On May 21, Tsinghua University established its first university-city cooperation research institute, Tsinghua-Foshan Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute and held the unveiling ceremony. It means that the top university in China will boost Foshans deep implementation of innovation-driven development strategies.

School of Enviornment, Tsinghua University

The Research Institute was jointly established by Foshan Municipal Government and Tsinghua University. The both sides would focus on the cooperation in the areas of smart equipment, smart manufacturing, machinery and equipment, new materials and energy saving and environmental protection. As a university-city innovation platform, the Institute would serve the the development goals of Tsinghua University and Foshan, drive the effective transformation of the scientific and technological achievements of Tsinghua University and fully support Tsinghua University to construct “Double First-Class” institute and promote the continuous deepening of the university-city cooperation. Moreover, it would enhance the innovation ability in Foshan and promote the construction of Foshan into a national manufacturing innovation center facing the world.

It has been a long time for the cooperation between Foshan and Tsinghua University. Last year, both parties jointly organized the activity named "Foshan Enterprises Entering Tsinghua". Later, experts and professors from Tsinghua University also visited Foshan to give technological suggestions to Foshan companies. At the end of last year, both sides reached an agreement on establishment of the Foshan Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute in Tsinghua University.The unveiling of the Institute also marks that Foshan is the first city in China to establish a research institute at Tsinghua University.

Zhu Wei, Mayor of Foshan, stated that Foshan has always been attaching great importance to the cooperation with Tsinghua University. The cooperation between the two parties has a long history with already 23 projects in cooperation now. The signing of the agreement to establish the Institute will push the cooperation between Tsinghua University and Foshan to a new height. It is hoped that through this platform, the cooperation between Foshan enterprises and Tsinghua University will be normalized and institutionalized. Moreover, the scientific research achievements of Tsinghua University will be promoted to combine with the needs of Foshan industry in order to help transform and upgrade the manufacturing industry in Foshan and improve the innovation capability of Foshan enterprises, achieving a win-win situation for both parties.

You Zheng, vice president at Tsinghua University and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that Foshan is a national advanced manufacturing base as well as the commerce center and comprehensive transportation hub on the west coast of the Pearl River Delta, leading the economic development in Guangdong province. Tsinghua University stays at a new stage of development in order to become a world-class university. In the future, by relying on the Research Institute, two parties will jointly build innovation carriers, promote cooperation between industry, university and research institute, strengthen personnel training and exchanges, and carry out deeper cooperation. Through the positive interaction between “demand drive” and “technical promotion”, the Institute would make a contribution to the economy and society development of Foshan, Guangdong and the nation in multidimension and multiform, multichannel.

(Gary)