Hosted at the Tongji SEM German-Sino Center（TJGSC） in Berlin on July 8, the 3rd Tongji Day and 2026 Tongji-German Symposium gathered elite scholars and industry leaders from China and Germany under the theme Deciphering China Speed – A Sino-European Dialogue, to explore new opportunities for cross-border partnership and sustainable development.

Opening remarks from Chinese and German representatives reached broad consensus on educational, scientific and industrial collaboration. Prof. Qian SHI, the Chairman of School Council of Tongji SEM, noted Tongji’s century-long partnership with Germany, which stands as a core pillar of the university’s international strategy. Since its launch in 2024, the German-Sino Center has evolved into a comprehensive overseas hub integrating teaching, recruitment, talent attraction and industry-research translation, embodying Tongji’s upgraded China-Germany Cooperation 2.0 initiative. Dr. FAN Zhanfeng, Deputy General Manager of XJ Electric, highlighted the joint Tongji-XJ International Innovation Center for Sustainable Energy Management, a platform focused on low-carbon transition. Representatives from Technische Universität Berlin and Tongji’s German Studies Center also voiced support for deeper academic exchanges and joint talent training.

A landmark highlight of the event was the official inauguration of Tongji University’s Berlin Overseas Field Research Station, which delivers on-site support for fieldwork and academic exchanges and expands the university’s European research network.

The forum featured keynote speeches and an expert panel discussion. Prof. Sarah EATON from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Ms. Linda STANNIEDER, Chief Design Officer R&D of Huawei, and Mr. Kai XUE, Vice President Europe of Inceptio Technology, shared insights from academic, industrial design and tech implementation perspectives. The subsequent panel delved into integrating China’s growth momentum with European governance frameworks, cross-border industrial deployment and actionable China-Germany cooperation models.

A series of parallel events ran alongside the main symposium to amplify the center’s multi-platform value. The College of Electronic and Information Engineering held a Berlin talent forum to introduce academic strengths and recruitment policies to overseas young researchers. The Tongji German Alumni Club event offered networking and resource-sharing opportunities for local alumni. Additionally, the German-Sino Center co-hosted a Sino-German Expert Forum on Sustainable Energy Systems with XJ Electric, bringing together experts from VDE, Fraunhofer IEE, Siemens Energy, State Grid and other leading bodies to advance dialogue on energy transition and boost Tongji’s global profile in supporting China’s dual carbon goals.

Founded in November 2024, the German-Sino Center of Tongji SEM will continue to deepen practical cooperation with European universities and enterprises centered on digital intelligence, green development and interdisciplinary integration. It aims to build a benchmark platform for China-Germany management exchange and contribute to China-Europe coordinated growth.