On March 30th, the signing ceremony of the 2nd phase cooperation agreement of the Tsinghua-Toyota Research Center took place. Kang Kejun, Vice President of Tsinghua University, and Takeshi Uchiyamada, Vice President of Toyota, signed the agreement on the second phase of the five-year cooperation on behalf of each party. Government leaders from the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the National Natural Science Foundation attended the ceremony. In his speech, Kang Kejun acknowledged the success of the first five-year cooperation between Tsinghua and Toyota, and noted that many of the remarkable research achievements of the Tsinghua-Toyota Research Center have benefited social and economic development and have received recognition from society. For example, research results on the environment provided valuable reference data for improving air quality conditions during the Beijing Olympics and the Shanghai World Expo, wastewater treatment technology has been used to propose solution for factories, and research into driving behaviors in China has helped to improve vehicle safety. In addition extensive cutting-edge basic research into problems associated with high-capacity batteries has been done in the area of material science. At the same time the joint research projects have had a positive impact on the nurturing of gifted students with global vision. For Toyota, Mr. Uchiyamada pointed out that China is not only a market with many customers, but also an important manufacturing and R&D base. He stressed that the establishment of the Research Center enhanced the cooperative relationship between Tsinghua and Toyota. In the second phase of cooperation, focusing on social needs and Toyota’s global vision, the center will undertake research projects important both to the development of China and to the world.
After the signing ceremony, ten Tsinghua professors introduced their research achievements in areas including environmental science, energy, vehicle safety and materials science. More than 70 undergraduates, graduates and doctoral students from the School of Environment, the Global Environmental Research Center, and the Departments of Thermal Engineering, Automotive Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering, took part in the meeting.
Tsinghua and Toyota have a long-term cooperative relationship. Since 1997, Tsinghua and Toyota have already been jointly hosting “Advanced Automotive Technology Symposium” every year. With the aim of strengthening the strategic partnership, Tsinghua and Toyota signed their first five-year cooperation agreement in November 2005 and set up the Tsinghua-Toyota Research Center on March 23, 2006. The center has been actively engaged in joint research and development in the fields such as environmental science, energy, materials science, and vehicle safety technology. The steering committee of the center consists of representatives from Tsinghua and Toyota, with Kang Kejun, Vice President of Tsinghua University as Chairman, and Masatami Takimoto (formerly), Mr. Takeshi Uchiyamada (currently), Vice President of Toyota Motor Corporation as the Vice Chairman of the steering committee, and with Academician Hao Jiming as the Director of the center.
As the first university- level joint research center with an international company, the Tsinghua-Toyota Research Center has achieved many achievements in scientific research and talent cultivation. Many patents have been jointly applied for, and over 40 joint papers have been published. A number of research achievements have been put into application, and undergraduate and graduate students have obtained valuable experience by being involved in center projects.
