On the evening of September 19, 2025, the School of International Economics hosted a lecture titled “Introduction to Mergers and Acquisitions” in Room 421 of the Teaching Building at the Shahe Campus. The keynote speaker was Professor Tao Qizhi from the China Institute of Finance at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics. Associate Professor Guo Hongyu moderated the session. Students from the School of International Economics' Experimental Class for Global Economic Governance Talent and the Master of Finance program attended the lecture and engaged in discussions with Professor Tao Qizhi.

Professor Tao Qizhi possesses profound expertise in corporate finance, ESG, supply chain finance, and empirical asset pricing. He currently serves as a doctoral supervisor at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, as well as a mentor for DBA and EMBA programs. Concurrently, he holds the position of Senior Research Fellow at the CDAR Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley, and serves as a visiting professor at several prestigious institutions including Nagasaki University in Japan, the University of Hohenheim in Germany, and Renmin University of China. Additionally, Professor Tao actively participates in multiple academic review bodies. He serves as an evaluation expert for the QS World University Rankings, China's Academic Degrees and Graduate Education Development Center, the China Scholarship Council, and the National Postdoctoral Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. He also holds editorial positions as Editor-in-Chief of the English-language academic journal Credit and Capital Markets and as Associate Editor of Humanities & Social Science Communications (Nature subsidiary journal).

Professor Tao Qizhi systematically organized and thoroughly explained the core knowledge and cutting-edge developments in mergers and acquisitions, drawing on both global M&A case studies and his own research findings. After outlining the concepts and categories of mergers and acquisitions, he elucidated the primary responsibilities and business strategies of M&A advisors through successive global M&A waves. He conducted a detailed analysis of the economic motivations behind M&A transactions, reviewed domestic and international M&A regulations, and concluded by projecting the future trajectory of M&A activities worldwide.

Professor Tao Qizhi, an alumnus of our university, holds deep expectations for our students. During the Q&A session, he not only patiently addressed students' specialized questions but also provided invaluable guidance on academic growth and career planning. This lecture deepened students' understanding of cutting-edge M&A fields and ignited their enthusiasm for learning. Students unanimously expressed that this learning experience strengthened their confidence and resolve to master financial expertise and contribute to the nation's economic development in the future.