WIC 2026 | World Industrialisation Congress & Cambridge Industrialisation Annual Conference

Conference Overview

Connecting Top Scholars, Practitioners, and Policy Makers

The World Industrialisation Congress (WIC) & Cambridge Industrialisation Annual Conference (CIAC) is a premier platform connecting academic research and practical applications in the field of industrialisation. It serves as a global forum for dialogue between industrialisation research and practice.

Hosted by Cambridge Industrialisation and held at the University of Cambridge's Baker Building (Department of Engineering), the conference brings together leading scholars, practitioners, and policy makers to explore the latest frontiers in industrialisation theory and practice.

2026 Conference Theme

The inaugural 2026 conference focuses on Industrialisation in the Digital Age, exploring how digital technologies are transforming global industrialisation pathways, business models, and policy frameworks.

Fully automated manufacturing line in cool blue light — Automated production line

                        Conference Features
                        5 Parallel Thematic Sessions
Keynote Addresses from Leading Experts
Best Paper Awards & Certificates
2026 Industrialisation Star Awards (for enterprises)
Optional: Industrialisation Training + Design Challenge
Networking Reception & Gala Dinner

                    

Important Dates

June 2026

First Call Published

Conference announcement and call for abstracts

30 July 2026

                        Key Deadlines
                        Abstract submission deadline
Early-bird registration deadline
College accommodation booking & payment

                    

August 2026

Abstract Acceptance Notification

Authors notified following review (date to be confirmed)

15 August 2026

Standard & Final Registration Deadline

21 August 2026

Conference Day

WIC 2026 at the Baker Building, Department of Engineering

Congress Agenda

19–23 August 2026 · The Baker Building

The conference week runs 19–23 August 2026, with the main conference day on Friday 21 August at the Baker Building, Department of Engineering, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1PZ.

Main Conference Day — 21 August 2026

09:00 – 09:30

Welcome Tea & CoffeeThe Baker Building (room TBC)

09:30 – 09:50

Welcome SpeechThe Baker Building (room TBC)

09:50 – 10:10

Keynote SpeechProfessor Yongjiang Shi · Conference Chair, Director Researcher at IfM

10:10 – 11:30

Guest Speeches — Conference Co-ChairsProf. Tiyan Shen (Peking University) & Prof. Yong Wang (Tsinghua University)

11:30 – 11:50

2026 Global Industrialisation Star — Award & Remarks

11:50 – 12:00

Signing of the Global Industrialisation Initiative

12:00 – 12:20

Group Photo

12:20 – 13:30

Lunch & Networking

13:30 – 17:00

Parallel Sessions — 4 Forums (tea break 15:00–15:20)1 Digital Industry — Tsinghua (room TBC) · 2 Traditional Industry — Oxford (room TBC) · 3 Emerging & Future Industries — Cambridge (room TBC) · 4 Industry & Region — PKU (room TBC)

17:00 – 17:30

Closing Remarks & AwardsBest Paper / Abstract & Outstanding Volunteer awards

Conference Week at a Glance

19 Aug

Internal working meeting & pre-conference exchange sessionsInternal welcome dinner in the evening

20 Aug

Conference registration (09:00–18:00) & preparatory meetingThe Baker Building, Department of Engineering, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1PZ · Gala Dinner in the evening (Black Tie / Business Formal)

21 Aug

Main Conference DayFull programme above

22–23 Aug

Post-conference follow-up meetingsPartners, forum hosts & participating institutions

Confirmed Speakers

Our lineup so far — further speakers to be announced

Professor Tim Minshall

Dean, Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge

Dr Yongjiang Shi

Research Director of CIM, IfM, CUED, University of Cambridge; Chair, World Industrialisation Congress 2026

Tingrui Zhang

President, Cambridge Industrialisation; Founder, World Industrialisation Congress

Professor Tiyan Shen

Dean, Institute of Urban Governance, Peking University; Co-Chair, World Industrialisation Congress 2026

Professor Yong Wang

Dean, Tsinghua–BMW China Sustainable Development & Mobility Innovation Institute, Tsinghua University; Co-Chair, World Industrialisation Congress 2026

Professor Mohan Datwani

Inaugural Director, The Future Centre; Professor of Practice, Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration, Hong Kong Metropolitan University; Co-Chair, World Industrialisation Congress 2026

Raymond D. Neoh

Founder and Director, DECT Group; Founder and Former CEO, Global Digital Creations Holdings Limited (8271.HK); Founder and Director, Institute of Digital Game Technology, Nanyang Technological University

