On January 12, 2026, Professor Geoffrey J.D. Hewings, Distinguished Professor and Doctoral Supervisor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), former Director of the Regional Economics Application Laboratory, and internationally renowned regional economist, was invited to visit our college for academic exchange and gave a special report. Professor Hewings has served as the President of the Regional Science Association International (RSAI) and the North American Regional Science Council (NARSC), and enjoys a high reputation in the field of regional science. He has published more than 100 high-level academic papers and 14 monographs, and has been awarded the "Walter Isard Distinguished Scholar Achievement Award", one of the highest honors in the field of regional science.

During the visit, Professor Hewings visited the Regional Economic Application Analysis Laboratory of our college, listened to the systematic report of the laboratory team on previous research results, and conducted in-depth discussions with teachers of our college on the future development direction of the laboratory and international cooperation potential.

Subsequently, Professor Hewings gave a cutting-edge academic report entitled "Research on Heterogeneous Agents in Regional Economic Models" for teachers and students of our college. The report deeply discussed the importance and application cases of heterogeneity in regional economic analysis, which aroused strong interest among the teachers and students present. The report meeting was presided over by Professor Zhou Mi of our college, and Professor Liu Weilin, Vice Dean of our college, delivered a speech. In the exchange session, Associate Professor Liu Yuhai, Associate Professor Zhang Zhiqiang, and Assistant Professor Wang Ran served as interactive guests and had a heated discussion with Professor Hewings on issues such as aging, population growth, and regional heterogeneity.

This visit strengthened the academic exchange between our College and top international regional science teams, broadened the academic vision of teachers and students, and provided an important opportunity for the subsequent development and international cooperation of the China REAL Laboratory. The College of Economic and Social Development will continue to deepen in-depth interaction with the international academic community and promote innovation and progress in the field of regional economic research.