Tongji University made a new step in exchanges and cooperation with the United States. On the morning of May 31, the First Tongji-Berkeley Alliance Conference officially opened on Siping Campus. The meeting which lasted for three days marks the official start of the alliance between the two universities and Tongji University’s breakthrough in cooperation and exchange with the United States.

Professor Li Yongsheng, Executive Vice President of Tongji University and prof. Ronald Gronsky, Special Faculty Assistant to the Chancellor for international relations, UC Berkeley delivered welcome speeches at the conference. Vice President Wu Jiang, Assistant President Wu Zhiqiang delivered speeches on urban planning and sustainable cities.

With their focus on the theme of Cooperation and Innovation, more than 20 professors in earthquake, structure, material, environment and transportation engineers from Berkeley and Tongji Universities gathered to explore cooperation in teaching, research and student exchanges.

Those who spoke at the conference include the directors of the International Cooperation and Exchange Office and Science and Technology Department, deans and professors of Colleges of Civil Engineering, Environmental Science and Engineering, Traffic and Transportation Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Automobile Engineering.

On June 1, the Berkeley delegation visited Jiading Campus and met relevant professors and student representatives of Tongji University. The conference concluded on June 2.

Given the similarity in disciplines of the two universities, Tongji University, as a member of the 10+10 Scientific Research Alliance of China-California Universities, decides to fully cooperate with UC Berkeley by integrating relevant discipline resources with a view to further improving the university’s overall academic level and influence on the world.

Early this year, a delegation consisting of personnel from the university’s Science and Technology Department, International Cooperation and Exchange Office, Graduate School, College of Civil Engineering paid a visit to UC Berkeley and talked with the leaders of the university and the deans of Colleges of Engineering, Civil and Environment Engineering and the director of American Pacific Earthquake Engineering Center. As a result, the two sides agreed on establishing Tongji-Berkeley Alliance.

During the Berkeley delegation’s visit to Tongji University, the professors of the two universities had further discussion on specific cooperation programs. In October, a Tongji University’s delegation will visit UC Berkeley again to accelerate all-round cooperation between the two universities.