On March 25, the students and faculty from the China-EU Institute for Clean and Renewable Energy (ICARE) had an online academic seminar with the Department of Industrial Engineering (DIE) of Università di Padova. HUST Vice President Zhang Yonghui attended the opening ceremony.

Zhang Yonghui noted that against the backdrop of climate change, both China and Italy are striving to build a clean energy future and preserve Earth’s ecology, having respectively set strategic goals to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 and 2050. He emphasized that as one of China’s top universities, HUST actively responds to the global energy transition, promotes clean energy technologies, and attaches great importance to international cooperation. He expressed hope that this seminar would serve as a platform for both sides to exchange advanced insights and share cutting-edge technologies, thereby contributing more wisdom to green development.

Massimiliano Zattin, Vice President of Università di Padova, expressed his honor at gathering with outstanding faculty and students from both Chinese and Italian universities. He hoped that through sharing and discussion, sparks of new ideas would emerge. He introduced Università di Padova and the DIE, calling for enhanced mutual learning, stronger cultural exchanges, and joint contributions to global development. He looked forward to the two sides taking this opportunity to facilitate research exchanges and cooperation, thereby laying a solid foundation for future collaboration.

Nineteen researchers from both sides presented and exchanged ideas centered around two topics: (1) Hydrogen and Energy Storage, Thermoelectricity, and Thermochemical Conversion; and (2) Energy Efficiency, Renewable Sources, and Bioprocesses.

The Chinese and the European Deans of ICARE and the Dean of DIE at Università di Padova delivered concluding speeches.

The ICARE at HUST and the DIE at Università di Padova signed a memorandum of understanding in December 2024, aiming to promote two-way faculty and student exchanges between the two sides. They are actively exploring joint talent cultivation programs to further advance comprehensive cooperation. In July 2025, ICARE will welcome some students from the DIE at Università di Padova to participate in the two-week global summer school, namely the “Global Clean and Renewable Energy Experience Camp at HUST”.

Written by: Gu Yuxiao

Edited by: Zhan Xinrui, Chang Wen, Peng Yumeng