Register Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Suzhou, China
13 June 2026
Submission deadline: 13 May 2026
We are pleased to invite submissions for the 2026 XJTLU Derivatives and FinTech Workshop, hosted by IBSS at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. This intensive one-day workshop brings together leading scholars and emerging researchers to explore cutting-edge developments in derivatives, asset pricing and financial technology.
Supported by the IBSS Research Cluster of Excellence in Emerging Technologies and Innovation (RCE-ETI) and the Jiangsu Province Distinguished Professor Talent Programme, the event serves as a premier platform for academic exchange and collaboration in quantitative finance and FinTech innovation.
Keynote Speakers
Professor Wenjin Kang is Professor of Finance at the Faculty of Business Administration, University of Macau. Professor Kang’s main research area is asset pricing. Professor Kang has published multiple influential articles in top-tier finance journals, such as the Journal of Finance and the Journal of Financial Economics. Professor Kang serves as the Head of the Department of Finance and Business Economics and the Leader of the Financial Innovation Research Team at APAEM, University of Macau (UM). According to the UTD website, the UM finance group ranked among the top five Asian universities in 2025 for publications in the top three finance journals. Professor Kang obtained his bachelor’s degree from Peking University and his Ph.D. degree from UCLA.
Dr Chen Tong is an Associate Professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Finance (School of Economics) and the Wang Yanan Institute for Studies in Economics (WISE) at Xiamen University. He received his Ph.D. in Finance from Peking University in 2021. His research focuses on financial econometrics and financial engineering. He has published more than 20 papers in academic journals, including the Review of Financial Studies, Journal of Econometrics, Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, Journal of Applied Econometrics, Journal of Financial Econometrics, Journal of Empirical Finance, and the Journal of Futures Markets (6 papers). He currently serves as the Principal Investigator for research projects supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Youth Program) and the Humanities and Social Sciences Youth Fund of the Ministry of Education.
Dr Qi Zhang is a tenured Associate Professor of Finance and PhD Supervisor. He serves as the Associate Dean of the Antai College of Economics and Management, Deputy Party Secretary of the Finance Department, and Academic Director of the Master of Finance programme. His main research areas include financial markets, asset pricing, behavioural finance, and banking. His academic work has been published in leading international journals, including the Review of Financial Studies, Journal of Accounting and Economics, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, and Journal of Banking and Finance. He has led and participated in multiple National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) general research projects. He has received the Best Paper Award at the China Finance Research Conference in 2017, 2019, and 2022. He was selected for the Shanghai Overseas High-Level Talent Introduction Program (Innovation Track). In 2024, he was awarded the title of “Excellent Class Advisor” at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He also serves as a member of the second Academic Committee of the Shanghai Institute of International Finance and Economics and as an Associate Editor of China Finance Review International.
Dr Guanglian Hu is a Senior Lecturer in Finance at the University of Sydney Business School. His research focuses on asset pricing and derivatives. His research topics include determinants of expected option returns, variance risk premium, VIX derivatives, consumption-based asset pricing, and return predictability. He has published his research in leading academic journals such as the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Review of Asset Pricing Studies, and Journal of Banking and Finance. Before joining the University of Sydney, Dr Hu was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Finance at ITAM and Pacific Lutheran University, where he taught courses in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. He received his B.S. in Economics from Xiamen University in 2009, his MA. in Economics from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 2010 and his Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Houston in 2017.
Dr Che Zhang is an Assistant Professor (Research) at the School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University. Her research examines how emerging technologies reshape information production, entrepreneurial finance, and market efficiency. Her work has been published in leading academic journals, including the Journal of Business Ethics, and is currently under revision at the Journal of Accounting and Economics and Management Science.
Key dates
Paper submissions close: 13 May 2026
Paper decisions: 15 May 2026
Conference dates: 13 June 2026
Submission guidelines
We invite the submission of original, full research papers exploring topics in derivatives, asset pricing, and financial technology.
- All papers must be in English
- All submissions must be uploaded via the submission link: https://xjtlu.mike-x.com/lU2Nq.
- Papers are subject to a peer-review process.
- Authors of accepted papers will be allotted 30 minutes (including presentation, discussion, and Q&A).
Registration fee
There is no registration fee for this workshop.
Preliminary Programme
| Time | Session |
| 8:30-9:00 | Workshop Registration |
| 9:00-9:10 | Opening Speeches |
| 9:10-10:10 | Keynote Speaker 1 |
| 10:10-10:30 | Tea Break |
| 10:30-11:30 | Keynote Speaker 2 |
| 11:30-12:30 | Keynote Speaker 3 |
| 12:30-13:30 | Lunch |
| 13:30-14:30 | Keynote Speaker 4 |
| 14:30-15:30 | Keynote Speaker 5 |
| 15:30-15:50 | Tea Break |
| 15:50-17:20 | Parallel Sessions |
| 17:20-17:30 | Closing Speeches |
| 18:00-20:00 | Gala Dinner |
Notes: Each keynote speaker has 40 minutes to present, followed by a 20-minute discussion and Q&A session. Each presenter in a parallel session has 20 minutes to present, following a 10-minute discussion and Q&A session.
Workshop organisers
- Dr Jia Zhai, International Business School Suzhou (IBSS), Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, China, [Jia.Zhai@xjtlu.edu.cn]
- Dr Edwin Ruan, International Business School Suzhou (IBSS), Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, China, [Edwin.Ruan@xjtlu.edu.cn]
Recommended Accommodations
Xi’an Jiaotong Liverpool International Conference Centre 西交利物浦国际会议中心
Estimated Distance to IBSS (XJTLU): 800 m
Four Points by Sheraton Suzhou 苏州福朋喜来登酒店
Estimated Distance to IBSS (XJTLU): ≈2 km
Worldhotel Grand Dushu Lake Suzhou 苏州独墅湖世尊酒店
Estimated Distance to IBSS (XJTLU): ≈2 km
InterContinental Suzhou, an IHG Hotel 苏州洲际酒店
Estimated Distance to IBSS (XJTLU): 2.5–3.0 km
Contact Information
For any inquiries regarding the conference, please contact the conference support staff at: Huiyu.Ye@xjtlu.edu.cn
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