The third “Asia-Pacific Forum for Young Marketing Scholars” was successfully held on 22 – 23 November 2025, in Shantou, Guangdong. Faculty member and students from the School of Business (MSB) at the Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) were invited to attend for hosting keynote speech session and reporting at the forum. Organized by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance for Marketing, and hosted by School of Business Shantou University, the forum included modules including interdisciplinary marketing forums, advanced research methods forums, doctoral research presentations, and skill-enhancement workshops, aiming at establishing a high-level academic exchange platform for young scholars.
The academic report for this youth forum was by invitation. Associate Professor Zheng Lei from MUST MSB was invited to host the keynote speech at the youth scholars forum. Xie Wenjun, a MSB student of Doctor of Philosophy in Management (DPM) major in marketing, was also invited to present and exchange ideas alongside seven doctoral students from institutions including City University of Hong Kong, Renmin University of China, and Sun Yat-sen University, receiving high recognition from on-site experts.
Associate Professor Zheng Lei chaired the keynote speech session during the forum
Xie Wenjun, a DPM student major in marketing, reported at the forum
During the forum, Associate Professor Zheng Lei was also invited to attend the expanded meeting of the Asia-Pacific Marketing Young Scholars Committee, where he was officially appointed as the Vice Chair. The committee was initiated by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Marketing Research Alliance, aiming to respond to the national “Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area”, which focuses on the strategic planning including the establishment of an international technology innovation center, creating a hub for the cultivation of talent in education, and strengthening academic exchanges among youth. The youth forum has “Nurturing the Next Generation” as its core mission and places great importance on the growth and development of young scholars.
Besides, eight MSB DPM students major in marketing actively signed up to participate in various module activities of the forum. This year’s forum brought together numerous experts and scholars from renowned universities both domestically and internationally, featuring rich and cutting-edge theme presentations, focusing on exploring interdisciplinary fusion pathways of marketing in the context of emerging technologies. Focal topics included research on the application of generative artificial intelligence and large language models in consumer decision-making, the integrated development of marketing and information systems, analysis of marketing professionals' characteristics from a genetic perspective, and eye-tracking experimental research on product visual framing design, etc. These diverse themes reflect the deep intersections between modern marketing research and the fields such as artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and biological genetics, highlighting the critical role of interdisciplinary integration in future marketing research. Through attending the cutting-edge lectures and participating in interactive discussions, the doctoral students broadened their academic horizons and deepened their understanding of frontier issues in their disciplines.
Since the establishment of “Asia-Pacific Forum for Young Marketing Scholars” in 2023, it has developed into a forward-looking, youth-oriented, and highly regarded academic community by organizing cutting-edge academic discussions, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, and facilitating the communications among cross-generational scholars.
(Contributed and reviewed by Associate Professor Zheng Lei, format reviewed by Helen Kam)
