This year marks the 40th anniversary of cooperation between Xi’an University of Technology and Stuttgart Media University in Germany. From June 1 to 6, President Liu Yunhe led a delegation to Germany and Spain for international exchange activities. The delegation visited three overseas universities and engaged in anniversary celebrations, cooperation discussions, agreement signing, and overseas talent exchange activities, achieving substantive outcomes in multiple areas.
The delegation first arrived at Stuttgart Media University in Germany to attend the 40th anniversary event celebrating cooperation between the two universities. Since the establishment of cooperation in 1986, the two institutions have maintained continuous collaboration in joint training, faculty exchanges, and academic research, relying on their respective strengths in printing and packaging as well as digital media. Over four decades, the partnership has developed into a strong and lasting friendship. At the event, President Kühnle of Stuttgart Media University, current and former university administrators, international affairs representatives, project coordinators from both sides, and faculty and student representatives gathered to review the history of cooperation and discuss future development directions.
President Liu Yunhe delivered a keynote report entitled Promoting In-Depth China-Germany Integration of Talent and Technology from a New Starting Point of Forty Years of Cooperation. The report reviewed the four-decade cooperation between the two universities, summarized achievements in talent cultivation and technological collaboration, and traced the evolution of cooperation from traditional printing technology to digital media. In response to the trends of digitalization and intelligent development, the report clarified future directions for cooperation in joint talent cultivation, research innovation, and industry-university-research integration. Several German participants and student representatives shared their experiences and expressed appreciation for the long-term and stable partnership, extending best wishes for continued cooperation.
In his remarks, President Kühnle reviewed the beginning of cooperation between the two universities in 1986 and expressed gratitude for the dedicated efforts of faculty members, students, and administrative staff over the past 40 years. He noted that the partnership had expanded from traditional printing and packaging to cutting-edge fields such as digital media, and emphasized that carrying forward past achievements is intended to open new pathways for exploration. He expressed the hope that both universities would remain committed to their original cooperative aspirations and jointly advance more practical cooperation. During the anniversary event, Liu Yunhe and Kühnle signed a long-term cooperation agreement, upgrading the previous annual cooperation arrangement into a long-term cooperation mechanism and further expanding areas of collaboration. The two sides also held a thematic meeting to promote cooperation to a new level.
The delegation then visited Esslingen University of Applied Sciences, where it was received by President Christof Wolfmaier and the university’s team. Given the strong alignment between the two universities in engineering disciplines such as mechanical engineering, computer science, and automation, the two sides exchanged views on student exchange, credit recognition, and joint research in engineering. Multiple cooperation intentions were reached, creating an overseas exchange and practice platform for students of both universities.
During the visit to Germany, the delegation held an overseas young scholars salon in Munich, attended by more than 50 overseas doctoral graduates and postdoctoral researchers. Liu Yunhe introduced the University’s recent development and talent recruitment policies, and the event featured active interaction. The delegation also held discussions with representatives of the German Alumni Association, listening to alumni opinions and suggestions, strengthening alumni engagement, and establishing smoother channels for regular communication.
After concluding the visit to Germany, the delegation travelled to the University of Alcalá in Spain for exchange activities. The delegation was received by Vice President for Digital Transformation Jesús Ureña, Vice President for Research Javier de la Mata, Vice President for Internationalization Lorena Silos, and other representatives. Based on the disciplinary and research strengths of both institutions, the two sides held in-depth discussions on the joint establishment of a research laboratory, clarified its development direction, and signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the Joint Establishment of the Joint Laboratory for New Energy Power Equipment and Reliability between the University of Alcalá and Xi’an University of Technology. The two universities also reviewed the operation of existing cooperation projects, continued to improve the joint training system for high-level talents, and refined implementation measures for joint education. They signed the General Protocol of Cooperation between the University of Alcalá and Xi’an University of Technology, marking a new stage of multi-field cooperation between the two institutions.
Representatives from the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange, the Undergraduate School, and the School of Printing, Packaging and Digital Media Technology accompanied the delegation during the visit.
Written by: Jiang Xiaolong, Li Ni
Reviewed by: Du Huiping