level. The average person participated in approximately 0.49 provincial and ministerial-level or above research projects. He/She has presided over 195 horizontal projects, with an average of approximately 2.57 projects per person. The total funds for horizontal projects amount to 48.82699 million yuan, and the average annual funds obtained per person for various projects are approximately 128,492 yuan. Some of the research results have been applied and achieved good social benefits. The research of this discipline team has contributed to the development of applied economics and the solution of economic practice problems.
3.Geographic Location Advantage.Shenzhen University is rooted in the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and adjacent to Hong Kong, an international financial center. The rich economic activities in the region provide excellent research subjects and practical environments for the teaching and research of this discipline.
4.The training mechanism for postgraduate students is well-developed. This discipline has set up a certain proportion of academic research-oriented courses and practical courses for master's degree students to strengthen the cultivation of research ability and practical ability. More than 50 teaching practice bases have been established. The Teaching Experiment Center of Economics and Management of Shenzhen University has been rated as a demonstration center for experimental teaching in higher education institutions of Guangdong Province. Recruit outstanding international students and select outstanding master's degree students to study abroad; Outstanding master's students have published many academic papers in authoritative domestic and international journals during their study period. Graduates have performed outstandingly during their doctoral studies or at work.
5.This discipline sets up a certain proportion of academic research-oriented courses and practical courses for master's degree students to strengthen the cultivation of research ability and practical ability. More than 50 teaching practice bases have been established. The Teaching Experiment Center of Economics and Management of Shenzhen University has been rated as a provincial experimental teaching demonstration center of higher education institutions in Guangdong Province. The courses currently proposed to be offered include Advanced Macroeconomics, Advanced Microeconomics, Advanced Econometrics, Advanced International Trade, Financial Risk Management, Industrial Policy and Industrial Development, Special Topics on Asset Pricing, Quantitative Analysis of Supply Chain Finance, MATLAB Programming, etc. In recent years, the employment rate of graduates has been 100%, and they are mainly employed in foreign-funded enterprises, state-owned enterprises (banks, securities), Party and government organs, higher education institutions, secondary and primary education institutions, other public institutions, and accounting firms.
The five research directions included in applied economics are as follows:
Regional Economics
There are currently 6 supervisors in this direction, including 2 professors, 3 associate professors, and 1 lecturer, all of whom hold doctoral degrees. The main research focuses on theoretical and practical issues such as regional division of labor and professional collaboration, flow of production factors and trade between regions, establishment of common markets and economic union organizations, competition and cooperation between regions, coordination of regional resource development and environmental protection, regional economic contradictions and conflicts, strengthening of inter-regional economic ties and construction of complex economic networks within and between regions, regional economic planning and policies, as well as regional economic regulation, etc.
2.Finance
In postgraduate training, equal emphasis is placed on students' mastery of basic theories in economics and regional economics, as well as the cultivation of practical abilities. All postgraduates have the opportunity to participate in scientific research projects and teaching practices during their studies. Graduates should possess solid basic theories of economics and systematic professional knowledge of regional economics, be able to integrate theory with practice, and have the ability to observe and analyze regional economic issues, as well as formulate and implement certain regional economic development plans.
1) Mathematical Finance and Financial Engineering. Based on financial theories, this field uses quantitative analysis tools to reason and demonstrate financial theories and principles, constructs and selects the most effective mathematical models to combine quantitative and qualitative analysis, and solves major issues faced in the operation of modern financial markets. Starting from people's actual decision-making psychology, it studies the decision-making behavior rules of investors and their impact on market prices, and explores optimal portfolio strategies. It also focuses on the innovation of financial instruments, the innovation of trading methods, and the rational pricing of financial derivatives.
2) Financial Markets and Risk Management. Taking the main bodies, objects of financial markets, and the pricing of financial products as the main research objects, this field explores the theoretical research framework of corporate governance, capital operation, etc., with a focus on studying the efficiency of credit markets, money markets, capital markets, insurance markets, fund markets, and offshore financial markets. It deeply discusses issues such as the construction of multi-level capital markets, the development and pricing of financial derivatives, and practically studies risk identification and risk management in the development of financial markets.
