After China successfully controlled the epidemic within its borders, the government and people are always willing to provide useful experience for global response to COVID-19 and boost joint cooperation in fighting against the virus.

Tianjin University’s School of Microelectronics has been keeping in close touch with Belgium's KU Leuven (the Catholic University of Leuven) with whom the school has established collaborative relationship and offer joint cultivation programs to students.

Out of concern for the safety of its overseas students participating the joint projects at KU Leuven, the school contacted these students as soon as possible to ask about their physical and mental status, learnt about their troubles and then reported to the university. Under joint efforts, eight students returned to China, and one student chose to stay in Belgium to study. A heath record was set up for each returned student to monitor their health status and close attention was paid to the remaining student in Belgium by both sides.

The School of Microelectronics also donated five temperature guns to KU Leuven and expressed great concerns for the well-being of its students and staff. On April 21, the School received a letter of thanks from KU Leuven. The letter wrote "A friend in need is a friend indeed! We will never forget your great gesture!" In the letter, KU Leuven highly praised the good deeds of the School of Microelectronics, and proposed that the two sides would further strengthen cooperation and exchanges in the future.

Founded in 1425, KU Leuven is Belgium’s most prestigious institution of higher learning and a world-renowned top research university. It has topped the list of "Europe’s most innovative university" for three years in a row and has the world’s first class microelectronics research. Tianjin University started a “2+2” joint-cultivation project with KU Leuven in 2012. In the past four years, 12 students from the school have studied at KU Leuven.

By the School of Microelectronics

Editor: Eva Yin