The Fourth Belt and Road Initiative Interdisciplinary Conference was held at Lancaster University on 13th and 14th June 2024. The forum is hosted by the Lancaster University Belt and Road Initiative Research Consortium (LUBRIC) and co-organised by the College of State Governance of Southwest University, with the academic partners as follows: Lien Research Programme on the Belt and Road Initiative, Nanyang Technological University; One Belt-One Road Strategy Institute of Tsinghua University; Fudan Institute of Belt and Road & Global Governance; School of Economics, Sichuan University; Belt and Road Communication Research Centre of Xidian University.

The forum brought together over 70 speakers from the UK, China, Singapore, Spain, Kenya and Kazakhstan, among others, to discuss the opportunities and challenges of cooperation in various fields under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) framework. It covered diverse topics including international relations, politics, law, languages and cultures, media and communications, health humanity and digital technologies and sustainability.

During the opening, Mr Rui Tang, Consul General of the People's Republic of China in Manchester, highlighted the launch of LUBRIC in 2019 and the synergies displayed through multilateral cooperation under BRI. Since its inception in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative has been transformed into reality in the context of globalisation. He also noted that sturdy Sino-British cooperation and new technologies drive development and promote economic prosperity for a shared future.

Professor Andy Schofield, Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University, emphasised that Lancaster University serves as a bridge between countries, linking the UK with the rest of the world and enhancing exchanges and cooperation. Lancaster University enjoys partnerships with multiple entities across the globe and is committed to research for a better world.

Professor Jinghan Zeng, Director of Lancaster University Confucius Institute, mentioned the BRI’s implications in the areas of politics, socioeconomics, technology, environment, sustainability, etc. and LUBRIC's prospect to build a strong interdisciplinary research team based at Lancaster University to contribute to world-leading research and projects on BRI.

Professor Xiaofu Pan, Director of the College of State Governance of Southwest University, said that the conference demonstrated an important practice advocated by BRI, in an effort to promote mutual understanding and collaboration between countries towards a better world of openness and interconnectedness.

The conference concluded with in-depth discussions and strengthened ties bringing together academics from diverse domains. It also serves as an opportunity for ideas and research to further reach to and be discussed with broader audience, leading to potential funding bids and research partnerships.

We would like to extend our appreciation to all the guests and speakers for their contribution and participation, and to our brilliant team at Lancaster University Confucius Institute for their dedication and hard work.