The Data Science and Technology Sub-Forum of the 2025 International Conference on Industry-University-Research-Application Cooperation (Shandong) was recently held in Jinan. Professor Zhou Wanlei, Vice Rector of the City University of Macau, was invited to deliver a keynote speech titled “Trends and Applications of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.”

With the theme “Data Empowering Next-Generation Information Technology and Intelligent Equipment,” the conference attracted nearly 130 experts and scholars from Russia, Canada, Norway, Serbia, Macau (China), and elsewhere, as well as numerous representatives from member institutions of the Shandong New-Generation Information Technology Higher Education Alliance.

In his opening remarks, Vice Rector Zhou Wanlei highlighted that data science and technology, as the core driving force of the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, are profoundly reshaping production, lifestyles, and ways of thinking. They provide strong support for the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries while opening broad space for emerging industries. Through its interdisciplinary curriculum, the Faculty of Data Science at City University of Macau is committed to cultivating data-minded, innovative, and practice-oriented talents in data science and big data technology, actively promoting technological innovation and industry-academia-research-application synergy.

In his keynote speech, Professor Zhou noted that data science and artificial intelligence have become the most dynamic and closely watched frontier directions in computer science and across disciplines and industries. Drawing on knowledge and techniques from multiple fields, they address complex data and knowledge challenges and are inherently interdisciplinary. Combining his own research background, he analyzed the latest development trends and representative application scenarios in these two fields, and shared CityU’s practices and experiences in promoting interdisciplinary curriculum development.

The conference was hosted by the Shandong Provincial Department of Education and co-organized by Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences) and the Shandong New-Generation Information Technology Higher Education Alliance, aiming to deepen industry-university-research-application integration and inject new momentum into regional industrial upgrading and technological innovation.