Governor of North Rhine-Westphalia Visited Tsinghua University 

(By Long Yifan)Hannelore Kraft, governor of North Rhine-Westphalia, visited Tsinghua on April 20. She communicated with the students in the Tsinghua-RWTH Aachen joint program for master degree and attended a seminar held in the joint laboratory. University Council Chairperson Chen Xu held a meeting for Kraft.

Chen Xu extended Tsinghua’s welcome to Kraft and outlined the basic information about students’ education, international development strategy and the cooperation with German universities. Chen said the Tsinghua-RWTH Aachen joint program is a paradigm of success between China and Germany. Especially the School of Mechanics, School of Environment Management and School of Economy and Management have close relationship with RWTH Aachen and have acquired many cooperative accomplishments. Chen Xu hoped to strengthen the mutual cooperation in more fields.

Kraft noted that Tsinghua is one of the most prestigious universities in China and expressed her delight in her visit to Tsinghua. “ It is the second time that I have come to Tsinghua. I am impressed by the promising and intensified trend of the mutual cooperation”, said her, “North Rhine-Westphalia paid great emphasis on education and scientific research. I hope there will be a firmer and consolidated cooperation with Tsinghua and more higher institutes in China.”

After the meeting, Kraft and Chen invited the students present to have lunch together.

In the afternoon, Tsinghua-RWTH Aachen joint laboratory seminar was held in the reception hall of the main building where Hannelore Kraft, German ambassador to China, Xue Qikun, vice president of Tsinghua University attended.
Xue Qikun mentioned Tsinghua would actively use its achievements to handle the common problems of the world. He hoped the joint collaboration with the education undertakings in Germany will highlight the mutual cooperation and strategic relationship. Tsinghua will exert more efforts to consummate the German vision of Industry Version 4.0 by improving the facility of laboratory.

Kraft expressed North Rhine-Westphalia’s emphasis upon cooperation with China and was impressed by the achievements made by the joint program and she expected a better yield.

Reinhart Poprawe, professor of laser technology in RWTH Aachen introduced the arrangement for establishing the laboratory.

Nordrhein-Westfalen is located in western Germany which has most universities in Germany with the most comprehensive disciplines.