On April 24, the 12th Annual Meeting of the Joint Conference on Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education was held in Xi’an, Shaanxi. Chen Cailian, Chinese Dean of SJTU Paris Elite Institute of Technology, was invited to attend and delivered a keynote speech titled “Integrating Digital and Intelligent Technologies, Fostering University-Industry Collaboration, and Jointly Cultivating Outstanding Engineers.” In her presentation, she systematically shared innovative practices and cutting-edge insights regarding AI-enabled education, in-depth Sino-French cooperation, and industry-education collaboration in talent development in the context of digital transformation.
Organized by the Joint Conference on Sino-Foreign Cooperative Education and co-hosted by Northwestern Polytechnical University and Xi’an Jiaotong University, this annual conference is a major, high-level, and widely influential event in the field of Sino-foreign cooperative education nationwide. The conference focused on enhancing the quality and efficiency of Sino-foreign cooperative education and fostering innovative development in the new era. It brought together representatives from over 100 universities nationwide, as well as leaders of Sino-foreign cooperative education institutions and programs, industry enterprises, and experts and scholars. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions and shared experiences on core topics such as international talent cultivation, innovation in industry-education integration, digital and intelligent educational transformation, and engineering education reform, thereby establishing a vital platform for promoting the high-quality development of Sino-foreign cooperative education in China.
In the report, Chen Cailian pointed out that artificial intelligence is profoundly reshaping the landscape of higher education. In this new era, engineering education has shifted from “knowledge transfer” to “competency development,” with enterprises serving as the college’s “co-educators.” In recent years, through in-depth industry-academia collaboration, SPEIT has established a full-chain talent development mechanism encompassing “joint curriculum design, collaborative teaching, coordinated practical training, and continuous improvement.” This approach transforms real-world industrial challenges into teaching projects, enabling students to achieve a closed-loop of competency development while solving complex engineering problems. The report showcased three landmark case studies: the construction of intelligent systems for new energy vehicles, the design of lightweight vibration-damping structures based on AI and materials science, and the “Project Capsule” model developed through joint innovation with China National Nuclear Corporation. Looking to the future, Chen Cailian proposed three key development directions: shifting from “linear training” to “spiral growth,” upgrading from “university-industry collaboration” to “industry-education integration communities,” and evolving from “AI-assisted tools” to “intelligent education hubs.” These initiatives aim to continuously build a new paradigm for cultivating the next generation of outstanding engineers, ensuring that international engineering education is rooted in industry and serves national strategic goals.
The report closely addressed the hot topic of reform driven by digital transformation, proposing new ideas and approaches that organically integrate “industrial digitization” with “educational digitization.” It received high praise and an enthusiastic response from attendees, university representatives, and industry experts. It was widely acknowledged that SPEIT’s educational model, its approach to industry-education integration, and its AI-empowered educational practices are characterized by advanced concepts, strong practicality, and a prominent exemplary effect, providing valuable practical experience for Sino-foreign cooperative education institutions nationwide, particularly those offering engineering programs.
2026
SPEIT
Through this annual conference, SPEIT showcased the achievements and distinctive strengths of its 14-year history, further enhancing its visibility and influence in the field of Sino-foreign cooperative education nationwide. The event yielded fruitful outcomes, allowing SPEIT to learn from the advanced experiences of other institutions while further clarifying the development direction and mission of Sino-foreign cooperative education.
Looking ahead, SPEIT will take this conference as a new starting point. By leveraging this national platform, SPEIT will continue to expand exchanges, deepen cooperation, share best practices, and demonstrate its commitment. SPEIT will make greater contributions to promoting the high-quality development of Sino-foreign cooperative education in China and supporting the nation’s efforts to become a leading power in education and manufacturing.
