A forum for the 'paradigm shift'
In Shanghai, in the Lingang hub, the new edition of the World Laureates Forum, an annual event bringing together leading scientists, will be held from October 30 to November 1, 2026. According to IT之家, the event is organized by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) with the support of two Chinese private foundations and the participation of 25 scientific institutions, universities and laboratories. The presidency is entrusted to Wan Gang, former president of CAST, and Randy Schekman, 2013 Nobel laureate in medicine.
The chosen theme, 'Paradigm shift: the next decade of scientific discoveries', signals the intention to look beyond immediate research. The structure includes an opening plenary session, six parallel forums, four thematic events and a closing ceremony, with visits to research centers and meetings at universities. The format, already tested, aims to combine institutional addresses and more intimate discussion sessions.
Numbers and key figures
According to data released by the organizers, 33 scientists who have received high-profile international awards have confirmed their attendance: seven Nobel laureates and three Turing Award winners, with seven attending for the first time. In addition, there are 139 established scientists and 81 young researchers, with more than 80% first-time participants in both categories. The article also notes growth in the presence of high-level Chinese scholars and members of China's two national academies compared with previous editions.
During the opening, the World Laureates Award 2026 will be presented; the list of winners had been announced on September 10: 11 scientists honored in the categories 'Intelligent or Mathematical Sciences', 'Life Sciences or Medicine' and a new recognition for young researchers. Shao Feng, of the National Institute of Biological Sciences in Beijing, is the first Chinese to receive the award since its establishment, together with Yuan Junying, Wang Xiaodong and Vishva Dixit of Genentech, for studies on the molecular mechanisms of programmed cell death.
Basic science and industrial needs
The plenary session will feature Omar Yaghi, 2025 Nobel laureate in chemistry, Hu Hailan of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Laurent Lafforgue, 2002 Fields Medalist, and Zeng Yuqun, founder and chairman of CATL. According to the event presentation, this is the first time that a prominent industry representative shares the stage with Nobel laureates and top scientific award winners on the forum's central themes. Yaghi will propose the concept of 'science of choices', namely the use of artificial intelligence to select high-value research directions; Hu will discuss the mechanisms of depression and the rapid effect of ketamine; Lafforgue will address large language models from a cultural and philosophical perspective. Scientist-entrepreneurs such as Tang Jie (Zhipu AI) and Chen Yunjia (Cambricon) are also expected.
The six parallel forums will cover semiconductors, artificial intelligence, biomedicine, aerospace information, energy and quantum sciences, hosted by Chinese universities and laboratories. Compared with the past, the stated orientation is toward technology transfer: the biomedicine forum will focus on Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and depression, with a dialogue among research, clinical practice and investors; the energy forum will seek to identify problems 'worthy of application' and to connect basic research with pilot testing; the aerospace forum will reflect on the transition of commercial launches from the validation phase to large-scale operations.
Another novelty should be noted: a joint Sino-foreign academic committee, chaired by Zhang Jie, president of the Shanghai Association for Science and Technology, and Nicholas Dirks, president of the New York Academy of Sciences, tasked with overseeing the entire process of defining themes, the program and the selection of speakers. The six forums received 132 scientific contributions. It remains to be verified whether all announced speakers will actually attend and what impact the proposals will have on the industrial level, elements that only the event itself can clarify.
