XJTLU-DKU workshop explores decision making in a changing world

The XJTLU-DKU Workshop on Decision Making in a Changing World, co-hosted by the International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) and the Division of Social Sciences at Duke Kunshan University (DKU), took place on 18 April  2026, in rooms BS574 and BS560 on the XJTLU campus.

The workshop brought together around 30 researchers and scholars to examine new developments in economic theory and related social sciences. Discussions focused on how individuals, firms and policymakers make decisions in the face of rapid technological, economic and social change.

The workshop focused on theoretical and empirical research into decision-making under uncertainty, strategic interaction and institutional constraints. It offered a platform for participants to connect abstract theory with pressing real-world challenges. Experts in economic theory, political economy, international trade, and economic growth came together to analyse how emerging technologies, shifting global economic structures, and evolving political environments reshape incentives and human behavior.

Workshop Organisers:

• Haifeng Fu, International Business School Suzhou, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
• Esol Cho, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
• Paolo Epifani, Division of Social Sciences, Duke Kunshan University
• Liuchun Deng, Division of Social Sciences, Duke Kunshan University

Four thematic sessions were held during the workshop:

1. International Trade
2. Economic Growth and Structural Change
3. Economic Theory
4. Social Sciences

The event featured two distinguished keynote speakers:

• Professor M. Ali Khan, Abram Hutzler Professor of Political Economy at Johns Hopkins University, delivered a speech titled “Functions of Two Variables in Mathematical Economics: An Exploratory Overview.” Professor Khan received his PhD from Yale University in 1973. His research focuses on economic interaction over time and under uncertainty, general equilibrium theory, dynamic and strategic models, and the role of information in individual and collective outcomes.
• Professor Yeneng Sun, Professor of Economics and Mathematics at the National University of Singapore (NUS), presented “Monotone Perfection.” Professor Sun serves as Co-Dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences and Dean of the Faculty of Science at NUS. A recipient of Singapore’s National Science Award and the Public Administration Medal (Silver), he is a Fellow of the Singapore National Academy of Science and the Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory.

Dr Ye Bai, Head of the Department of Economics at IBSS, delivered the opening welcome address. Professor Gergely Horváth, Head of the Division of Social Science at DKU, gave the closing remarks.

The workshop strengthened academic collaboration between XJTLU and DKU, promoted interdisciplinary dialogue on decision-making research, and offered valuable insights for understanding complex choices in an increasingly volatile global landscape.

By Haifeng FU

Edited by Thomas Durham