On July 21, Liu Weidong, Vice President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), met with Yassine Lakhnech, President of Université Grenoble Alpes, and his delegation at the Minhang Campus. Chen Cailian, Chinese Dean of SJTU Paris Elite Institute of Technology (SPEIT), and representatives from SJTU’s Office of International Cooperation and Exchange attended the meeting. The two sides exchanged views on expanding areas of cooperation, improving multi-level joint talent development mechanisms, and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration.

Liu Weidong welcomed Yassine Lakhnech and his delegation. He noted that Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Université Grenoble Alpes have built a solid foundation for cooperation, particularly in the field of medicine, where fruitful results have been achieved. He expressed the hope that the two universities would further leverage their respective disciplinary strengths and, while consolidating existing cooperation, explore deeper and more diversified forms of collaboration in areas such as student exchanges, faculty mobility, research internships, and joint degree programs, thereby further enhancing the partnership between the two institutions.

Yassine Lakhnech introduced the development of Université Grenoble Alpes. He stated that the university attaches great importance to its cooperation with Shanghai Jiao Tong University and hopes to take this visit as an opportunity to strengthen exchanges in areas including fundamental sciences, ecology and the environment, and energy. He also expressed the university’s commitment to promoting interdisciplinary integration, exploring multi-level joint talent development programs, and jointly cultivating well-rounded graduates with interdisciplinary backgrounds and an international outlook.

During the meeting, Chen Cailian introduced SPEIT’s distinctive approach to education, talent development, and research. She noted that since its establishment in 2012, SPEIT has actively integrated the strengths of Chinese and French models of excellence in engineering education. The School currently offers three programs: Mechanical Engineering, Information Engineering, and Energy and Power Engineering. It has more than 700 students and over 80 full-time faculty and staff members. Each year, more than 40 faculty members from French partner institutions are invited to teach at SPEIT.

SPEIT continues to promote international and interdisciplinary education. Its research covers a wide range of fields, including artificial intelligence, mechanical dynamics, functional materials, advanced manufacturing, nuclear technology, energy conversion, and carbon management. The School has also established research platforms in areas such as the Industrial Internet, intelligent robotics, and clean energy.

In view of the two institutions’ respective disciplinary strengths and talent development needs, Chen Cailian proposed three areas for future cooperation.

First, she proposed expanding student exchanges in disciplines including Mechanical Engineering, Information Engineering, and Energy and Power Engineering, providing students from both universities with more opportunities for intercultural and interdisciplinary learning.

Second, she proposed establishing two-way research internship programs by drawing on the laboratories and partner companies of both institutions, with the aim of promoting deeper integration between academic research and industrial practice. SPEIT has already established partnerships with more than 40 companies, providing strong support for collaborative projects involving education, research, and industry.

Third, she proposed strengthening cooperation on summer schools. Students from Université Grenoble Alpes are welcome to participate in specialized courses and cultural exchange programs offered by SPEIT. At the same time, SPEIT students are encouraged to study at Université Grenoble Alpes, where they can take French language courses and participate in other relevant academic programs.

Both sides agreed to further strengthen communication and coordination, refine and implement the proposed areas of cooperation, and provide faculty members and students from both universities with more diverse platforms for exchange and collaboration.

Université Grenoble Alpes is a French public multidisciplinary research university and one of the institutions selected under France’s Initiative of Excellence (IdEx). It has strong teaching and research capabilities in fundamental sciences, engineering science and technology, medicine, the environment, and energy.