Chongqing – The Chongqing International Talent Exchange Conference, themed “Pooling Talent in New Chongqing, Joining Efforts for a New Future,” took place on November 23–24 at the Yuelai International Convention Center in Southwest China’s Chongqing.

The conference featured 13 major events, including forums, competitions, and talent recruitment, offering a high-level international platform for talent exchange, idea-sharing, and project collaboration to drive innovation and strategic partnerships.

At the opening ceremony, awards were presented for the Global Excellent Engineers Competition and the “Xingyu Cup” International Innovation and Entrepreneurship Project Competition.

This year’s conference stood out for its international scope, with foreign dignitaries, global organization representatives, and top academics in attendance. Hundreds of overseas PhDs and leading professionals also participated, highlighting the event’s global appeal and focus on fostering international cooperation.

At the opening ceremony, Shahbaz Khan, Director and Representative to UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia,emphasized the need for interdisciplinary collaboration in education, science, technology, and culture. He highlighted UNESCO’s focus on empowering youth as entrepreneurs and leaders, stressing that sustainable development depends on mobilizing talent and fostering shared prosperity through stronger people-to-people exchanges.

Peter Sachsenmaier, member of the National Academy of Sciences and Engineering of Germany and professor at Oxford University, acknowledged Chongqing’s rising role as a hub in western China. He praised the city’s efforts to foster cooperation between government, local industries, and academia, highlighting its exceptional collaboration with the global scientific community.

By combining local opportunities with global expertise, the Chongqing International Talent Exchange Conference is set to play a pivotal role in positioning Chongqing as a leading center for talent and innovation in western China.

The conference aims to attract over 3,500 high-caliber talents in fields, along with more than 240 innovative projects and talent platforms, reinforcing Chongqing’s reputation as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.