On the afternoon of February 5, Shaoxing Municipal Government in Zhejiang Province and Tianjin University signed an agreement to jointly buildan international institute of innovative design and intelligent manufacturing in Shaoxing. Jin Donghan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of TJU, and Ma Weiguang, Secretary of the Shaoxing Municipal Party Committee were present and addressed the meeting. Gu Peihua, an academician of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, Sheng Yuechun, Lu Wei, Wang Qinying, Jin Hui, Gu Tao, Shao Quanmao and other staff from Shaoxing Municipal Government also attended the meeting.

The signing ceremony

Jin Donghan delivers a speech at the meeting.

Ma Weiguang talks on behalf of Shaoxing Municipal Government.

Under the agreement,the would-be international institute of innovative design and intelligent manufacturing will serve as Tianjin University’s international research center in Shaoxing and locate in the Yangjing Lake high-tech Park of Paojiang District. After its establishment, the institute will strive to become a benchmark for jointly building international research institutions by "double first-class" universities outside the Zhejiang Province and local governments, a demonstration area for the development and industrialization of innovative designs and intelligent manufacturing, a major platform for innovative design and intelligent manufacturing services, a talent pool of highly skilled professionals, and an accelerator to promote regional industrial development and entrepreneurship. Besides, the institute will launch experimental parks that meet the needs to industrialize and promote research findings, thus boosting the local economy.

The institute adopts an open mode of schooling. With Tianjin University as the research backbone, it will bring in talents from universities in Zhejiang Province, scientific research institutions, as well as relevant enterprises. In doing so, the institution explores a win-win running mechanism that is market-oriented and advocates multiple participation. In addition, the institution will be an important platform for talent training and a vital field of national innovative design and intelligent manufacturing.

By Wu Mengqi

Editor: Eva Yin