Zhejiang University hosts 3rd Sino-German Sustainable Development Forum in Berlin

On November 14, Zhejiang University played host to the 3rd Sino-German Sustainable Development Forum in Berlin, Germany. The forum, co-organized by the Marie Curie Alumni Association, convened a galaxy of experts and scholars from 10-plus institutions in China and Germany, including Zhejiang University, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Charité — Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Technische Universität Dresden, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, the German Federal Environment Agency, and the Project Management Agency at the German Aerospace Center. Together, they delved into in-depth discussions encompassing critical themes such as climate change and governance, technology and sustainability, global health and well-being. The objective was to explore effective pathways for Sino-German cooperation in promoting sustainable development.

The opening ceremony featured addresses by HE Lianzhen, Vice President of Zhejiang University, Enno Aufderheide, Secretary-General of the Humboldt Foundation, and Ruth Schimanowski, Head of Cooperation Projects in the Middle East and Africa at the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The ceremony was chaired by LI Min, Director of the Office of Global Engagement.

HE Lianzhen expressed her gratitude for the active participation and generous support of the participants. In her remarks, she cited the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023, released in July, emphasizing that half of the goals are moderately or severely off track, with over 30% exhibiting no progress or even suffering regression. She stressed the need for universities, as a cradle of knowledge production, talent cultivation, and innovation, to intensify the depth and action of research, driving sustainable policies and practices. She shared Zhejiang University’s insights and practices in scientific research, talent cultivation, and global engagement, aspiring to strengthen academic exchanges with German counterparts.

Enno Aufderheide highlighted that building a sustainable future requires top-notch research on topics such as energy transition, global health, and climate crises.He advocated for enhanced mutual learning through personnel exchanges and research collaborations, highlighting the global presence of over 30,000 Humboldt scholars, including 2,000 from China. The foundation remains dedicated to supporting outstanding researchers in global scientific research cooperation, promoting international understanding, and addressing global challenges. He also urged universities to take the initiative in constructing eco-friendly campuses.

Ruth Schimanowski lauded Zhejiang University’s unwavering commitment to international cooperation. She emphasized that issues like climate change and global health are enduring predicaments for humanity. Germany needs to sustain scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation with China, involving diverse stakeholders such as academia and industry. Meanwhile, DAAD will provide scholarships for scholars from both countries, opening up more opportunities for them to delve into research.

The opening ceremony was followed by three academic sessions, where participating scholars exchanged their latest research findings spanning climate governance, technological applications, medical health. Dr. LIU Zhengxuan, Executive Chairman of the China Chapter of the Marie Curie Alumni Association, presided over the symposium, and Dr. Ehsanul Alam, President of the German Chapter of the Marie Curie Alumni Association, delivered the concluding remarks.

The “Climate Change and Governance” Session featured contributions from Prof. TAN Rong and Prof. GU Baojing from Zhejiang University, Prof. Klaus Eisenack from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Prof. Stefan Reis from the Project Management Agency at the German Aerospace Center, and Dr. Markus Geupel, Scientific Advisor to the German Federal Environment Agency. They shared their insights on climate change, biodiversity loss and air pollution, engaging in discussions on governance methods, coping strategies, and policy recommendations. GU Baojing pointed out, “Multiple global crises are interconnected, posing significant challenges to achieving sustainable development goals. The case of nitrogen cycling and its regulation highlights the necessity of strengthening the interaction between science and policy at the governance level.”

The “Technology and Sustainability” Session showcased researchers, such as HAN Dong, Harrison Huang and Luo Xue from Zhejiang University, Anke Hagemann from Technische Universität Berlin, and Klaus Janschek from Technische Universität Dresden. They explored the application of innovative technologies in sustainable development , discussing topics like green building technology for rural areas, low-carbon alternatives to road material, and industrial software for high-end manufacturing. Klaus Janschek pointed out, “Modern digital technologies can lead to waste. As a result, we need to establish efficient, reliable, and safe automated systems to reduce the risk of waste and achieve sustainable development.”

In the “Global Health and Well-being” Session, Prof. LV Zhimin and CHEN Ji from Zhejiang University, Ulf Kahlert, Professor from Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Jalid Sehouli and Pontus Persson from the Charité — Universitätsmedizin Berlin, shared their research on cancer diagnosis and treatment, computational psychiatry, and mental health. Ulf Kahlert remarked, “Support from institutions such as the Sino-German Medical Foundation for the exchange of rising researchers between the two countries fully reflects the vital importance of cultural exchange for jointly creating a sustainable future.”

This marks the inaugural occasion of the Sino-German Sustainable Development Forum being held in Germany. Aligned with A Global ZJU for Social Good (Z4G), the forum actively responds to the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With the tenet of transnational, interdisciplinary, and cross-border collaboration, the forum is committed to creating a bilateral academic dialogue mechanism and a platform for cultural exchange, injecting new momentum into the development of Sino-German scientific research cooperation.