Senior representatives from Duke Kunshan University’s founding partners were joined by renowned scholars, policymakers, entrepreneurs and investors for the 2024 Duke International Forum, an annual meeting of minds focusing this year on “Renovating Climate Policy and Green Finance for Future Sustainability.”
DKU Executive Vice Chancellor Dr. John Quelch, who hosted the forum’s opening, stressed the forum’s role in knowledge exchange and innovation to solve climate issues.
Quelch added that DKU has collaborated with Duke and Wuhan universities to launch projects on renewable energy, climate finance, and environmental policy, and has integrated sustainability into its curriculum and campus life, including the launch of a campus-wide course called “Let’s Talk About Climate Change.” The university’s campus was the first in China to achieve LEED certification, a standard for environmentally responsible building design.
In his opening remarks, DKU Chancellor Dr. Yaolin Liu highlighted climate policy and green finance as essential for balancing environmental and economic priorities, and encouraged global collaboration to tackle the complexities of sustainable development. Liu noted that DKU’s partnerships with Duke and Wuhan Universities are essential for interdisciplinary research to create actionable solutions in green technology, policy development, and environmental education.
Addressing the forum via video, Duke University’s Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability, Dr. Toddi Steelman, said both Duke and Duke Kunshan University “recognize that the intersection of innovative policy and strategic finance is critical for unlocking the full potential of the energy transition and more sustainable development.”
Steelman underscored the power of building cross-country ties, “We must find ways to humanize the connections that bind us together as people and as part of the world community.”
“I firmly believe that today’s event will contribute to building even stronger ties, inspiring new ideas, and fostering the collaboration necessary to tackle these great global challenges,” she said.
Senior representatives from Wuhan University, Kunshan city government, and China’s National Development and Reform Commission echoed these sentiments and highlighted the importance of collaborations and DKU’s role as a bridge between China and the world in addressing shared climate challenges.
In a symbolic move, DKU launched the Future17 SDG Challenge Project, an initiative aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which focus on addressing critical social, economic, and environmental issues by 2030. QS Senior Vice President Ben Sowter and DKU Associate Vice Chancellor Dr. Xin Li led the ceremony, reaffirming DKU’s dedication to global sustainability through collaborative research and practical solutions.
The forum featured keynote speeches from experts across sectors, student presentations on sustainability, and roundtable discussions with industry leaders in banking, finance, and law. Participants exchanged insights on pressing environmental issues, sustainable finance, and regulatory policies, aiming to build a collective path forward.
Established in 2015, the Duke International Forum serves as a global platform fostering meaningful connections among policymakers, academic scholars, business investors, and industrial entrepreneurs. The forum facilitates intellectual exchange and builds robust frameworks for collaboration and innovation, addressing some of the world’s most urgent challenges.
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