On April 17, 2025, the LSE-Fudan Research Central for Global Public Policy (Centre) held the 2025 Fudan-LSE Undergraduate Research Project Presentation Session, chaired by Professor Yijia Jing, Director of the Centre. Professor Emma McCoy, Vice President of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), attended the session along with Director Neil McLean of LSE’s Language Centre, Director Hua Xiang of East Asian Languages, and Assistant Professor Yunxiong Li from the Institute for Global Public Policy (IGPP) at Fudan University. Students from both Fudan and LSE engaged in in-depth discussions on a series of cutting-edge policy issues.

Professor Jing welcomed the LSE guests and noted that IGPP and Centre have jointly organized collaborative research projects involving visiting undergraduate students from LSE and students from Fudan since 2023, providing academic guidance and research funding to foster mutual learning and joint innovation. To advance these projects, the Centre hosts an annual spring research presentation session, where faculty from both Fudan and LSE provide academic feedback to student research teams. Professor Jing hope that participating students would take full advantage of the opportunity to present their research progress with the visit of Professor McCoy.

Professor McCoy emphasized the great value of the collaborative research activities between students from both universities, describing the program as one of the most enriching experiences for LSE undergraduates visiting Fudan. She expressed her appreciation to the Centre for initiating and continuously improving the program, noting that it serves as a microcosm of the deepening educational and research collaboration between the two institutions. Professor McCoy also expressed her hope that the two universities would continue to create more opportunities for student academic exchange in the future.

Following that, Assistant Professor Li provided an overview of the progress made in the student collaborative research projects. He also showcased a video presentation of the Best Research Project of 2024, highlighting the outstanding achievements and innovative approaches demonstrated by the student teams.

During the event, three student groups presented their research projects. Diggory Ross Macfarlane represented the first group and delivered their presentation on the topic of “Comparative Analysis on Sino-British AI Innovation Policies and Possible Global AI Cooperation.” The team explored how both countries promote artificial intelligence through policy measures, examining key differences in their approaches and analyzing how these policies impact AI innovation, market development, and societal acceptance in each context.

Hector Anderson, Aidan Cross, Emmanuelle Delatour, Alice Porcu, and Derek Wong presented the second group’s project, which focused on food supply chain security in China. Their research examined how China–U.S. relations influence China’s food import policies. Using a mixed-methods approach, the team conducted semi-structured interviews with Fudan University professors and complemented their findings with policy analysis to trace the evolution of China’s food import strategies over time.

The third project was presented by Hedi Deban, Alexandra Gaidai, and Shulin Liu. Their research explored Chinese university graduates’ perceptions of the current job market, with a particular focus on gender differences. Centering their study on students from Fudan University, the team investigated how students’ understanding of the employment landscape is formed and what factors influence their perceptions. Based on their findings, they offered relevant policy recommendations to better support students’ career development.

After listening to the presentations, the participating faculty members provided feedback from various dimensions, including theoretical perspectives, data selection, research design, and methodology. They encouraged the students to further refine and deepen their research, with the aim of producing meaningful and impactful scholarly outcomes.

Finally, the faculty and students gathered for a group photo, marking a successful and memorable conclusion to the event.