Professor Feng Tao

Dean, Institute of Industrial Economics, Jinan University

Dr Norman Sze

Honorary Director of The Future Centre; Visiting Professor, Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration, Hong Kong Metropolitan University

Shufeng Cui

Deputy Dean & Senior Expert, AliResearch (Alibaba Research Institute)

Xuliang Wu

Senior Expert & Chief Economic Advisor, Tencent Research Institute

Professor Maria Adele Carrai

Associate Professor, Department of Politics and International Relations & Oxford School of Global and Area Studies, University of Oxford

Professor Ruixin Wang

Associate Professor, School of Economics and Management, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen)

Baiya Xiong

Capital Delivery Project Manager, Manchester Airports Group

Professor Yi Chen

Associate Professor, School of Public Administration, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology

Professor Hao Gu

Associate Professor & Director of International Office, School of Public Administration, Hunan University

Dr Ge Zheng

Assistant Research Professor, Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge

Dr Fangning Fu

Assistant Professor, Research Centre for China's Special Economic Zones, Shenzhen University

Dr Martin Ho

Postdoctoral Researcher, Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge

Dr Mengyu Zhang

Postdoctoral Researcher, School of Government, Peking University

Dr Bingxin Yan

Research Associate, Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge

Dr Xinzhen Xu

Research Associate, School of Economics, Shandong University

Dr Jiaxin Pan

Commercialisation Officer; PhD & Postdoc in Physical Chemistry, Imperial College London

Dr Guanlin Wu

Jardine Scholar and DPhil in Area Studies, University of Oxford

Dilan Yang

Clarendon Scholar and DPhil in Economics, University of Oxford; Convener, Oxford University Chinese Economy Reading Group

Jingyuan Deng

DPhil in Economics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford; Part-Time Consultant, World Bank

Yucheng Sun

PhD Student in Public Administration, School of Government, Peking University

Jiekai Liang

PhD Student in Public Administration, School of Government, Peking University

Shengjie Ding

PhD in International Development, King's College London

Amal Thaar M Alsubaie

MPhil Candidate, Industrial Systems, Manufacture and Management (ISMM), Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge

Speakers are listed as confirmed at the time of publication and are subject to change.

The congress has concluded

20–22 August 2026 · University of Cambridge

The Global Industrialisation Initiative was signed, the Global Industrialisation Star Award Committee was founded, and five parallel forums hosted 35 talks. The call for full papers remains open.

Read the Conference Report About WIC 2027

Congress Committee

Chair

Dr Yongjiang Shi

Research Director of CIM, IfM, CUED
Chief Advisor, Cambridge Industrialisation
University of Cambridge

Co-Chairs

PhD Researcher Tingrui Zhang

Founder, World Industrialisation Congress
President, Cambridge Industrialisation
Head of Industrialisation Research Group, IfM
University of Cambridge

Professor Tiyan Shen

Professor, School of Government
Dean, Institute of Urban Governance
Deputy Dean, Capital Development Institute
Peking University

Professor Yong Wang

Professor, School of Social Sciences
Director, Research Centre for Digital Economy
Dean, Tsinghua-BMW China Sustainable Development & Mobility Innovation Institute
Tsinghua University

Professor Mohan Datwani

Professor of Practice, Lee Shau Kee School of Business and Administration
Inaugural Director, The Future Centre
Hong Kong Metropolitan University

[Additional Co-Chairs to be confirmed]

Secretariat

Dr Tingrui Zhang — Secretary-General

President, Cambridge Industrialisation

Professor Ge Zheng — Deputy Secretary-General

Cambridge & IfM internal / faculty–student coordinator
Vice President, Cambridge Industrialisation

Mingqian Zhou — Deputy Secretary-General

Communications coordinator
Vice President, Cambridge Industrialisation

Baiya Xiong — Deputy Secretary-General

Congress coordinator
Capital Delivery Project Manager & Manchester Airports Group

Dr Fangning Fu — Deputy Secretary-General

Parallel coordinator
Assistant Professor, Shenzhen University

Dr Mengyu Zhang — Deputy Secretary-General

Parallel Coordinator
Postdoctoral Researcher, Peking University

Dr Guanlin Wu — Deputy Secretary-General

Parallel Coordinator
DPhil Researcher, University of Oxford

Timothy Spencer Tan — Deputy Secretary-General

Parallel Coordinator
Director, Partnership and Operations, DECT Group

Dr Shunru Chen — Deputy Secretary-General

Coordinator
Postdoctoral Researcher, Jinan University