On October 18, 2024, the High-Quality Development Conference of Sino-German College of Applied Sciences (CDHAW) and Institute of Vocational Education (CDIBB) of Tongji University, themed "Embarking on a New Journey of Digital Empowerment, Reaching New Heights in Sino-German Cooperation," was grandly held at the Yifu Building of the Siping Campus. Deputy Mayor of the City of Shanghai Ms. Xie Dong, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Municipal Government Wang Ping, Director of the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission Zhou Yaming, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Education China (MoE) Ms. Xi Ru, Counselor of the Department of European Affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wang Wei, Deputy Head
of the Department for International Cooperation, Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) Mr. Frithjof A. Maennel, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Shanghai Dr. Norbert Riedel, Chairman of the German University Consortium for International Cooperation Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dieter Leonhard, Secretary General of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Dr. Kai Sicks, Regional Director East Asia, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Mr. Martin Hansen, Chief Representative of the German Chamber of Commerce (AHK) in Greater China Mr. Maximilian Butek, President of Tongji University Prof. Dr. ZHENG Qinghua, Vice President of Tongji University Prof. Dr. LOU Yongqi, former Party Secretary of Donghua University and former Deputy Party Secretary of Tongji University Zhu Shaozhong, and former Vice President of Tongji University Dong Qi attended the event, where the achievements of CDHAW over 20 years and CDIBB over 30 years were recognized, and high expectations were expressed for the future development of both colleges. The event was hosted by Vice President of Tongji University Prof. Dr. LOU Yongqi. During the conference, over 200 representatives from partner universities, enterprises, faculty, students, and alumni extended their best wishes to the colleges.
In her speech, Ms. Xie Dong stated that CDHAW and CDIBB, under the CDH at Tongji University, have made outstanding contributions in the decades of educational practice by leveraging the university’s strengths in engineering disciplines and drawing on the experience of German engineering education. These contributions include innovating the training model for excellent engineers in China and the cultivation model for high-quality vocational educators. She expressed hope that Tongji University and its German partners would work together to optimize a diversified and collaborative talent cultivation model, providing stronger support for the industrial and economic upgrading of Shanghai, the Yangtze River Delta, and the entire country.
Dr. Norbert Riedel stated that Sino-German educational cooperation has a long history, and the joint efforts of China and Germany in promoting the training and practice models for excellent engineers and vocational educators have received great attention and widespread support from both sides. He expressed his gratitude to the many enterprises that have supported the cooperation between the two countries, and emphasized that CDHAW and CDIBB serve as exemplary models in the areas of industry-education integration and school-enterprise cooperation. He hopes that China and Germany will continue to deepen their exchanges and cooperation in various fields in the future, and work together to explore solutions to global challenges.
Ms. Xi Ru remarked that, looking at the history of academic exchanges between higher education institutions in China and Germany, Tongji University is both a pioneer and a guide. CDHAW at Tongji University has become a model for Sino-German cooperative education, jointly advocated and funded by the governments of China and Germany, jointly trained and managed by Chinese and German universities, with the deep participation and support of Sino-German enterprises. The CDIBB has gradually become the "Tongji Model" for vocational education research in China, effectively serving the reform and development of national vocational education and international cooperation.
Mr. Frithjof A. Maennel noted that decades of cooperative practice and achievements have proven the effectiveness and success of Sino-German cooperation in engineering education and vocational education. He particularly praised the two summer camps for German students hosted by the colleges last year and this year.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dieter Leonhard stated that, thanks to the joint efforts of Tongji University, German universities, Chinese and German enterprises, the CDHAW has achieved remarkable educational outcomes. He hopes that more outstanding young talents from both China and Germany will join the college and work together to create an even brighter future.
Dr. Kai Sicks said that CDHAW and CDIBB have become models of Sino-German cooperation, expanding exchanges and cooperation between China and Germany in talent cultivation and scientific research innovation, thus supporting the development of Sino-German industries. The DAAD will continue to work hard to promote mutual understanding between the peoples of China and Germany.
Mr. Martin Hansen remarked that CDHAW and CDIBB have achieved impressive educational results, and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) has greatly benefited from this cooperation. He emphasized that addressing global challenges requires cooperation, and he hopes to further strengthen cooperation between China and Germany in science and technology as well as talent cultivation, with even more to look forward to in the future.
Mr. Maximilian Butek highlighted the importance of strengthening talent exchange between China and Germany, as it enables young people from both countries to learn from each other and make progress together, which is particularly significant in the current context. He expressed hope that continued cooperation between the two sides will yield even more results.
Prof. Dr. ZHENG Qinghua stated that looking back at the past helps in better planning for future development. He expressed the hope that CDHAW and CDIBB will deeply understand the contemporary significance and qualities of excellent engineers and teachers, actively respond to and embrace the transformation brought by digital and artificial intelligence technologies, and continuously improve the quality and content of their education. He also hopes that the colleges will better align with future industrial needs, achieve greater success in serving national and global strategies, and contribute to the various Sino-German cooperative initiatives. Moreover, he emphasized the need for the colleges to align with Shanghai's construction of a science and innovation center and industrial upgrading needs, using international scientific and educational cooperation and innovation to drive industrial innovation, thus creating upgraded versions of the two colleges and continuously leading the field in engineering education and vocational teacher training.
During the keynote speech session, Prof. Dr. Wang Jiping, Dean of CDHAW and Dean of CDIBB, delivered a report on the development of the colleges. He introduced that over the past 20 years, CDHAW has worked closely with more than 30 partner universities in Germany, training over 2,400 Chinese students and nearly 800 German graduates. Graduates from both China and Germany are widely distributed across key industries and important fields in both countries, becoming a significant force in promoting high-quality development and fostering deep exchanges and cooperation between China and Germany. The college has been included in the bilateral strategic documents of the Chinese and German governments six times, and has been hailed as a "lighthouse project" of Sino-German higher education cooperation.
Over the past 30 years, CDIBB has pioneered the training of vocational teachers within high-level universities, and innovatively advocated the concept of integrating the "three characteristics"—vocational, academic, and pedagogical. The college has explored and formed the "Tongji Model," which is widely recognized by the industry. It has trained many innovative, "dual-qualified" excellent vocational education teachers. The college was awarded the qualification of the first "National Key Vocational Teacher Training Base" by the Ministry of Education of China, and was designated as a "Sino-German Vocational Education Cooperation Demonstration Base" jointly established by the Chinese Ministry of Education and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
Following these speeches, accompanied by beautiful music, seven representatives from enterprises and alumni took the stage to share their thoughts. They reflected on their experiences studying at or collaborating with the colleges, expressing their recognition of the colleges’ remarkable achievements over the past years, and wished for their continued success and prosperity in the future. With a surprise birthday celebration where teachers, students, and alumni sent their best wishes, the conference concluded successfully.
