A summit to stimulate Chinese young people's interest in finance and cultivate future business leaders was held in Shanghai this week.

The China Youth Leadership Finance Summit was started last year by the Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

It aims to promote financial education at institutions of higher learning and nurture talent for China's reform and development.

The theme of this year's summit is Finance Reform and Development in the Post-Financial Crisis Era.

More than 400 undergraduates from 20 prestigious universities signed up for the event, out of which 100 were invited to attend.

During the two-day event, students met with scholars and industry experts to discuss topics including the Shanghai free trade zone, Internet finance, and derivatives and financial innovation.

Zhang Chunxin, associate professor of finance, who is also the director of the master of finance program at SAIF, said topics with special appeal to young people were chosen for the discussions this year.

"Whatever the major is, any student with an interest in finance is encouraged to participate in this event. We hope more young people can join us in the future," he said.

The Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance was established in 2009 with the support of municipal government.

Positioned as a world-class educational institute, it not only educates students but also will serve as a think tank for policymakers and a platform for cutting-edge research and cross-cultural communication.

Contact the writer at wanghongyi@chinadaily.com.cn