On April 30, 2025, international students, accompanied by Professor Linning Cai and Visiting Professor Kaiwei Li, participated in a full-day Tianjin Immersion Class focused on industrial innovation and technological transformation. The curated itinerary featured five leading institutions, spanning smart manufacturing, infrastructure, and innovation ecosystems. Special thanks to TusHoldings for supporting the arrangements.

Tianjin Immersion Class begins — energy high for a day of tech, learning, and discovery

The journey began at the Tiankai Higher Education Innovation Park (short as Tiankai Park) Exhibition Hall, a collaborative platform uniting top universities, enterprises, and research institutes. As a launchpad for university-led entrepreneurship, the park offers co-working spaces, mentorship, and early-stage funding. Participants explored how it fosters innovation-driven education and the real-world impact of academic research. Adding depth to the experience was a lively discussion session with local leaders, where participants exchanged views on how Tianjin cultivates talent and builds its innovation ecosystem. The leaders warmly invited international students to return in the future—to collaborate, innovate, and even launch their own ventures at Tiankai Park.

Tsinghua IE Immersion Class dives into innovation and entrepreneurship at Tiankai Park

The next stop was the China Tower (Tianjin) Science and Technology Innovation Center, a subsidiary of China Tower Corporation — one of the world’s largest telecommunications infrastructure providers. The center featured advanced demonstrations of AI-powered tower management, 5G deployment, and eco-friendly smart city solutions.

The group then visited Tianjin Hualai Technology Co., Ltd., a pioneer in rugged smart devices and IoT solutions, where innovations such as industrial tablets and AI-enabled inspection tools are being applied across logistics, healthcare, and public safety sectors.

Exploring AI, 5G, and IoT innovations at China Tower and Hualai Technology

The next stop was Volkswagen Automatic Transmission (Tianjin) Co., Ltd., a key manufacturing site for the Volkswagen Group’s high-efficiency DQ200 dual-clutch gearbox, used in Volkswagen, Audi, and Skoda vehicles. The visit highlighted precision machining and robotic assembly lines that blend German and Chinese engineering and manufacturing excellence, powered by Industry 4.0 technologies such as digital twins, smart sensors, and real-time analytics.

The day concluded at the Tianjin Port, one of northern China’s most advanced logistics hubs. There, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), unmanned cranes, and AI-powered scheduling systems demonstrated how smart technology and green energy are reshaping port operations while reinforcing China’s role in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Snapping a moment at Tianjin Port — where smart logistics and green tech drive the future

The visit offered participants valuable exposure to cutting-edge technologies and deeper insight into how innovation, automation, and cross-sector collaboration are driving China’s rapid development. It also sparked meaningful dialogue on international cooperation, sustainability, and the evolving global landscape of industrial engineering.

Writer: Prabina Basnet
Photographer: Vakhabov Biloliddin

Reviewers: Liang Ma, Lefei Li