Global Industry Joint Development Forum 2025: Advances International Cooperation in Sustainable Industrial Growth

22 April 2025, New York, USA — The Global Industry Joint Development Forum 2025 was successfully held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, convening diplomats, scholars, and industry leaders from around the world. Co-hosted by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research New York Office (UNITAR-NYO) and the International Academy for Arts and Cultural Studies (IAA), the forum centered on the theme “Global Industrial Collaboration and Innovation Amidst Change.”

The Global Industry Joint Development Forum 2025 was supported by the Tsinghua University Institute for Global Industry (IGI), and the Zhiyi Industrial Research Institute.The event provided an influential platform for discussing industrial transformation, sustainable innovation, and the future of global cooperation at a time when economies worldwide face rapid structural shifts.

The forum opened under the moderation of Mr. Thomas W. Burrill, Deputy Director of the International Academy for Arts and Cultural Studies. Ambassador Marco A. Suazo, Head of Office at UNITAR-NYO, delivered the inaugural address. He emphasized that in an era of accelerating technological change and geopolitical complexity, education, research, and open exchange remain the driving forces for achieving equitable global development.

Photo Credit: Zhiyi Institute

Dr. Zeng Jinsong, Secretary-General of the Tsinghua University Institute for Global Industry (IGI), followed with a speech highlighting the importance of institutional collaboration and multilateral dialogue under frameworks such as the Global Development Initiative (GDI). He reaffirmed IGI’s dedication to integrating academic research and industry expertise to shape a more inclusive, innovation-driven global industrial system.

H.E. Liu Liqun, Counselor of the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations, also addressed the assembly, commending the forum’s role in fostering constructive dialogue across nations.

The keynote session featured several distinguished scholars and economists who offered insights into the future of global industry. Prof. Edmund S. Phelps, Nobel Laureate in Economics (2006) and Professor at Columbia University, examined the structural roots of economic stagnation and the need for institutional reform.

Photo Credit: Zhiyi Institute

Dr. Hermann Simon, renowned German theorist, explored the global significance of “hidden champions” — mid-sized enterprises that drive innovation and resilience in national economies. Prof. David Sprott, Dean of the Peter F. Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University, discussed the continued relevance of Drucker’s management philosophy in a rapidly digitizing world. Finally, Dr. Amaj Rahimi Midani, a distinguished expert from Costa Rica, underscored how innovation ecosystems can advance sustainability and inclusive growth in the area of marine industry.

Photo Credit: IAA

At the core of the forum was the presentation of the landmark report, Global Industrial Structure Research 2025: A Data Analysis of Publicly Listed Companies, delivered by Professor He Zhiyi, Chief Expert of the Institute for Global Industry (IGI), Tsinghua University, Professor at the Guanghua School of Management, Peking University, and Chairman of the Zhiyi Industrial Research Institute.

Drawing upon a comprehensive dataset encompassing 48,618 publicly listed companies worldwide, Professor He’s research provided an in-depth analysis of industrial strength across major economies — including the United States, China, Japan, and members of the European Union. His presentation introduced a revised model for assessing global industrial power, refined the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) across 163 sub-industries, and offered new empirical perspectives on how high-tech manufacturing and productive services contribute to sustainable growth.

Photo Credit: Zhiyi Institute

Professor He’s work, conducted in collaboration with IGI and Zhiyi Institute, was lauded by attending scholars for offering a robust methodological foundation for policymakers and economists alike. His findings underscored the strategic importance of data-driven industrial policy and the critical role of Tsinghua University’s Institute for Global Industry in advancing international research on industrial competitiveness.

Further research insights were shared by Dr. Chen Li, Founder of HuaLing Pharmaceuticals; Dr. Zhang Zhanwu, Vice President of the China Society of Labor Economics; and Ms. Wu Xi, Editor-in-Chief of Zhiyi Think. Their discussions ranged from the reorganization of the global pharmaceutical supply chain to the implications of rising industry concentration and the challenges of revising cross-border classification systems.

Photo Credit: Zhiyi Institute

As the forum drew to a close, a shared consensus emerged: the global industrial landscape is due for a more inclusive and integrated framework —one that acknowledges both the complexity of interdependence and the power of collective ambition. In that spirit, Tsinghua University's Institute for Global Industry reiterated its commitment to collaborating with international organizations, think tanks, and leading enterprises worldwide to foster a more balanced, responsive, and human-centered model of industrial development.