TU High Level Delegation’s First Visit to Scandinavia Successfully Concludes

In August, 2010, Professor LIU Jianping, Chairman of TU Administrative Council headed a delegation of Tianjin University to visit Scandinavia, specifically to the key universities and research institutes in Finland, Sweden and Denmark. Professor HAN Jinyu, Dean of the School of Chemical Engineering, Professor CHEN Guanyi, Dean of the School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Professor YANG Fuling, Director of International Cooperation Office joined the visit.

In Finland, the delegation visited Aalto University and VTT Technical Research Center of Finland. Aalto University was newly founded in 2010 by merging Helsinki University of Technology (QS World University Ranking, No. 210), Helsinki School of Economics, and Helsinki University of Art and Design, all of which are top universities in their respective areas. Now in Aalto University, there are 20,000 students and 4,300 faculty members, among whom 3000 are from Helsinki University of Technology, Helsinki School of Economics, and University of Art and Design Helsinki. During the Meeting, Professor Tuula Teeri, President of Aalto University warmly greeted the guests from TU. She mentioned that Tianjin University was the first official university delegation to visit Aalto University. The visit opened a window for Aalto University in seeking international strategic partnership. Chairman LIU Jianping pointed out that the two universities shared many similarities in academic strengths and strategic goals, and were confronted with common challenges. Therefore, the two universities had great potentials of collaboration. The two parties agreed to further the understanding among each other and to seek strategic collaboration opportunities. Vice President Heikki Mannila and Vice President Hannu Serist？ met the delegation and discussed on teaching, scientific research and student exchanges respectively. While in Finland, the delegation also paid a visit to VTT Technical Research Center of Finland. The institute was founded in 1942. With some 2700 staff, it is now the biggest Multidisciplinary applied research institution in Northern Europe. TU delegation was warmly received by the leaders and researchers of the center. The two parties reached common ground on that the two institutions share enormous similarities in research and industry background and hence have broad prospect for collaboration.

In Sweden, the delegation visited Swedish Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Uppsala University, and Lund University. KTH is one of the world renowned institutions in Sweden. With 14,500 students and 2935 faculty and staff, it ranks 174 in the 2009 THE QS World University Ranking. After the introduction of research strength in KTH by Ramon Wyss, Vice President of KTH, Chairman LIU Jianping congratulated him on their achievement, and mentioned that Tianjin New Coastal Area is now under rapid development, which provides opportunities of collaboration for the two universities. The two parties reached agreement on collaboration in the areas of Chemical Engineering, Energy and so on. After the meeting, the delegation visited the Battery and Fuel Cell Laboratory, and Energy and Boiler Laboratory of KTH. In Sweden, The Delegation also visited Uppsala University. Uppsala University is the oldest university in Scandinavia, which was founded in 1477. Uppsala University is the home of many world famous figures, such as Kaerlinnais, who was regarded as the greatest natural scientists in Sweden. TU delegation visited the Ocean Energy and Wave Energy Laboratory and Accelerator Mass Spectrometric Detectio Laboratory of Uppsala University. The research of Ocean Energy Utilization at Uppsala University and the technology of using accelerator to do biology detection impressed the delegation greatly. Lund University was founded in 1666, in which there are some 38,000 students and 560 professors. Professor Marcus Aldén, academician of both the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering, gave an introduction to Lund University and the Combustion Physics Research Institute to the Delegation. Professor Marcus Aldén gave the delegation very deep impression on what he and his colleagues had achieved in their research across disciplines. TU representatives also paid a visit to the Laser Combustion Diagnostics Laboratory. The Combustion Physics Research Institute of Lund University comprises of around 40 scientists and engineers, which is the largest professional team of the area in the globe.

The last stop of the visit was at Aalborg University in Denmark. Aalborg University was founded in 1974. Professor Finn Kjaersdam, President of Aalborg University warmly received the delegation. He delivered an introduction to the Problem Based Learning (PBL) which the university had developed and applied since its foundation. It is impressive for the delegation to learn that the Academic Committee include student representatives to help the university make important decisions. Aalborg university has made significant achievement in wind Energy Research and Engineering Education Reform. Chairman LIU mentioned that Tianjin University was now the leader of Chinese Engineering Education Reform. The experience at Aalborg could be somehow applied to China. The two parties agreed that the two universities had great potential of collaboration in the area of Energy, Environment, Wind Power, Building Energy Conservation and etc. Chairman LIU and President Finn Kjaersdam signed an Agreement on Student Exchange between the two universities, and reached agreement on Education Collaboration on PhD level. The delegation also took a visit to the laboratories on Chemistry, Materials, Environmental Engineering, and Energy Technology at Aalborg.