From May 23-24, 2024, Renmin University of China successfully held the Annual SIGMA Research Symposium 2024 & The 20th International Conference on Pensions, Insurance, and Savings at the university's Yifu Hall, organized by the School of Labor and Human Resources. The conference's theme was 'Aging and Sustainable Development.' Nearly sixty scholars from over a dozen countries and regions engaged in discussions both in-person and online, exploring the global challenges and opportunities brought about by population aging.

On the morning of May 23, Zhao Zhong, Dean of the School of Labor and Human Resources, delivered a welcoming address to the attending guests and scholars. Timothy Clark, the President of the Societal Impact & Global Management Alliance (SIGMA), thanked the school for organizing the conference and expressed his anticipation for ongoing research collaboration on aging and sustainable development. The event was also graced by prominent figures such as Satoshi Nakano, President of Hitotsubashi University in Japan; Joan Rodon, Dean of ESADE Business School in Spain; and Atsushi Yamada, Vice President of Hitotsubashi University.

During the morning session, Professor Zhao Yaohui from Wuhan University emphasized in her keynote speech the need to address five key scientific issues to effectively tackle the aging population problem: the offsetting impact of healthy aging on population aging and the determinants of old-age health; the coordination of individuals, the healthcare sector, and public health to enhance the health management system; the organization of elderly care among family, community, and institutions; the improvement of economic security in old age and the better utilization of work capacity among older people; and the optimization of pension schemes, health insurance, and long-term care insurance systems.

In the afternoon, Professor Najat El Mekkaoui from University Paris Dauphine-PSL, a key organizer, invited senior researcher Yeganeh Forouheshfar from the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association, Professor Ayako Honda from Hitotsubashi University, Professor Ronald Lee from UC Berkeley, and Professor Wei Chu from Renmin University of China to the 'Demographic and Energy Transitions' policy forum. These experts discussed the theoretical connections and policy implications of demographic and energy transitions.

On May 24, Professor Du Peng from Renmin University of China presented a comprehensive keynote on China's population aging and aging policy development, including implementing a proactive national strategy to address population aging, promoting high-quality population development to meet aging challenges, the silver economy and aged-care finance, theories and practices of Chinese-style elderly care, super-aged rural areas and rural revitalization, and governance of an aging society in the digital age.

In addition to the two keynote addresses and one policy forum, the symposium also organized 12 parallel forums where scholars from various countries discussed a wide range of topics related to population aging and sustainable development. These forums covered areas such as 'Information, Technology, and Elderly Care,' 'Pensions and Income Distribution,' 'Sustainability of Pension Funds,' 'Aging Issues in the Workplace,' 'Sources and Uses of Social Security Funds,' 'Spatial Aspects of Aging,' 'Family and Community Support for the Elderly,' 'Physical and Psychological Health of the Elderly,' 'Social Integration and Segregation of the Elderly,' 'Social Participation of the Elderly,' 'Trust Mechanisms in Aging Societies,' and 'Poverty Reduction in the Context of Aging.'

In recent years, President Xi Jinping has successively proposed the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, contributing Chinese solutions to improving global governance and solving complex human development issues. Since officially joining the SIGMA in 2017, Renmin University of China has actively participated in the alliance's administrative meetings and academic seminars. Departments such as the School of Business, School of Labor and Human Resources, and Department of Psychology have all been involved in the alliance's activities. The successful organization of this year's annual academic conference reflects the university's efforts to deepen international cooperation and enhance its international influence, further embodying the important initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping.