On January 10th, the Kick-off-Conference of Sino-German Research and Innovation Cooperation Program “Clean Water” was held at the Sino-German College of Tongji University. This program belongs to the first Sino-German government consultation, and Tongji University is the technical leading institution of the Chinese side.

Among a mount of distinguished guests from ministries, embassies and universities of both countries, Prof. Dr. Wan Gang, Vice Chairman of CPPCC and Chinese Minister of Science and Technology (MoST), Dr. Annette Schavan, Federal Minister of Education and Research (BMBF) attended the conference. During the ceremony which was hosted by Prof. Dr. Zhou Zuyi, Chairman of the University Council of Tongji University, Minister Wan Gang and Minister Schavan both gave a speech and emphasize the importance of the Clean Water Program for the future existence of human being. Especially the speech of Minister Schavan under the title of “future project earth – responsibility in a global world in the 21st century” aroused enthusiastic response among the students. Moreover, two memoranda within the frame of the cooperation program were signed. One was about establishing a semi-central demonstration plant in Qingdao, which was signed by People’s Government of Qingdao, Tongji University and Technical University of Darmstadt. The other was about establishing a Graduate School “Clean Water China” between Tongji University and Technical University of Darmstadt.

The Sino-German Research and Innovation Cooperation Program “Clean Water” is an important part of the Sino-German joint communiqué of the first Sino-German intergovernmental consultation in Berlin on June 28th 2011. During the consultation, MoST and BMBF signed joint declaration on a Sino-German Research and Innovation program “Clean Water” with the witness of both prime ministers. According to the joint declaration, Tongji University and Technical University of Darmstadt are the leading institutions of Chinese and German Universities.