3) International Finance and Finance of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. This field emphasizes the combination of the basic principles of Marxism and the beneficial achievements in western financial theories; the combination of the universality of international finance with the particularity of finance in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and the Chinese mainland; and the combination of international finance and finance theories of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan with domestic financial practices. Taking advantage of Shenzhen's proximity to Hong Kong, an international financial center, it comprehensively applies the theories of financial globalization, financial deepening, and financial regulation to focus on issues such as financial integration between the special economic zone and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, financial regulatory cooperation, and financial innovation. The goal is to cultivate applied talents engaged in financial practice and senior professionals engaged in financial teaching and scientific research, who have a solid professional foundation, strong innovation awareness, wide applicability, high comprehensive quality, all-round development of morality, intelligence and physique, adapt to the development of market economy, and can contribute to building Shenzhen into a modern and international city. Graduates should have good theoretical literacy and professional ethics, a solid foundation in economic and financial theories, comprehensive and systematic knowledge of financial practices, and be proficient in using financial econometric software, reading financial professional literature and relevant materials.
3. Industrial Economics
There are currently 15 supervisors in this direction, including 1distinguished professor, 5 professors, 6 associate professors, and 3 lecturers, all of whom hold doctoral degrees. The main research fields are as follows:
1) Industrial Organization and Industrial Innovation
Focusing on industrial organization, this field studies the evolution and development of industrial organization theory, market relationships among enterprises within industries, organizational forms of inter-enterprise connections, and analytical methods of the new industrial organization theory. It aims to cultivate composite talents with good literacy in industrial organization theory and a focus on integrating theory with practice.
2) Transportation Economic Theory and Policy
Based on the basic theories of industrial economics, this field focuses on solving economic issues in transportation economics, mainly researching transportation development strategies, transportation planning and layout, sustainable transportation development, and transportation economic policies. It aims to cultivate senior professionals with excellent economic literacy, proficient knowledge of transportation, and the ability to combine basic industrial economic theories with transportation economic practices.
3) Logistics System Decision-making and Optimization
Rooted in the basic theories of industrial economics, this field emphasizes emerging areas such as intelligent logistics and smart logistics, with a focus on logistics system planning and management—particularly the construction of production logistics systems, optimization of manufacturing enterprise scheduling systems, multi-dimensional enterprise logistics decision-making, third-party logistics solution design, and logistics algorithm optimization. It aims to cultivate high-level professionals familiar with the basics of logistics system decision-making, proficient in common methods of logistics system optimization, and capable of integrating advanced concepts of logistics system decision-making and optimization with modern logistics management.
4) Supply Chain Finance
An interdisciplinary integration of supply chain research and financial studies, this field is based on the basic theories of industrial economics and focuses on solving financial issues in supply chain design. It mainly researches supply chain financing, risk sharing, credit transactions, and fund management. It aims to cultivate composite talents with professional knowledge in both supply chain management and finance, capable of applying financial knowledge to supply chain design.
4. International Trade Studies
There are currently 8 supervisors in this direction, including 3 professors, 3 associate professors and 2 lecturers, all holding doctoral degrees. The team features distinct characteristics, a reasonable personnel structure and outstanding scientific research and teaching achievements. The main research fields are as follows:
1）International Trade Theory and Policy: It mainly studies international trade rules and policies, advanced international trade, international division of labor, trade policies of countries around the world, international trade terms, clauses of international commercial contracts for the sale of goods, contract negotiation and performance, as well as forms of international trade, etc.
2）International Trade Practice: It mainly studies international trade processes, international trade practices and cases, and the international trade environment, etc. It aims to cultivate export-oriented and composite professionals with good ideological quality, professional ethics and professional literacy, who master the basic theories of international trade, professional knowledge of policies and practices, are familiar with the multilateral trading system and rules, the foreign economic and trade policies of major countries, the development history, current situation and trends of Shenzhen's foreign economic and trade, and have a good command of a foreign language.
5.Risk Management and Insurance
There are currently 12 supervisors in this direction, including 3 professors, 3 associate professors, and 6 lecturers, all holding doctoral degrees. The team boasts a reasonable age structure and complementary knowledge systems. The main research fields cover insurance management, risk management of financial institutions, and political and economic risks of cross-border investments under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Rooted in risk economics theories and supported by risk quantification technologies, the research focuses on risk management issues in insurance, finance, social governance, and other fields, with strong inter-disciplinary synergy and systematicness. Academic backbones have academic backgrounds in economics, management, probability statistics, etc., and have accumulated years of research experience and postgraduate training experience in respective fields.
The goal is to cultivate senior risk management professionals with a solid foundation in economic theories.
