From June 25 to June 26, 2012, the third “Family and Labor Economics International Symposium” jointly organized by Renmin University of China and University of Chicago was successfully held in Culture Building, Renmin University of China. Seminar was organized jointly by James Heckman, the Nobel Laureate and economics professor of University of Chicago, Professor Yang Dali, political science professor of University of Chicago and director of Beijing Center of University of Chicago, and Professor Zhao Zhong from School of Labor and Human Resources of Renmin University of China.

Over ten scholars from the University of Chicago, Harvard University, Yale University, Stanford University, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Lingnan University, Renmin University of China, Peking University, Tsinghua University, Zhongshan University and the World Bank and other international-class institutions and agencies gave academic lectures and in-depth discussions about labor economics such as labor contracts, rural-urban migration, education, labor market, transfer payments, capital structure, the middle-income trap, family, marriage and fertility. More than 70 teachers and students from University of Chicago, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Peking University and Renmin University of China participated in the meeting.    Professor Zeng Xiangquan, Dean of the School of Labor and Human Resources of Renmin University of China, attended the meeting and the opening ceremony, he expressed warm welcome to the scholars, spoke highly of this seminar, recognized the contributions of all the experts in the research of labor and economic issues and wished the Conference a success. Professor Yang Dali and

Professor James Heckman spoke highly of International Symposium and the cooperation between the Chinese People's University and the University of Chicago at the opening ceremony..

Professor Richard Freeman of Harvard University discussed the influence of the new Labor Contract on the migrant workers with Dr. Li Xiaoying form Sun Yat-sen Universit. Scott Rozelle from Stanford University analyzed the middle-income trap our country may be facing. Professor Song Zheng of University of Chicago researched whether China's capital structure was distorted. The theme of Professor Tao Ran of Renmin University of China’s speech was self-employment of China's rural migrants while John Giles from World Bank analyzed the influence of village-level political ecology on migrant workers. Professor Zhang Junsen of Chinese University of Hong Kong studied the relationship between China's population policy and family savings. Professor Zhao Zhong of Renmin University of China was concerned about the rural preference of boys to girls. Mark Rosenzweig of Yale University analyzed the gender differences of education’s returns in economic development with the comparative advantage theory. Dr. Xu Lixin of the World Bank compared the impact of labor market institutions on China and India; Li Hongbin from Tsinghua University gave an overview of the evolution of China's labor market. Professor Meng Juanjuan of Peking University, Professor Albert Park of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology separately studied the transfer payments between individuals and within family with the experimental data and survey data. Dr. Yi-jun Jian of University of Chicago and Professor Fan Chengze of Hong Kong Lingnan University separately studied the marriage market and reproductive behavior by employing empirical and theoretical methods.

School of Labor and Human Resources established a sound cooperation mechanism with the Beijing Center of University of Chicago in the process of building international academic exchange platform in labor economics. This seminar was the third meeting after the second “University of Chicago - Renmin University of China Family and Labor Economics International Symposium” successfully held by University of Chicago in the United States in June 2011. As one of the meeting organizers, School of Labor and Human Resources of Renmin University of China set the meeting as an important link of implementing the school 10-year take-off plan, enhancing the internationalization level and fulfilling the “one center, two initiatives and three platforms” strategy that the school have set. The involvement of Nobel laureate economist Gary Becker, James Heckman and other domestic and foreign experts and scholars effectively enhanced the research level of the school of labor economics and left positive impact on the international academic community.