To promote scientific and technological innovation in navigation and shipping industry, and to advance the deep integration of industry, academia, and research, a delegation from the China Institute of Navigation (CIN), led by Liu Shun, Secretary-General, together with Yue Peng, Deputy Secretary-General, and Xu Jing, Director of the Science and Technology Service Department, visited Tsinghua University on May 18, 2026. The delegation was received by Zheng Li, Vice Chairman of the Tsinghua University Affairs Committee and Dean of the Tsinghua–COSCO Green and Intelligent Supply Chain Joint Research Institute; He Fang, Deputy Director of the Department of Industrial Engineering and Executive Deputy Dean of the Joint Research Institute; Associate Professors Xie Xiaolei and Bai Qianwen; and Zhang Yu, Secretary-General of the Department's Science and Technology Achievement Transformation Committee. Zheng Li extended a warm welcome to the CIN delegation, and the two sides held in-depth discussions on shipping technology innovation, talent cultivation, and industry-academia-research collaboration, jointly exploring pathways for future cooperation.
At the symposium, Secretary-General Liu Shun gave a systematic overview of CIN's history, organizational structure, and key initiatives. He noted that as a leading academic organization in China's maritime science and technology sector, CIN has long been committed to technological innovation, talent development, scientific achievement evaluation, academic exchanges, and think-tank building, with significant industry influence. Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period, which will see the shipping industry advance toward greater greening, digitalization, and intelligentization, Liu shared CIN's practical experience and strategic thinking in driving shipping technology innovation and promoting industrial synergy. He expressed CIN's strong desire to deepen cooperation with universities and jointly cultivate innovative maritime talent.
He Fang, Deputy Director of the Department of Industrial Engineering, introduced the Department's recent achievements in education, scientific research, and industry-academia-research collaboration, with a special focus on the progress of the Green and Intelligent Supply Chain Joint Research Institute. He noted that through this platform, the Department and COSCO Group have jointly tackled key challenges in supply chain restructuring, shipping network optimization, intelligent decision-making, and green, low-carbon development, with multiple research outcomes already being applied in real-world business scenarios and delivering notable results.
During the exchange, the CIN delegation spoke highly of the Department of Industrial Engineering and the Joint Research Institute for their pioneering research and practical contributions in the shipping sector. Both sides agreed to strengthen communication and collaboration, leveraging CIN's industry platform advantages alongside Tsinghua's scientific research and talent strengths to deepen cooperation in shipping technology innovation, high-end talent cultivation, and industry think-tank development. They also held substantive discussions on jointly organizing academic forums and industry competitions, accelerating the commercialization of scientific achievements, and establishing industry-academia-research cooperation mechanisms, reaching broad consensus on these matters.
The CIN delegation also toured the Department of Industrial Engineering's cultural exhibition space, gaining a detailed understanding of the Department's history, disciplinary development, and talent cultivation system. This visit has effectively enhanced mutual trust and understanding between CIN and Tsinghua University's Department of Industrial Engineering, establishing a vital bridge for university-association collaborative innovation. It has laid a solid foundation for the continued deepening of industry-academia-research integration, the advancement of high-quality development in the shipping industry, and the service of China's maritime power ambitions.
