Shanghai University of Finance and Economics launched its global civilization research institute on Wednesday as part of efforts to advance cross-cultural dialogue and civilization studies.

"Civilization is the profound accumulation of human social development and an important bond connecting cultural exchanges among countries and peoples worldwide," said Xu Tao, Party secretary of SUFE.

Xu added that, from the proposal of the Global Civilization Initiative to the United Nations General Assembly's adoption of an "International Day of Dialogue among Civilizations", Chinese civilization principles are becoming international consensus.

Wang Xianhua, director of the newly-established research institute, outlined the plans for its development and research focus areas.

"In the context of unprecedented global changes, financial higher education and talent cultivation require not only deep research in professional fields, but also profound exploration of the civilizational logic and cultural foundations behind economic development," Wang said.

The institute will focus on global civilization history, digital humanities, building a community with a shared future for humanity, the Chinese national community, and theories of civilizational exchange and mutual learning.

"Only by deeply understanding the differences and commonalities of diverse civilizations can we accurately grasp the development paths and governance models of different countries," Wang added, highlighting the institute's mission to build a high-level academic platform and establish quality research teams.

The inauguration ceremony was held alongside the opening of the declaration of civilization scroll exhibition, which is being hosted by SUFE's global civilization research institute and Civilization magazine.

The nearly 60-meter scroll, which was unveiled on the first International Day of Dialogue among Civilizations, incorporates cultural symbols from intangible cultural heritage and world heritage sites from 195 countries worldwide.