On January 20th, 2026, the Symposium on Joint Construction of Three International S&T Innovation Centers by Top 100 Enterprises and Top 100 Universities, co-hosted by the Institute of Private Economy of East China University of Science and Technology, Hwa Tun Economic Research Institute and China Top 100 Listed Companies Forum, was held in Beijing. The Hwa Tun Edition of the 2026 World Top 100 Universities Rankings was released simultaneously at the event. Focusing on the core theme of industry-university-research collaboration empowering the construction of international S&T innovation centers, the symposium aimed to build a cooperation platform for Top 100 enterprises and Top 100 universities, and address such problems as the scattered S&T innovation resources and the inefficient transformation of research achievements.
The symposium was presided over by YU Yuejin, Secretary-General of China Top 100 Listed Companies Forum. JI Xiaonan, Chairman of China Top 100 Listed Companies Forum and former Chairman of the Board of Supervisors for Key Large State-owned Enterprises under the State Council, and HUO Xuewen, Chairman of Bank of Beijing, delivered opening speeches respectively. JI Xiaonan elaborated on the policy support for collaborative innovation between Top 100 enterprises and Top 100 universities, while HUO Xuewen shared his insights focusing on the practical paths for finance to empower the development of the S&T innovation industry.
Representatives from Top 100 universities delivered keynote speeches on aligning university S&T innovation resources with enterprise needs, including SUO Wenbin, Vice President of Nanjing University, FANG Yongchun, Vice President of Nankai University, YANG zhong, Vice Dean of the School of Biotechnology of Fudan University, and WU Minhao, Deputy Director of the Research Department of the University of Science and Technology of China. Each representative introduced their university’s experience in cutting-edge technology R&D, research team building, and achievement transformation mechanisms, and put forward ideas for collaborative innovation with enterprises.
CHEN Wansi, Member of the Joint Research Group for the Three International S&T Innovation Centers and Executive Dean of the Institute of Private Economy of East China University of Science and Technology, released and interpreted the Hwa Tun Edition of the 2026 World Top 100 Universities Rankings. The ranking is calculated with a 1:1:1:1 weight assigned to three mainstream university rankings (THE, QS, US News) and the Nature Index, balancing universities’ comprehensive strength and academic influence in natural sciences. Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) retained the first and second places respectively, while Stanford University rose to the third. Tsinghua University (6th) and Peking University (7th) remained in the top 10; Wuhan University saw the largest rise with 16 places up, and the University of California, Santa Barbara recorded the biggest drop with 17 places down. In terms of geographical distribution, the United States topped the list with 37 universities, followed by China (including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) with 18, adding Tongji University and Southern University of Science and Technology, and the United Kingdom with 11. The global pattern remained stable, with 24 universities in Asia, 31 in Europe, 40 in North America and 6 in Oceania. Chinese universities accounted for 8 of the top 10 in the Nature Index, demonstrating outstanding strength in natural science research. The ranking accurately identifies the world’s top S&T innovation intellectual resources, providing an important reference for the three international S&T innovation centers to connect with high-quality global university resources and attract and cultivate top innovative talents.
SHEN Hanyao, Dean of the Institute of Private Economy of East China University of Science and Technology and Dean of Hwa Tun Economic Research Institute, delivered a themed speech entitled Strategic Measures for the Joint Construction of Three World-class International S&T Innovation Centers by Top 100 Enterprises and Top 100 Universities. He systematically expounded the core significance and implementation paths of building three world-class international S&T innovation centers, and clearly proposed constructing a national tiered development pattern of S&T innovation featuring "3+3+N". Each of the three world-class international S&T innovation centers adopts a three-level spatial structure of "S&T Innovation CBD - Core S&T Innovation Zone - S&T Innovation Industrial Zone". He also put forward five key initiatives: establishing a professional leading body for overall advancement, building a S&T innovation engineering system with research universities as the core, holding the Global Top 100 S&T Innovation Competition, constructing the world’s largest S&T achievement transformation and trading center, and building a diversified S&T innovation funding system. These initiatives provide a clear "construction blueprint" for the joint construction of the three international S&T innovation centers.
ZHANG Yongkang, Secretary-General of the China Top 100 Listed Companies Alliance, introduced the preparation ideas for the "World Top 100 Universities - Top 100 Enterprises S&T Innovation Alliance" and led the discussion on the Plan for the World Top 100 Universities - Top 100 Enterprises S&T Innovation Alliance. CHENG Fang, Member of the Joint Research Group for the Three International S&T Innovation Centers and President of Shanghai Guoyhe Modern Service Industry Equity Investment Management Co., Ltd., presented the Plan for the Series of Top 100 S&T Innovation Funds. The participating guests conducted in-depth discussions on specific contents such as fund raising, investment directions and risk control. Responsible persons of enterprises including CSCEC S&T Innovation Co., Ltd., Shudian Technology Co., Ltd., Hualong Technology Co., Ltd. and New China Life Insurance Co., Ltd. delivered special speeches on aligning enterprise S&T innovation needs with university resources, sharing practical cases and cooperation demands.
YANG Jinguo, Member of the Joint Research Group for the Three International S&T Innovation Centers and Executive Dean of Hwa Tun Economic Research Institute, delivered a concluding speech at the end of the symposium. He pointed out that three consensuses were reached at the event: first, clarifying the core direction of collaborative innovation between Top 100 enterprises and Top 100 universities; second, setting a timetable for advancing the preparation of the S&T Innovation Alliance and the establishment of S&T innovation funds; third, establishing a "Double 100 Linkage" mechanism between Top 100 enterprises and Top 100 universities. Going forward, the Institute of Private Economy of East China University of Science and Technology, Hwa Tun Economic Research Institute and the S&T Innovation Alliance will take the lead in further promoting the implementation of the symposium’s outcomes.