On 26 October, 2024, Mr. Yunjie Zhou, CEO of Haier Group, visited the School of Intelligent Manufacturing Ecosystem (IME) at XJTLU Entrepreneur College (Taicang) at the invitation of the 19th Chinese Academy of Management Conference. This visit marks a new milestone in Syntegrative Education and innovation collaboration between the School of IME and Haier Group, laying a crucial foundation for deepening comprehensive cooperation in the future.
As an industry partner of the School, Haier Group has been actively involved incurriculum development, internship platforms, laboratory construction, and Syntegrative Education projects since the School’s establishment. On 15 October , 2024, the two parties jointly launched the Haipu Industrial Technology and Education Innovation Base, further deepening the research and teaching collaboration model between academia and industry.
Showcasing Achievements
During his visit, Mr. Yunjie Zhou, accompanied by facultyand students of XJTLU Entrepreneur College (Taicang), toured three jointly built laboratories: the Industrial Internet Integrated Laboratory, the Pneumatic and Hydraulic Laboratory, and the Industry 4.0 Smart Manufacturing Flexible Production Line. These labs not only showcase the process of collaborative construction between Haier and the School but also highlight the advanced concept of Syntegrative Education.
On the academic side, the School of IME and Haier Grouphave jointly launched several distinctive undergraduate modules, such as MFE206TC-Customer-Oriented Mass Customization and Manufacturing System Planning, MFE302TC -Intelligent Manufacturing Information System, and MFE304TC - Haier Ren Dan He Yi Management Model. In addition, they have introduced hands-on modules for master's students, such as the MFE403TC - Bespoke Industrial Studio, enabling students to enhance their problem-solving skills by learning from industry cases and practical models within the Syntegrative Education framework.
Student Engagement
During the interaction session, student representatives from the BEng Intelligent Manufacturing Engineering programme showcased two ongoing Syntegrative Education projects: SE001 (Spinnovation – Fidget Spinner Design and Production Line Setup) and SE003 (Printing 3 – 3D Printing Shop Business Project). Yixuan Guo and Zhijie Qian, the project leaders, provided a detailed overview of the projects, from conception to execution, sharing their growth and learning experiences through school-industry collaboration. As a token of appreciation, the students presented Mr. Zhou with a customized product developed by the project teams, symbolizing the further deepening of their collaborative efforts.
Future Outlook
During the visit, the leaders not only reviewed the four years of collaboration between Haier Group and the School of Intelligent Manufacturing Ecosystem but also engaged in in-depth discussions about key areas for future cooperation. The two parties emphasized aligning undergraduate, master, and PhD talent development with Haier's global business strategy, exploring new ways to empower their respective ecosystems through education and research.
This visit marks an important milestone in the collaboration between the School and Haier Group, serving as both a reflection on past achievements and a starting point for deeper innovation and cooperation. Moving forward, the two parties will continue to work hand in hand, upgrading their collaborative model and maximizing the ecological value of industry-academia partnerships.
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