The International High-Level Academic Journal Exchange on Management Science: Doctoral Students Forum was held at Harbin Engineering University (HEU). The event was hosted by HEU and organized by the School of Economics and Management, in collaboration with the Heilongjiang Province Management Science Society, the Heilongjiang Regional Innovation-Driven Development Research Center, the Key Laboratory of Big Data and Business Intelligence Technology (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology), and the Heilongjiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovation Governance and Intelligent Decision-Making.

The forum, centered on the theme "Management Science Research and Practice Oriented to New Quality Productive Forces," aimed to accelerate the development of new productive forces and provide fresh momentum for advancing theoretical and practical innovations in management science. The event featured an opening ceremony, keynote speeches by distinguished guests, sub-forums, and face-to-face exchanges with journals. Over the course of two days, more than 150 participants—including renowned experts from over 20 domestic and international universities such as Drexel University (USA), Poznan University of Technology (Poland), University of Science and Technology of China, Sichuan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Harbin Institute of Technology, Tianjin University, Shenzhen University, and Zhejiang Gongshang University—gathered for this exchange. Chief editors, deputy chief editors, and editorial directors from top management science journals, along with doctoral students, also took part. The opening ceremony was presided over by Professor CHEN Heng, Dean of the School of Economics and Management at HEU.

At the opening ceremony, Professor YIN Hang, Assistant to the President of Harbin Engineering University, delivered a welcome speech, highlighting the university's 71 years of achievements in talent cultivation and scientific research. He emphasized that HEU is a key institution in China's shipbuilding industry, naval equipment, ocean development, and nuclear energy applications, having trained over 150,000 outstanding alumni, including academic leaders, industry pioneers, and governance experts. He expressed the hope that the forum would foster deeper cooperation between HEU and the participating experts and scholars, further elevating the university’s economics and management disciplines to world-class standards, thereby contributing to the country’s economic and social development.

LI Baizhou, President of the Heilongjiang Management Science Society and Chief Expert at the Heilongjiang Provincial Key Think Tank, addressed the forum, noting that scientific and technological innovation is essential to the new productive forces, with innovation-driven growth being a critical factor in this transformation. He praised the forum as an important platform for scholars in management science to engage in meaningful exchanges, broaden their perspectives, and strengthen future cooperation to support the development of the discipline.

YU Le'an, Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's Key Laboratory of Big Data and Business Intelligence Technology, emphasized that the forum’s theme aligns with the evolving scientific challenges of China's digital era. He discussed how big data and business intelligence technologies—spanning artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things—are driving cross-border innovation and are pivotal in fostering new productive forces and promoting high-quality development.

On July 6^th, nine distinguished experts delivered keynote presentations during the international academic journal exchange session. Professor Benjamin Lev, Chief Editor of OMEGA—International Journal of Management Science from Drexel University (USA), shared his insights in a talk titled "My Experience as Editor-in-Chief of OMEGA." Other keynote speakers included Professor CHEN Jihong from Shenzhen University (Ocean & Coastal Management), Professor MI Jianing from Harbin Institute of Technology (Journal of Public Administration), Professor XIONG Xiong from Tianjin University (Journal of Management Sciences in China), Professor WU Dengsheng from Shenzhen University (Chinese Journal of Management Science), Professor Roman Słowiński from Poznan University of Technology (European Journal of Operational Research), Professor ZHOU Xueqian from HEU (Ocean Engineering), Li Lin, Editorial Director of Systems Engineering—Theory & Practice, and WANG Ping, Editorial Director of Science Research Management. Each expert presented on various aspects of journal publication and management science research. The sessions were moderated by HEU faculty, including Professor HU Yuzhen, Vice Dean of the School of Economics and Management, and others.

In the afternoon of July 6^th, the "Face-to-Face" session for journals offered an opportunity for participants to engage directly with journal editors and experts. Directors and editors from several prestigious journals, including Journal of Management Sciences in China, Systems Engineering—Theory & Practice, Science Research Management, and Chinese Journal of Management Science, answered participants' questions on topics such as journal submissions, research focus areas, and academic writing. The session was lively, with doctoral students and young scholars engaging in detailed discussions with the experts. Professor YU Le'an from Sichuan University moderated the session.

On the morning of July 7^th, five separate doctoral student forums took place, featuring keynote addresses from prominent scholars. Topics included "Characteristics and Design of High-Quality Management Research" by Professor WANG Yonggui (Zhejiang Gongshang University), "Scientific Problems and Research Direction Selection in Scientific Research" by Professor YU Le'an (Sichuan University), "Multi-Satellite Collaborative Intelligent Task Planning" by Professor HU Xiaoxuan (Hefei University of Technology), "Understanding and Prediction of Risks" by Professor WEI Jiuchang (University of Science and Technology of China), and "IG & OM Methods in Metro Energy-Saving Management" by Professor LI Xiang (Chang’an University). These expert sessions were presided over by Professor KANG Wei (HEU) and Professor SHAO Jingbo (Harbin Institute of Technology).

In the afternoon, six sub-forums for doctoral students took place, where 52 authors presented their research papers. Each session featured detailed commentary from expert reviewers, providing valuable feedback to the presenters. The forum concluded with an award ceremony and closing remarks. Associate Professor LIU Tiansen, Assistant Dean of the School of Economics and Management at HEU, summarized the event and presented awards to the winners of the first, second, and third prizes, as well as to those recognized for outstanding papers.

The International High-Level Academic Journal Exchange on Management Science: Doctoral Students Forum successfully concluded, having fostered significant academic exchange, promoted innovative thinking, and contributed to the integration of disciplinary development. The event helped create a stronger research atmosphere, engaging doctoral students in high-level discussions, and advancing the integration of management science with the evolving global research landscape.