A few days ago, Shanghai government awarded foreign friends “Magnolia Honorary Award” of 2008, and Klaus Toepfer, honorary professor of Tongji University, was included.

Professor Toepfer, ex-Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and ex-Executive Director of the UN Environment Program (UNEP), was one of the initiators of Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development (IESD) co-founded by Tongji University and UNEP and also the top professor of IESD. In the past few years he gave much attention and thought to promote the improvement of the internationalization level of the scientific research and education of sustainable development in Tongji University.