On June 20, 2025, Professor Qunyong Wang from the School of Economics at Nankai University was invited to deliver an academic lecture at the “Nankai Institute of Economic and Social Development Academic Forum.” His talk, titled "Applications of Machine Learning in Economics: Causal Inference with Machine Learning," was hosted by Professor Zhou Mi, Director of the Center for Urban and Regional Economics. Faculty members and students specializing in regional and industrial economics attended the session.

Professor Wang began by introducing the basic concepts of machine learning and statistical inference, providing a clear and accessible explanation of the feasibility and necessity of applying machine learning to causal inference. He then gave a detailed overview of commonly used machine learning models, with a focus on analyzing the prerequisites for using them in causal analysis. In the final part of the lecture, he presented real-world case studies to demonstrate how machine learning can be applied to causal inference and concluded by discussing future directions in the field.

During the interactive Q&A session, participants engaged in lively discussions on the application of machine learning in economic research.

The “Nankai Institute of Economic and Social Development Academic Forum” is an academic exchange platform established by our institute in 2021. Each session features invited talks and discussions by distinguished experts and scholars and is open to all faculty and students in both online and in-person formats. Through this ongoing lecture series, the forum aims to promote collaboration and communication between internal and external academic resources, broaden the academic horizons of our faculty and students, and enhance the institute’s scholarly impact.