On April 3, a delegation from RWTH Aachen University, Germany, led by Rector Rüdiger and Vice-Rector Habel, visited Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST). HUST President You Zheng met with the delegation, and the two institutions jointly held the “HUST-RWTH Aachen Partnership Day.” HUST Vice President Zhan Yiqing and representatives from relevant faculties also attended the event.

During the plenary session, President You Zheng warmly welcomed the delegation on behalf of HUST. He remarked that RWTH Aachen is HUST’s key strategic partner in Germany, noting the two institutions’ longstanding, robust collaboration across mechanical engineering, optoelectronics, medicine and other disciplines. The jointly established Smart Manufacturing Talent Program will serve as a new model for cultivating engineering leaders. President You hoped that through bilateral pragmatic collaboration, both universities will not only advance Sino-German educational cooperation but also contribute wisdom and solutions to accelerating new industrialization processes in both countries and supporting economic-social development.

Plenary Session & Signing Ceremony

Rector Rüdiger noted this was his first visit to HUST, impressed by how HUST’s forest campus perfectly blends serene beauty with innovative energy. He recalled the two universities’ partnership since 2012, which deepened over the decade and became a strategic alliance in 2022. Sharing RWTH Aachen’s interdisciplinary focus on sustainability, AI, and medical tech, he expressed strong interest in expanding collaboration with HUST.

Representatives from both universities in mechanical engineering, civil engineering, architecture and urban planning, life sciences, clinical medicine, and international offices exchanged ideas on deepening future collaboration.

President You Zheng and Rector Rüdiger signed an MOU to enhance mechanical engineering collaboration and inaugurated the “HUST-RWTH Aachen Joint Center for Engineering Education and Innovation.”

At the Rector’s Talk, Rector Rüdiger delivered a keynote titled “RWTH Aachen University - Global Responsibilities & Sustainable Solutions,” showcasing the university’s interdisciplinary approaches to tackling worldwide challenges.

Touring the Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center

During his visit, Rector Rüdiger toured the Wuhan National High Magnetic Field Center at HUST, commending its world-leading technical achievements. At the National Experimental Teaching and Demonstration Center of Mechanical Engineering, he interacted with faculty and students, expressing hopes for deeper collaboration between both institutions through these platforms.

Touring the National Experimental Teaching and Demonstration Center of Mechanical Engineering

The delegation led by Vice-Rector Habel visited Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College of HUST, exploring collaborative opportunities in neuroscience and biomedical imaging.

Vice-Rector Habel’s team visits Tongji Hospital for collaboration talks

Faculty delegates from RWTH Aachen toured and held working sessions at HUST’s Schools of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Architecture and Urban Planning, and Life Science and Technology to advance partnerships.

RWTH Aachen University, founded in 1870, is one of Germany’s 11 Universities of Excellence and a member of the prestigious TU9 (alliance of nine leading universities of technology in Germany). It established a strategic partnership with HUST in 2022. Over the past decade, the two universities have had more than 100 bilateral student exchanges and academics have jointly published over 200 high-quality papers in mechanical engineering, optoelectronics, and medicine. Current collaborative programs include semester exchanges, a 4+2 combined bachelor’s-master’s degree pathway, and the the joint training program on intelligent manufacturing.

Written and Edited by: Chang Wen, Peng Yumeng