From August 10 to 11, 2024, the Annual Meeting of the Chinese Society of Forestry, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries Economics (CSFAFE) and the Seminar on “Modernization of Forestry, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Grassland Industries through New Productivity” was successfully held in Hohhot City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. This annual meeting focuses on the development of new quality productivity in the modernization of forestry, animal husbandry, fishery, grass, and other industries and other theoretical and practical issues. As an important platform for academic exchanges and international cooperation, the annual conference set up the “Forum for International Students” for the first time, which provided a valuable opportunity for international students to show their research results and exchange academic ideas. Beijing Forestry University International College and School of Economics and Management organized 21 international students to participate in the forum, which demonstrated the excellent results of the university in cultivating international talents.

The forum was divided into two halves, which were hosted by Li Lingchao, a professor from the School of Economics and Management of Beijing Forestry University, and Yang Wei, an associate professor from Shanghai Ocean University, respectively. Seven international students from different countries made in-depth analysis and wonderful sharing on the hot issues of forestry, animal husbandry and fishery economy.

Kondwani Damian Chimbayo, a Malawian PhD student from the School of Economics and Management, presented the topic of “Exploring the complexities of modernizing agriculture- Addressing key issues beyond technological advancements”. Aye Pyone Thi Han, a Burmese master's student, focused on “Dual Carbon Initiatives in Southeast Asia a Strategic Focus on China”and shared her unique insights on regional sustainable development strategies. In the second half, Majd Aljoman, a Syrian doctoral student, presented “Introduction to Sustainable Forestry in the Belt and Road Context”, which provided participants with new ideas on sustainable forestry from a global perspective. In addition, four international students from China Agricultural University, Shanghai Ocean University and Renmin University of China gave presentations on their respective fields of research, covering various aspects of forestry, animal husbandry and fishery economy, which demonstrated the deep academic background and broad research vision of the international students.

At the end of the forum, there was a special discussion session on “Hot Issues of Forestry, Livestock and Fishery Economy and Experiences of Different Countries”, which was moderated by Prof. Gong Yazhen from Renmin University of China. International students from different countries and regions actively participated in the discussion and discussed the hot issues in the field of forestry, animal husbandry and fishery economy in the context of their own countries. They not only shared their research results and practical experience, but also put forward their opinions and suggestions on how to strengthen international cooperation and jointly meet the challenges of the industry.

The success of the International Students Forum not only provides a stage for international students to show themselves and exchange ideas, but also builds an important bridge to promote international exchanges and cooperation in the field of forestry, animal husbandry and fishery economics. International College and the School of Economics and Management of Beijing Forestry University will continue to uphold the open and inclusive academic philosophy, strengthen the contact and cooperation with the international academic community, and make unremitting efforts to cultivate high-quality talents with international vision and innovation ability.