2026 苏州金融年会

The 2026 Suzhou Finance Conference (SFC)

23 – 24 June 2026

Department of Finance

International Business School Suzhou (IBSS)

Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU)

Suzhou, China

Acknowledgement of Country

The conference organisers acknowledge the communities and peoples of Suzhou and the broader Jiangsu region whose histories, cultures, and contributions have shaped this remarkable city and region. We pay respect to all who have contributed to knowledge creation and cultural exchange across generations in this part of China.

We also acknowledge the international community of scholars, practitioners, and policymakers from around the world whose diverse perspectives and expertise advance our collective understanding of finance and financial stability.

Conference Sponsors

International Business School Suzhou, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU)

Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, founded in 2006 and located in Suzhou, China, is a unique Sino-British joint venture university established by Xi'an Jiaotong University and the University of Liverpool. XJTLU offers students an international educational experience in the heart of China, combining the strengths of two world-class universities. With over 25,000 students and a rapidly growing research community, XJTLU is committed to interdisciplinary, innovative education and research.

International Business School Suzhou (IBSS)

The International Business School Suzhou (IBSS) is one of the youngest business schools in the world to achieve triple accreditation from AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA, placing it among less than 1% of business schools globally. IBSS is home to internationally recognised academic staff conducting impactful research across disciplines including finance, accounting, management, marketing, and economics.

The Department of Finance at IBSS brings together scholars working across banking, corporate finance, asset pricing, fintech, sustainable finance, and financial risk management. The Department is committed to producing rigorous, policy-relevant research and to training the next generation of finance professionals and researchers.

The conference venue is the IBSS Building on the XJTLU South Campus, Suzhou. The campus is located in the Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), one of China’s  most innovative and internationally connected business districts.

Conference Venue

International Business School Suzhou (IBSS)

Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, South Campus

8 Chongwen Road, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China 215123

Getting to the Venue

By Metro:

• Take Suzhou Metro Line 1 to Dushu Lake Station, then take a short taxi ride or bus to XJTLU South Campus.
• The Suzhou Metro is clean, reliable, and runs frequently. A transit card (Suzhou Tong) or mobile payment (WeChat Pay / Alipay) is accepted.

By Taxi / Ride-hailing:

• DiDi (the local equivalent of Uber) is widely available and can be booked via the DiDi app.
• Show the driver the address in Chinese: 苏州工业园区崇文路8号西交利物浦大学南校区西浦国际商学院。

By Air:

• The nearest major airport is Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG), approximately 90 minutes away by road or high-speed rail.
• Shanghai Hongqiao Airport (SHA) is approximately 30 minutes by high-speed rail to Suzhou Rail Station.

Parking

• Parking is available on campus. Please contact the conference reception desk for a parking permit.

Accommodation

Delegates from outside Suzhou are responsible for their own accommodation. A list of recommended hotels with SFC 2026 corporate rates will be published at: sfc.xjtlu.edu.cn/accommodation/

Conference Reception Desk

The conference reception desk will be located in the IBSS Building foyer and will be in operation from 08:00 to 17:00 on Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 December.

Catering

Tea, coffee, water, and snacks will be served during all scheduled breaks. A light lunch will be provided on both days.

Parallel Sessions

All session rooms are equipped with AV equipment. Presenters and discussants are requested to upload their presentation files in PowerPoint or PDF format onto the session room PC before the start of their sessions.

Each parallel session runs for 90 minutes and has three paper presentations – 30 minutes per paper. Each 30-minute block is structured as follows:

The session chair is responsible for ensuring that the session starts and finishes on time, that presenters have an uninterrupted presentation, and that the Q&A session is efficiently run.

Publication Opportunities

Papers presented at SFC 2026 may be considered for publication in a special issue of a leading finance journal. Details will be announced at the conference.

Best Paper Awards

Three best paper awards will be presented at the gala dinner in the following categories:

• Banking / Financial Intermediation
• Finance / Financial Stability
• PhD Paper

Notes

All presenters and discussants are requested to note the following guidelines to ensure the smooth running of the conference sessions.

For Presenters

Presentation Format and Time

• Presentation Files: Please prepare your presentation in PowerPoint (.pptx) or PDF (.pdf)
• Time Allocation: Each session paper is allocated 50 minutes in total, structured as follows:
  • Presentation: Maximum 30 minutes of uninterrupted presentation.
  • Discussant Remarks: 15 minutes.
  • Q&A: 5 minutes (managed by the session chair).

Before Your Session

• Upload Your Presentation: Presenters must upload their presentation files onto the session room PC before the commencement of their session. Please arrive at your session room at least 10 minutes prior to the start time to complete the upload and test the equipment.
• Equipment: All session rooms are equipped with a PC, projector, and standard AV connections. If you require any special equipment, please notify the conference reception desk in advance.

For Discussants

Role and Time

• Role: Discussants are expected to provide constructive, insightful feedback on the presented paper.
• Time Allocation: You are allocated 15 minutes for your remarks. Please be concise and focus your feedback to allow time for the general Q&A.

Before Your Session

• Preparation: Discussants are encouraged to contact the paper author(s) prior to the conference to receive the latest draft of the paper.

Session Chairs

The Session Chair is responsible for the overall management of the session, including:

• Starting and finishing the session on time.
• Monitoring the time allocation.
• Efficiently running the Q&A session.

 Conference Organisers (Sorted by Surname)

Professor Stephen Gong

Head of Department of Finance

FinTech, Role of the media, Textual analysis in accounting and finance, Corporate finance and corporate governance

Professor Xuezhong He

Department of Finance

 Asset pricing, information economics, market microstructure, financial market modelling

Dr Xiaomeng Shi

Assistant Professor

Department of Finance

Banking regulation, Corporate finance

Dr Yajun Xiao

Senior Associate Professor

Department of Finance

Banking, corporate and finance, Macro finance, Asset pricing, FinTech

Dr Xingzhi Yao

Associate Professor

Department of Finance

Risk management, Asset and Derivatives Pricing, Volatility forecasting

Dr Ning Zhang

Assistant Professor

Department of Finance

Financial risk modeling and management, Asset pricing