On May 26, the TUM-TJ Joint Civil Camp kicks off. 29 faculty members and students from TUM started their unique journey of academic and cultural exchange with their counterparts from Tongji University. The camp aims to strengthen the enduring partnership between the two universities.

The TUM-TJ Joint Civil Camp (Technical University of Munich - Tongji University Joint Civil Camp) officially commenced on May 26, bringing together faculty and students from the School of Engineering and Design at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) with their counterparts from the College of Civil Engineering (CCE) and the Guohao Academy at Tongji University.

This five-day camp features construction site visits with opportunities to learn about the technologies of the world's longest suspension bridge— Zhangjinggao Yangtze River Bridge, China's tallest building—Shanghai Tower, and a shield tunnel with a diameter of 15.56 meter built in Caobao Road Expressway in Shanghai. These site experiences will provide faculty and students from both universities with a feast of academic and cultural exchange between China and Germany.

On the evening of May 26,  the open ceremony started with an ice-breaking activity in the lobby of the Civil Engineering Building at Tongji University.

Professor Zhou Ying, Dean of CCE, extended a warm welcome to the TUM delegation. She introduced the developments and prospects of civil engineering at Tongji University in the hope of expanding cooperation with the School of Engineering and Design at TUM in areas such as AI-empowered disciplinary development.

Ms Li Jing, Deputy Director of the Office of International Affairs at Tongji University, reviewed the significant results of the previous Intelligent Construction summer camp conducted with TUM, highlighting the deep friendship established between the two universities. She hoped that this visit would further strengthen collaboration between the two institutes in talent cultivation and scientific research, and wished this exchange activity a success.

Jan Harder, Deputy Dean from the German side of Tongji University's Sino-German College, shared his working experience at Tongji University. He also acknowledged the importance of the Joint Civil Camp and hoped that students would gain valuable experiences from the exchange activities.

Konrad Nübel from TUM expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome ceremony from CCE at Tongji University, looked forward to the camp providing TUM students with unique experiences, and wished the camp a successful event.

Subsequently, faculty and students from both universities gathered for a buffet dinner in the lobby of the Civil Engineering Building. The relaxed atmosphere allowed them to open up and engage in meaningful dialogue.

Additionally, the delegation from TUM visited CCE's STEM center, where Professor Zhou Ying and student representatives shared the college’s research achievements such as visual mechanical models of arch structures, real-time intelligent portrait information processing systems, and robotic arms, among others. The two sides engaged in in-depth discussions on the experimental equipment at the base with enthusiastic participation.

The TUM-TJ Joint Civil Camp marks an important step in continuing the two universities' friendships, which started in 1995 when they signed the first inter-university cooperation agreement. The Intelligent Construction summer camp set up in September 2023 and this TUM-TJ Joint Civil Camp play a vital role in sustaining the friendship.

As Tongji forges her fruitful partnership with TUM and other international institutions, Tongji strives to create a more interconnected and collaborative global academic community.