A Tongji University delegation headed by Prof. YANG Xianjin, Chairman of the University Council visited Germany from 13thto 16thSept. 2015. During the visit, YANG conducted extensive exchange and cooperation activities and signed agreements with partner universities, institutions, government bodies and alumni in Germany in the company of Vice President WU Zhiqiang and staff from the International Office, Sino-German College and the German Research Center of the university.
The European Union of Tongji University Alumni Association (EUTUAA), initiated by Tongji University Alumni Association in Germany, France and England was formally established in Berlin, Germany on September 13th, which was witnessed by members from a proposed alumni association of Austria, Norway, Netherlands, Italy and Switzerland. The 2015 Annual Meeting of Tongji University Alumni Association in Germany was held on the same occasion. Present at the meeting were Prof. YANG and Prof. Dong Qi, Minister Counsellor of Chinese Embassy in Germany and former Vice President of Tongji University. Mr. ZHENG Xiaolei, Secretary General of the Alumni Association of Tongji University and the alumni delegation of German Industry 4.0 were invited to this meeting. YANG, in his speech, introduced the efforts Tongji University had made in building a world-class university and the plan for its future development. He also expressed his hope for EUTUAA to continue its enhanced cooperation and exchange with the university, and called for more overseas alumni to support the development of their alma mater. DONG said that the establishment of EUTUAA created a new pattern for developing overseas alumni association. He also described in details the current situation of Sino-German higher education cooperation, and wished everyone to work together for more cooperation and exchanges under the framework of Sino-Germen collaboration and Sino-EU cooperation. Mr. ZHANG Yang, the first rotating president of the EUTUAA and an alumnus in Germany, said that the union aimed at improving communication among Tongji University alumni in Europe, between the alumni and the alma mater and recommending overseas talents to the alma mater. The union would inherit the university tradition of being united and persistent in doing things and bring the wisdom and resources of the alumni in Europe into full play to expand Tongji's influence in Europe and actively promote the exchanges and cooperation between the university and Europe institutions from all walks of life. Alumni representatives of the union state members gave briefings of activities organized by the alumni associations at different countries in Europe. Issues such as One belt, One Road strategy of China, Industry 4.0, new energy resources, energy conservation, investment, mergers and acquisitions were also discussed at the meeting.
On the morning of 14thSept., the delegation visited Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) and had a meeting with Prof. Christian Thomse, president of TU Berilin. Prof.YANG Xianjin first showed his appreciation for Thomsen to take his time to receive the Tongji delegation, and then invited him to attend the 20th anniversary celebration of partnership between the two universities at Tongji University in the following week. YANG said that in reviewing the past 20-year cooperation between the two universities, impressive achievements had been made including establishing student exchange and dual-degree programs in various disciplines. He hoped to see more collaboration in science in the future. After the speech, the delegation visited the Fraunhofer Production System and IPK and discussed further on Industry 4.0.
In the afternoon, the delegation visited the German Federal Chancellery and met with Dr. Gebel who was responsible for social politics, educational & scientific research and former state affairs in East Germany. YANG introduced to him the history of Tongji University and its extensive cooperation with Germany over the years. He highlighted Article 99, pointing out that Tongji University andCDH had been taken as a model of Sino-German higher education cooperation, which was specified in theSino-German Cooperation Platform for Actionsigned last time after the Sino-German governments’ consultation. Gebel was impressed by the history of Tongji University's extensive cooperation with Germany and wished Tongji a better future.
The delegation then visited the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and met with Dr Maennel, director of the International affairs. Dr Maennel explained to the delegation the newly-established China Strategy Office and its functions, and expressed his willingness to help Tongji University further strengthen its cooperation with Germany.
During the noon time of 15thSept. in Berlin, the delegation visited the Chinese Embassy and met with Professor SHI Mingde, the Chinese Ambassador to Germany. YANG first briefed the current visit to the ambassador, and then expressed the determination of Tongji University in becoming a beacon university for furthering Sino-German cooperation. Ambassador SHI said that the cooperation with Germany had always been the most prominent characteristic of Tongji University, which had resulted in numerous substantive cooperation projects. He expressed his strong support in the university's endeavor in enhancing its development in Germany. SHI also communicated with the delegation on such current issues as refugees, China's economy and Industry 4.0 which Germany and the European Union showed great concerns about.
On the morning of 16thSept., the delegation visited Technische Universität Darmstadt, and held talks with its president, Professor Juergen Proemel. During the talk, both presidents looked back to the fruitful achievements of cooperation in the past three decades and discussed about their future development. YANG showed his gratitude to TU Darmstadt for their cultivating talents like Prof. LI Guohao, former president of Tongji University, which had made remarkable contributions to both Tongji University and China. He also pointed out that it was imperative for two universities to inherit and renew the past achievements against the new background. Besides, he expressed his expectations for the future: to broaden the scope of cooperation in research on the basis of more exchange programs among students and teachers, and to realize the Beacon Project by establishing e.g. an international doctoral student academy. Yang and Proemel signed an agreement of Strategic Partnership on behalf of two universities eventually.
Translated by May Language Studio based upon
http://news.tongji.edu.cn/classid-9-newsid-48519-t-show.html
