On July 2, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education and Director of the National Commission for UNESCO of China CHEN Jie, Assistant Director-General of UNESCO Education Stefania Giannini, and QIN Changwei, Secretary-General of the National Commission for UNESCO of China visited Tongji University at the accompany of Director of Shanghai Education Commission ZHOU Yaming and Deputy Director YE Linlin. The University Party Secretary FANG Shouen and Vice President LOU Yongqi met the delegation. Representatives from the College of Design and Innovation, the College of Civil Engineering, the UNESCO Asia-Pacific World Heritage Training and Research Center (Shanghai), and the International Office attended the meeting.

Stefania Giannini visits Tongji University

FANG Shouen introduced Tongji University's history, academic development, international outreach, and mission of building a high-quality educational system in the new era. According to him, Tongji University has been committed to building a sustainable smart campus driven by artificial intelligence and made great efforts to promote the upgrading and transformation of traditional disciplines empowered by information technology. Under the guidance of the Ministry of Education, the National Commission for UNESCO of China, and the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, Tongji University is willing to provide intellectual support and play a role in welcoming STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education institutions in Shanghai.

Gianini spoke highly of Tongji University's achievements and its cooperation with United Nations agencies including UNESCO. She said that the development of higher education played a vital role in implementing UNESCO's mission and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in 2030. Tongji University's disciplines and sustainable development education concepts were in line with UNESCO's development vision, and Tongji University's outstanding contributions in the fields of scientific and technological innovation, cultural heritage protection, and international outreach agreed with the construction of STEM education institutions. At present, globalization and the rapid development of technology promote great changes in the educational environment and skill demand, and Tongji University's innovative practice in the development of artificial intelligence empowerment discipline has an enlightening and positive influence.

Pose to mark the event

The two sides also discussed topics such as strengthening cooperation in the field of world heritage protection, co-organizing the "International Conference on Urban Heritage Protection" and the "International Forum on Sustainable Development", and actively promoting Tongji teachers and students to work and practice in United Nations agencies, which received positive responses from UNESCO.

The delegation visits the workshop of the College of Design and Innovation.

Under the guidance of the Ministry of Education and the National Commission for UNESCO of China, Tongji University has had close ties and cooperation with UNESCO. In 2007, UNESCO Asia-Pacific World Heritage Training and Research Center Shanghai Sub-center (WHITRAP-Shanghai) settled in our University and became one of the important international platforms of Tongji. Irina Bokova, former Director-General of UNESCO, is an honorary professor of our University and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Tongji.

Founded in 1945 with its headquarters in Paris, France, UNESCO is committed to promoting international cooperation in the fields of education, science, and culture, so as to build peace together.