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FENG Juan: Rooted at Tsinghua, based in Shenzhen, developing talents for the Greater Bay Area

2024-05-22
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FENG Juan earned her Bachelor's degree in Economics from Renmin University of China in 1998, followed by a Ph.D. in Business Administration with a dual title in Operations Research from Pennsylvania State University in 2003. She joined Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management (Tsinghua SEM) in October 2020, and currently serves as the Hon Hai Chair Professor, Deputy Chair of the Department of Management Science and Engineering at Tsinghua SEM, Professor at the Institute of Innovation Management at Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, and Director of the Research Center for Digital Economy (Greater Bay Area) at Tsinghua University's Shenzhen Institute of Economics and Management (Tsinghua SIEM).


When discussing why she chose to join Tsinghua SEM, FENG Juan candidly stated her motivation. After living in the United States and Hong Kong for 22 years, she harbored a strong desire to return to the Chinese mainland. "Tsinghua was an ideal choice, while Shenzhen was full of vitality and innovation," she said.


In 2020, the government of Futian District in Shenzhen and Tsinghua SEM signed a contract to establish Tsinghua SIEM. The partnership was a comprehensive effort to support development in the Greater Bay Area. The institute's five main objectives include student cultivation, innovation and entrepreneurship education, talent introduction, discipline construction and think tank construction, and cooperation and exchange.


As a globally renowned scholar and figure in the field of management science, FENG Juan oversaw the establishment of Tsinghua SIEM and has full confidence in its prospects.


Futian District Government in Shenzhen and Tsinghua SEM sign to cooperate in developing Tsinghua SIEM. 


Shenzhen is not unfamiliar to FENG Juan. Nevertheless, as one of the first teachers responsible for teaching and research for Tsinghua SEM in Shenzhen, FENG faced as many challenges as she did opportunities. As her understanding of the school gradually deepened, FENG felt the influence of the policy advantages and innovative atmosphere in Shenzhen and the Greater Bay Area. The environment set the solid academic atmosphere of the school, as well as emphasized and supported the goals of talent and scientific research. "The campus is full of vitality, and its culture of teacher-student communication is very good," she said after more than three years at Tsinghua SEM.


FENG Juan communicates with students.


FENG's topics of research include the business and policy challenges brought by digital technology, as well as the changing information environment. When talking about her field, she said, "I pay attention constantly to how the latest technologies affect business and society. This is an interdisciplinary field that involves information technology, finance, marketing, and big data. It has been widely applicable and closely related to the application scenarios we encounter in daily work and life, such as in financial technology, market technology, and human resource technology. Our research is closely related to popular topics such as intelligent commerce and digital economy, which drives us to learn and challenge ourselves."


In September 2022, FENG Juan was successfully elected as the Vice President of Region 3 (Asia/Pacific) of the Association for Information Systems (AIS) for a term of three years. This not only demonstrates her academic leadership in the field of international information systems, but also enhances the international impact of Tsinghua University in the fields of information systems and digital economy, which provides strong support for the leading scientific research position of Tsinghua SIEM in digital economy of the Greater Bay Area.


In 2022, the Research Center for Digital Economy (Greater Bay Area) at Tsinghua SIEM was established with a donation from the Chow Tai Fook Jewelry Group. FENG Juan served as the director and invited several professors and experts in digital ecology from Tsinghua University to form an advisory committee. FENG said the research center grew with the strong support of school leaders and dedicated administrative staff, who were highly service-conscious and always ready to take any problems seriously and actively solve them for teachers and students. She said she hopes the research center can play a leading role in the field of digital economy.


FENG Juan (left) at the opening ceremony of the Research Center for Digital Economy (Greater Bay Area) at Tsinghua SIEM


FENG has accumulated a wealth of experience in her years of teaching. Within three years, she set up doctoral, professional master's, and executive education programs, as well as student training based on the development needs of Shenzhen and the Greater Bay Area. Those trained include leading talents in innovation and entrepreneurship, strategic thinkers and technology-savvy entrepreneurs, and financial technology leaders.


At the learning salon themed "Digital Transformation and Development" for cadres in Futian District, FENG Juan's course Big Data Traps and Data Security, which combines examines daily life cases and guides learners to identify big data traps and protect data privacy and security, received unanimous praise.


She warmly recalls the active classroom atmosphere and eager spirit of the students. "Shenzhen is one of the most innovative regions in China - even in the world. I look forward to utilizing this natural advantage to offer more courses, develop the reputation of the school, and cultivate more competitive talents for Shenzhen and the Greater Bay Area."


FENG Juan is teaching a class.


FENG Juan expressed that teachers and students are the most valuable assets of the school. She said she hopes everyone at Tsinghua SEM can work together to make greater contributions to the school, and that more teachers and students will join Tsinghua SIEM. She wished the school a happy 40th anniversary said she hoped it will play a greater role in the fertile land of Shenzhen.