The First Alumni Forum Was Successfully Held

First of all, Zhang Chi introduced the development history of China’s market research industry in recently twenty years, which familiarized teachers and students with the development of China’s market research industry, organizational structure of market research companies and their operation modes. Zhan Chi then introduced occupational planning of market research personnel, which was students’ most concern. He pointed out that excellent market research personnel should be generalists. They should have a broad range of knowledge, rigorous thinking, the quality of diligence and good spoken and written expression ability. In the executive process of projects, they should be practical and have cooperative spirit of team, and competence of leadership and persuasion. In terms of knowledge structure, they should master basic knowledge of marketing, sociology, psychology and statistics. Besides, market research personnel should also acquire techniques in English language communication, data analysis, report presentation, digital communication, counseling instruments and project management. Zhang Chi talked that he was keenly aware of the significance of thoughts of Systems Science in market research industry from his own work experience. He encouraged postgraduate candidates to make efforts to construct “drawing pin” knowledge structure, get a broad range of knowledge and study and accumulate knowledge constantly with an attitude of taking major as career with the hope of becoming the outstanding person in a certain industry in the near future.

Finally, based on the hot topic, students consulted their precedents about opportunities and challenges of working in market research industry against the era of “Big Data”. Zhang Chi also shared operation procedures of market research through case studies, which made students adopt a better understanding of this industry.

Alumni forums of the School of Systems Science invite outstanding alumnus of all walks to come back to the school and aim to guide candidates, with events of excellent alumnus playing an exemplary role, to foster a correct outlook on life, correct values and positive views of vocational development. Students learned a lot of knowledge that was unavailable in textbooks, which broadened their vision and laid a solid foundation for their careers in the future. Meanwhile, alumni forums also strengthened contacts between alumnus and their alma mater and provided a platform for promoting communications between alumnus and the school, and alumnus themselves. The presider of this alumni forum, Professor Li Honggang, was Zhang Chi’s class teacher then. Their meeting again after many years moved participants of the forum a lot.