In the afternoon of December 10th, the unveiling ceremony of Tongji University’s “China-Europe Global Competence Training Center for High-caliber Engineering Talents” and the seminar of “Global Competence Building for Young Talents” were held simultaneously in Yifu Building of Tongji University and online. Gu Xianglin, vice president of Tongji University and vice chairman of Shanghai Association for Science and Technology, Qin Deji, secretary of the Party Committee, chairman and editor-in-chief of Science and Technology of China Press, Zhang Ning, chairman of International Competence Development Committee, Adrienn Simon, former vice president of Hungary-China Friendship Association and chief Hungarian-Chinese interpreter of Hungarian government, Wei Wei, director of Hungary China-European Chamber of Commerce Technology Transfer Center, and Silvia Scaramuzzi, dean of Confucius Institute of Florence University, Italy, attended and delivered speeches. Gu Xianglin, Feng Shijin, Minister of Scientific Research Management Department of Tongji University and Wu Yun, Dean of School of Foreign Languages, unveiled the center. Leaders of Foreign Affairs Office, Research Management Department, Liberal Arts Department, Undergraduate College, Graduate College, Students Affairs Office, German Studies Center, Francophonie Studies Center and other departments and research institutions of Tongji University, as well as teachers and students from School of Foreign Languages attended the seminar.

Gu Xianglin pointed out that Tongji University was born out of the interaction of Chinese and western cultures. It was founded in 1907 withthe tradition of “international cooperation”, and since then it has always been an important window for education and talent exchanges between China and Europe. Today, under the background of economic globalization, cultural diversity, global coexistence and competition, and cooperation and development, Tongji has participated in the wave of globalization in multi-dimensions. It has urgent needs to improve the global competence for young talents. By building the “China-Europe Global Competence Training Center for High-caliber Engineering Talents”, Tongji University will further expand and deepen its cooperation with partners in European countries such as Germany, France, Italy, Hungary, etc., to explore the global competence training system for innovative scientific and technological talents, and provide learning condition, practical opportunities and growth channels for international scientific and technological talents.

Wu Yun remarked that this center was supported by “the Belt and Road Initiative” construction project of international scientific and technological organization cooperation platform of China Association for Science and Technology. Based on Tongji University’s long-term communication with Germany and Europe as well as the existing cooperation framework, the center will explore the global competence training system to cultivate innovative science and technology talents for key industries in BRI and talents in international organizations, which can help China to integrate into the global innovation network and improve its ability and status in the international science and technology governance system. Wu Yun said that as an important site to enhance Tongji University’s internationalization level, the center is aimed at promoting international scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation in multi-level and multi-dimension to provide one-stop international exchange and talent training services, cultivate “cultural soft power” of talents in key scientific and technological fields, and help talents overcome“difficult points” and “pain points” in international exchanges.

At the subsequent seminar, the participating experts, teachers and students had a heated discussion on the theme of developing global competence for young talents. Ma Teng, vice chairman of Tongji University Student Association for Science and Technology and doctoral student of the School of Civil Engineering, read out “Initiative to Enhance the Global Competence of Chinese Young Engineering Talents in the New Era” on behalf of the Student Association for Science and Technology, and called on the students to enhance their international vision and global competence and grow into young talents in the new era who can tell “Chinese story” to the world and participate in the development and cooperation in specific industries.