On November 7, 2025, the Intelligent Metallurgy and Advanced Materials Sub-venue of the 2025 International Industry-University-Research-Application Cooperation Conference was held in Changsha, Hunan Province. Hosted by the Center for School Planning, Construction and Development of the Ministry of Education, undertaken by the Hunan Provincial Department of Education and Central South University, and co-organized by the National Graduate College for Elite Engineers of Central South University, the School of Metallurgy and Environment and other units, the conference aims to promote the in-depth integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation, and promote the integrated development of education, science and technology and talents. More than 200 representatives from 39 well-known universities, scientific research institutes and enterprises around the world attended the conference, including Professor Tao Jiang, Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Central South University, Professor Zhongwei Zhao, Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Dean of the National Graduate College for Elite Engineers of Central South University, Mr. Dwi Larso, Director of the Scholarship Department of the Indonesia Education Endowment Fund, Mr. Kun Zhang, Deputy General Manager of GEM Co., Ltd., Mr. Zhang Wang, Dean of the Hydrogen Energy Research Institute of Sany Group Co., Ltd., Mr. Lothar Rukes, Senior Engineer of BASF Shanshan Battery Materials Co., Ltd., Professor Jae Hyun Kim from Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea, Mr. Pengyun Xu, Deputy General Manager of GEM Co., Ltd., Professor Qihou Li, Director of the Department of Scientific Research of Central South University, Cheng Peng, Deputy Director of the Office of Development Planning and Discipline Construction, Yuxiang Liu from the Office of International Exchange and Cooperation, and Teacher Sayi Peng from the School of International Education. The opening ceremony of the conference was presided over by Xiaobo Min, Dean of the School of Metallurgy and Environment.
At the opening ceremony, Dwi Larso delivered a speech themed "Exploration and Practice of Transnational Joint Talent Training", sharing the successful experience of China and Indonesia in promoting talent training through multi-party collaboration among governments, universities and enterprises, providing useful reference for international talent training.
Academician Zhongwei Zhao delivered a keynote speech at the conference around the theme of "Deepening University-Enterprise Collaboration and Cultivating Elite Engineers with 'Central South Characteristics'". He detailed the "Three Chains and Three Integrations" university-enterprise collaborative education practice of the National Graduate College for Elite Engineers of Central South University, focusing on the college's efforts to deepen the industry-education integration talent training model and build new advantages in elite engineer training.
In his speech at the conference, Deputy General Manager Kun Zhang said that the global technological revolution is driving the transformation of the metallurgical and materials industry towards data intelligence-driven development. It is necessary to build an international innovation ecosystem of in-depth integration of "industry, university, research and application" to meet the complex challenges in the field of intelligent metallurgy and advanced materials, and cross the "last mile" from the laboratory to industrialization.
Conference Reports: Focus on Innovative Practices and Cutting-Edge Achievements in the Field of Energy and Materials
Academician Tao Jiang systematically explained the development path of hydrogen metallurgy in China, pointing out the direction for the green and low-carbon transformation of the iron and steel industry. Lothar Rukes, R&D Manager of BASF Shanshan Battery Materials Co., Ltd., in-depth analyzed the closed-loop production system of battery materials and shared the enterprise's practical achievements in the coordinated development of circular economy and new energy materials. Professor Jae Hyun Kim from Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology in South Korea introduced the latest progress in the research of solid-state battery electrolytes, which effectively improved the safety performance and energy density of batteries through the design of composite polymer electrolytes. Zhang Wang, Dean of the Hydrogen Energy Research Institute of Sany Group Co., Ltd., combined with the overseas practice under the "Belt and Road" Initiative, shared the company's breakthroughs and experiences in international talent training and hydrogen energy equipment technology. The entire report was rich in content, showing the in-depth exploration and innovative strength of all parties in industry, university and research in the field of energy and materials. The conference report was presided over by Professor Qihou Li, Director of the Department of Scientific Research of Central South University.
The International Industry-University-Research-Application Cooperation Conference set up four parallel forums: "Frontier Interdisciplinary and Emerging Applications of Metallurgy", "Metallurgical Digitalization and Green Transformation", "Metallurgical Environment and Sustainable Resource Development" and "New Energy Materials and Intelligent Preparation Technology". More than 30 experts and scholars from home and abroad from countries such as China, the United States, Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, Japan and South Korea were invited to give 32 wonderful invited reports.
Forum 1: Frontier Interdisciplinary and Emerging Applications of Metallurgy
Focusing on green energy, circular economy and intelligent technology, eight well-known scholars from 5 countries in-depth discussed the in-depth integration of the metallurgical discipline with cutting-edge science and technology. The entire report was forward-looking with enthusiastic discussions, comprehensively showing the innovative practices of global metallurgical research forces in promoting green manufacturing, intelligent upgrading and efficient resource recycling, and injecting new momentum into industrial transformation and technological innovation.
Forum 2: Metallurgical Digitalization and Green Transformation
This forum focused on the green and low-carbon transformation and intelligent path of the metallurgical industry. Eight well-known scholars and industrial experts from China, South Korea, Japan and Australia shared cutting-edge achievements around topics such as hydrogen metallurgy, cross-industry collaboration, pollution prevention and control, and new material R&D, providing diverse ideas and technical support for the global metallurgical industry to achieve low-carbon and sustainable development.
Forum 3: Metallurgical Environment and Sustainable Resource Development
This forum conducted in-depth exchanges around green metallurgical processes, efficient resource utilization and advanced materials science, presenting a high-level academic event. The report content was both extensive and in-depth, fully reflecting the latest progress of the international academic community in promoting the green transformation of the metallurgical industry and resource recycling, and providing important technical references and cooperation opportunities for the sustainable development of this field.
Forum 4: New Energy Materials and Intelligent Preparation Technology
This forum focused on cutting-edge topics such as mineral resource development, material preparation technology, resource recycling and advanced battery systems, with a strong on-site exchange atmosphere. The topics covered from the efficient development of upstream mineral resources to the systematic innovation of downstream new materials and intelligent preparation technologies. Through multiple international perspectives and solid scientific research achievements, it built a high-quality platform for scientific and technological cooperation and innovative development in the field of new energy materials, and contributed important wisdom to addressing global energy challenges and promoting a green future.
Guided by the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, this conference systematically presented the cutting-edge explorations and practical achievements in the global metallurgical and materials field in the direction of green transformation, digital innovation and sustainable development. By actively integrating into the high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road" Initiative, the conference strived to promote original innovation and key core technology research, promote the in-depth integration of the industrial chain and the innovation chain, further strengthened the global collaborative linkage mechanism of industry, university, research and application, and gathered international wisdom and laid a solid academic foundation and cooperation foundation for building a green, low-carbon and sustainable industrial future.