The University of Shanghai for Science and Technology hosted the 2025 Shanghai Summer School, which concluded on Sept 18. The theme was "Intelligent Manufacturing from the Perspective of New Quality Productive Forces: Sino-German University Summer Program".

The program welcomed 40 students from Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, and the University of Regensburg, along with faculty and students from USST. Participants explored China's cutting-edge fields in smart manufacturing through academic lectures, corporate visits, and cultural activities.

Academic exchange was one of the highlights. Experts and scholars from both countries delivered lectures on topics including intelligent manufacturing, international relations, and industrial cooperation.

The sessions covered innovative applications of advanced materials, the history and development of Sino-German relations, bilateral cooperation pathways under industrial transformation, and contemporary practices that integrate technology with the arts.

Through interactive workshops, the program also facilitated cross-cultural dialogue and idea-sharing among students, opening new perspectives for innovation, collaboration, and talent cultivation in smart manufacturing.

The corporate visits gave German participants valuable insights into how smart manufacturing is applied in practice in China. They visited several industry-academia-research bases, including FESTO, an automation manufacturing company, Changzhou Vocational Institute of Industrial Technology, and a Sino-German youth innovation and entrepreneurship center in Taicang, Jiangsu province.

These visits gave participants a first-hand look into the efficient implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies in real production settings, especially in frontier fields such as autonomous driving, unmanned aerial vehicles, and small-to-medium-sized engines.

The cultural exploration provided a window into China's traditional heritage and modern appeal. Students also visited iconic landmarks in Shanghai, such as the Shanghai Astronomy Museum, the Shanghai Museum East, the Bund, Yuyuan Garden, Lujiazui, and the Wushu Museum at Shanghai University of Sport, gaining an immersive experience of China's cultural diversity.

Sources: Shanghai Observer, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology