On December 21, Wang Shuxin, President of Chongqing University and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, met with a delegation led by Professor Stephen Evans, Vice President of the Academy of Europe and Director of Research in Industrial Sustainability at the Institute for Manufacturing, Department of Engineering, the University of Cambridge. The heads of the Office of International Affairs and the School of Economics and Business Administration, along with representatives and experts, were present at the meeting.

President Wang extended a warm welcome to Prof. Stephen Evans and his entourage, and made a briefing on CQU's efforts in schooling, international exchanges, and supporting the construction of the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin Cities Economic Circle and other major national strategies. He indicated that Chongqing, as a national manufacturing hub and the core city of the Chengdu-Chongqing Twin Cities Economic Circle, features a solid manufacturing system with a robust development foundation and marked strengths, and a bright prospect for the future. Working together with Prof. Evans, he would like to capitalize on CQU's existing strengths in green manufacturing, green economy, energy economy and other major disciplines and research capabilities to promote the establishment of a joint research center that will bring together the best research assets of the Academy of Europe and the University of Cambridge, and integrate the world's cutting-edge research successes with the fundamentals of Chongqing's industrial development. These will help CQU develop into a frontrunner in the global push towards sustainability.

Prof. Evans indicated that Chongqing, home to plenty of large manufacturing firms, is also pursuing a path towards sustainability, and has every possibility of becoming a pioneering city in sustainability globally. Meanwhile, he expressed his willingness to explore thoroughly the possible modes of cooperation with CQU.

It was agreed that the construction of the joint research center would play an important and positive role in talent development, scientific research and social services in related disciplines of CQU.