“This Hub embodies our vision of inclusive growth.” Prof. Marwala remarked, “Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the financial landscape — from risk management and climate finance to inclusive access for underserved communities. By joining forces with ECNU’s academic excellence, we are creating a platform that ensures these technologies are harnessed responsibly and equitably. This Hub will not only pioneer scalable AI-Finance solutions but also support the Global South in opening new pathways towards financial inclusion and sustainable growth.”
According to East China Normal University, this partnership with the United Nations University represents an important step in advancing global collaboration at the intersection of artificial intelligence and finance. By establishing the UNU Hub on AI-Finance at ECNU’s Shanghai AI-Finance School, ECNU aims to bring together leading scholars, policymakers, and innovators to explore how AI can strengthen financial systems and expand inclusive opportunities for development. ECNU is committed to supporting cutting-edge research, cultivating global talent, and fostering open international dialogue so that AI-driven financial innovation can contribute meaningfully to sustainable development and shared prosperity.
Advancing Inclusive AI-Driven Finance for Sustainable Growth
The mission of the UNU Hub on AI-Finance is to leverage AI’s transformative power to boost sustainable economic development and financial inclusion, aligning all initiatives with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Its priorities include innovation-driven research, global talent training, and international policy advocacy, with a particular focus on addressing the financial development challenges of the Global South.
The Hub will be coordinated by Prof. Yilei Shao, Dean of SAIFS, who will serve as Executive Director, and Dr. Georgina Curto Rex, Senior Researcher and Team Lead at UNU Macau.
A Platform for Cutting-Edge Research and Global South Empowerment
Structured around three core pillars, the Hub will serve as a platform for collaboration, innovation, and policy engagement.
- Research, Development, and Innovation: The hub will conduct cutting-edge studies on AI-driven financial risk analysis, macro-financial decision-making, and social simulations for policy. In partnership with the UNU-Springer Artificial Intelligence and Sustainable Development Book Series, the Hub will also publish the latest work on AI’s role in fostering financial inclusion.
- Education and Capacity-Building: With a focus on empowering the Global South, the Hub will offer specialized training programs and summer schools to cultivate a global community of AI-Finance leaders committed to inclusive financial systems.
- Outreach, Advocacy, and Impact: The Hub will convene global experts and policymakers through conferences, policy reports, and high-level webinars to shape AI governance frameworks and advance sustainable financial practices worldwide.
Backed by strong support from both UNU and ECNU, including dedicated research space, high-performance computing servers, and professional AI researchers, the Hub is designed to be more than a research centre. It will act as a bridge between academia and the UN system, ensuring that AI-driven finance contributes to a more sustainable future.
Following the establishment of the UNU Hub on Humanitarian Innovation and Technology at Lingnan University in Hong Kong in 2025, UNU has now established three hubs in China. UNU Macau will coordinate the work of these hubs, leveraging Macau’s unique role as an international platform and a key node within the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area to foster international research collaboration and dialogue. The Institute will also actively engage local and Greater Bay Area partners to advance capacity-building initiatives and nurture young talent, further strengthening Macau’s role as a bridge connecting China and the international community.
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