On October 21, 2021, the inaugural Investment Promotion and Talent Development Forum, along with the Academic Forum on Regional Investment Promotion Trends in Industrial Economic Development, concluded at Tianjin International Studies University. This forum marked the first joint initiative by government agencies, universities, and enterprises to explore the investment promotion industry and the cultivation of professionals in this field.

The forum was co-hosted by Tianjin Foreign Studies University and GuChuan United. In addition to leaders from Tianjin Foreign Studies University and GuChuan United, the event welcomed government officials at various levels, heads of investment promotion agencies, and representatives from the Tianjin Office of Cooperation and Exchange. GuChuan United hopes to use this opportunity to collaborate with the government and universities to establish a talent development pathway for investment promotion professionals, providing more opportunities for today’s college students, supplying the workforce with specialized talent in investment promotion, and contributing to regional economic development.

The event opened with opening remarks by Xu Jia, Chairman of GuChuan United, and Yin Qi, Party Secretary of Tianjin Foreign Studies University. Chairman Xu Jia outlined the background and objectives of the forum, expressed his expectations for the event, and briefly introduced GuChuan United’s efforts in promoting the training and supply of professionals in the investment promotion sector.

Yin Qi, Party Secretary of Tianjin Foreign Studies University, paid tribute to the contributions made by GuChuan United in the investment promotion industry. He emphasized that the integration of industry and education is crucial for talent development, noting that given the challenges of investment promotion work, there is an even greater need for specialized professionals in this field. He expressed hope that the government, enterprises, and universities would engage in comprehensive cooperation to make greater contributions to social progress and regional development.

Presentation 1: Industry-Education Integration: Exploring a Talent Development Model of “Joint Cultivation, Joint Construction, and Joint Growth”

Li Wei, Deputy Director of the Research Office and Vice Dean of the School of International Business at Tianjin Foreign Studies University, introduced the talent development model of the Foreign Investment Promotion Experimental Class established by Kawanishi & Associates and Tianjin Foreign Studies University. She expressed hope that enterprises and universities would deepen their integration and cooperation to jointly contribute their wisdom and strength to societal development.

Report 2: Open Collaboration, Building a Talent Development Ecosystem, and Achieving a Win-Win-Win for All Parties

Zhang Jie, General Manager of Kawanishi & Co.’s Tianjin Branch, highlighted the company’s efforts in professional talent development as part of its commitment to advancing the investment promotion industry. She shared case studies of Kawanishi’s talent development with the students in attendance, illustrating the professional qualities expected of an outstanding investment promotion specialist.General Manager Zhang Jie expressed her hope that Guichuan United would break down barriers and collaborate with the government and universities to build a talent development ecosystem. This would enable students to realize their personal professional value and create socio-economic value, achieving a win-win-win outcome for all three parties through their joint efforts within this talent development ecosystem.

Industry Insight 1: A Brief Discussion on the Digitalization of the Investment Promotion Industry

Song Lingfei, Director of the Guichuan Alliance Industry Research Institute, shared insights on the digital transformation of the investment promotion industry during the forum. Director Song provided a brief analysis of the core technological domains of digital industrialization and the changes brought about by digitalization in the investment promotion sector. In recent years, Guichuan Alliance has continuously explored the digital transformation of investment promotion work. Amid the trend of industrial integration, collaboration among government, universities, and enterprises is essential to cultivate well-rounded talent and jointly facilitate industrial structural upgrading.

Industry Insight 2: The Transformation We Are Experiencing and Its Impact

Professor Ge Lihua, Director of the Industry Research Center at the School of International Business, Tianjin Foreign Studies University, shared insights drawn from Mr. Schwab’s book *The Fourth Industrial Revolution*. The Fourth Industrial Revolution has far-reaching implications for economic growth, employment, and enterprises; intelligence and the Internet of Everything have become fundamental characteristics of emerging industries. In the future, big data will become an indispensable factor of production, and cross-sector collaboration will be imperative, making cooperation among government, industry, academia, and research institutions even more urgent.

Investment promotion requires not only the integration of industry and education but also the integration of industry and research. Following the establishment of a pilot class for foreign investment promotion through their collaboration, Tianjin Foreign Studies University and Guichuan Lianhang have reached a further strategic partnership in industry-academia-research cooperation. A signing ceremony was held on-site, and the plaque for the industry-academia-research cooperation base was unveiled.

Following the signing ceremony, the Industry Research Center of Tianjin Foreign Studies University invited Song Lingfei, Li Jiayao, Duan Bingjie, Wang Zhenghui, and Yuan Huan from Guichuan Lianxing to serve as specially appointed lecturers for the center and presented them with letters of appointment.

Finally, representatives from the government, the university, and the enterprise engaged in a discussion on “Revitalizing the Organizational Vitality of Government Investment Promotion Teams.” Through vigorous intellectual exchange, GuChuan United developed additional feasible plans for the training and deployment of talent in the field of investment promotion.

As a service provider for regional economic development, GuChuan United has been deeply engaged in the investment promotion industry for 12 years. The company has provided site selection and investment consulting services to over 540,000 enterprises, facilitated cumulative investment of more than 100 billion yuan, successfully implemented over 5,200 projects , and maintains in-depth cooperation with more than 100 government and investment promotion agencies across China.

GuChuan United established the GuChuan Training School, dedicated to cultivating professionals in investment promotion. It holds the nation’s first official training qualification forinvestment promotion, operates a mature and comprehensive training system, and has established an online training platform. The school has trained nearly 100 experienced investment promotion instructors and developed hundreds of practical courses. By leveraging its resource advantages and collaborating with universities, it delivers specialized “theory + practice” training for investment promotion professionals.

Currently, GuChuan United has partnered with Tianjin Foreign Studies University to establish an experimental class for investment promotion and foreign investment, as well as a base for industry-university-research collaboration; partnered with Tianjin University of Commerce to establish an experimental undergraduate class for investment promotion; and partnered with Zhongnan University of Economics and Law to establish a teaching, internship, and practical training base.

The successful hosting of this forum would not have been possible without the trust and support of government leaders at all levels. Going forward, Guchuan United will continue to deepen its commitment to the investment promotion industry, advance the training and placement of specialized talent in this field, and contribute even more to regional economic development!