From June 11th to 12th, 2021, the International Conference on Innovation Drives Sustainable Development in the Yellow River Basin was held both online and offline in HENU. With the theme of "Innovation Drives Sustainable Development in the Yellow River Basin", the conference was jointly organized by Henan University, American International Institute for Innovation and Development (USA), Land Society of Henan Province, Geographic Society of Henan Province, and Shanghai Jianwei Law Firm.

The conference was attended by more than 150 representatives from California State University, Northridge, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, University of California, Davis, University of California, Los Angeles, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Renmin University of China, Nanjing University and Shanghai Jiaotong University.

Focusing on "Innovation development strategy and policy", "Innovation-driven development and planning", "Sustainable development", and "Rural revitalization and urban rural integration", the experts exchanged in-depth research progress on the integration of geography, ecology, economics, management, environmental science and other disciplines, which played a positive role in promoting the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin. Daniel D. SUI, a professor of Virginia Tech University, Martin KENNEY, a professor of University of California Davis, Zhixiang SHE, a researcher of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing Branch, Huaizhong KOU, a researcher of Yellow River Water Conservancy Commission, etc.,  delivered keynote speeches at the conference.