Dear Honored Guests, Esteemed Colleagues, and Distinguished Participants,

It is an honor to welcome you to the 20th International Conference on Management Science and Engineering Management, or ICMSEM. This year, the conference is held at the University of Manchester. The University is in one of the United Kingdom's historic and innovative cities. Its industrial heritage, academic excellence, and scientific spirit make it an ideal venue.

Since its establishment in 2007, ICMSEM has been hosted in many countries and regions. These include China, the United States, Germany, Canada, Australia, Spain, Portugal, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Turkey, Japan, Malaysia, France, and now the United Kingdom. At each location, the conference has supported exchange and cooperation. It has united scholars in both fields. It has also encouraged joint research on major questions.

During the past nineteen years, ICMSEM has witnessed major changes in Management Science and Engineering Management. It has also contributed to the field's development. We are pleased to continue this academic journey in Manchester. The city has contributed greatly to industry, science, and technology. We thank our hosts and everyone whose support made this conference possible.

This year, the conference received 524 submissions from 32 countries. These figures show the global reach of the ICMSEM community. After a rigorous peer review process, 128 papers were accepted for publication. The papers present diverse perspectives, sound methods, and practical concerns. They also show our commitment to theory and real world problem solving.

The accepted papers address urgent challenges of our time. They are organized into five main areas: Artificial Intelligence, Supply Chain Management, Risk Management, Sustainable Development, and Healthcare Management. These areas support focused discussion. They also encourage interdisciplinary learning, open exchange, and practical responses to complex problems.

To support deeper discussion, this year's conference includes three special forums:

(1) "AI-enabled Energy Management" examines how artificial intelligence can improve energy system optimization, resource coordination, demand forecasting, and intelligent decisions. It considers the transition toward more efficient, adaptive, and sustainable energy systems.

(2) "AI-enabled Hospital Management" examines the use of intelligent technologies, data based models, and management methods in hospitals. It aims to improve operating efficiency, resource allocation, service quality, and patient centered care.

(3) "Smart-Driven Journal Reports on Management Science in Engineering" discusses changes in academic publishing. It covers journal evaluation, editorial strategies, and practical ways to improve research impact and visibility.

The program also includes keynote speeches by distinguished scholars from different countries and research backgrounds. We are honored to welcome Professor Raghavendra Rau, Professor Zhuocuo Lin, Professor Ahmed El Ghini, Professor Sophia Ananiadou, and other invited speakers. They will discuss new theories, advanced methods, and practical applications. Their presentations will offer views on our field's future and promote academic dialogue among all participants during the conference.

The accepted papers show strong growth in research on artificial intelligence, intelligent optimization, supply chain resilience, sustainable operations, risk governance, healthcare management, and interdisciplinary decision making. This work suggests that our field is entering deeper integration. Intelligent technologies are no longer only technical tools. They are becoming important parts of management systems, organizational change, and public service innovation.

We are now at an important point in history. Human and machine intelligence are becoming more closely connected. This change is reshaping how we think, make decisions, design organizations, and govern complex systems. Human judgment, algorithmic reasoning, data analysis, and system coordination are increasingly combined in adaptive frameworks.

These changes raise three important questions for the future of our field:

(1) How can we design intelligent decision systems that are efficient, transparent, trustworthy, and responsible?

(2) How can supply chains, healthcare systems, and public organizations become more resilient to uncertainty, disruption, and global interdependence?

(3) How can sustainable development become measurable strategies, operational practices, and long term value?

The answers may depend on integrated, intelligent, and human centered management systems. Such systems go beyond complex models. They combine data, algorithms, practical knowledge, ethical principles, and clear goals. Scholars in our field are well placed to lead this work. Our field connects mathematics with meaning, optimization with responsibility, and prediction with real changes in society and industry.

Artificial intelligence and large scale models are moving from general tools toward specialized applications in energy, healthcare, finance, logistics, and public management. Our field will become more important. We will continue to provide rigorous methods and optimization techniques. We must also design intelligent decision systems, build adaptive organizations, and develop solutions that balance efficiency with human values.

This conference would not be possible without our partners and contributors. I sincerely thank Professor Ning Gao, co-chair of this year's conference, for his leadership and generous support. I also thank Springer and the editorial team for their continued work on the proceedings. I also thank all authors, reviewers, keynote speakers, session chairs, and participants. Your efforts have made this conference a strong forum for knowledge sharing and academic dialogue.

Thank you very much, and once again, welcome to Manchester!

July 28, 2026