A group of experts and scholars gathered in in Weihai, Shandong province, on April 20, to engage in lively discussions during a seminar titled "Profound Changes and International Studies". The seminar was organized by the Institute of International Studies at Shandong University (SDU) to celebrate its fifth anniversary.

Experts and scholars from universities and institutions, such as the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, and Zhejiang Normal University, shared their views on regional studies and some global topics.

Regional studies are crucial for effectively supporting national strategies, according to experts. They emphasized the urgent need for a proficient talent pool in this field to cater to the evolving global landscape.

The Institute of International Studies at Shandong University has actively engaged in fundamental, strategic, and forward-looking academic research, addressing contemporary challenges and providing crucial support for national strategies, said Ren Youqun, Party secretary of Shandong University.

With over 100 years of development experience, Shandong University has established a comprehensive disciplinary system and a sophisticated talent cultivation framework, according to Ren. The university places greater emphasis on fostering the international perspectives of its students, thus contributing to the nation's future development, he said.

Wei Changmin, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Shandong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, stressed during his speech that Shandong has attached great importance to the research of international studies and the construction of think tanks.

The Shandong provincial publicity department and Shandong University have initiated collaborative projects in talent cultivation, Wei said. He added that they will further cooperate in regional studies, aiming to jointly establish a national high-end think tank.

Regional studies are crucial to the development of a country, said Jiang Feng, former Party secretary of Shanghai International Studies University. He called for more efforts to be made in regional studies to serve national strategy.

The seminar lasted for two days and featured three sub-forums, focusing on the construction of the regional studies discipline system, regional studies, and international strategic research.