On the afternoon of February 2, 2026, Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) warmly welcomed a high-level delegation from German U15 and TU9 university alliances. The delegation, led by Prof. Michael Hoch, Rector of the University of Bonn and Chair of the German U15, Prof. Jan Hesthaven, President of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) representing the TU9 and Ms. Jana Ludwig, Deputy Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Guangzhou, was warmly received by SUSTech Prof. Qikun XUE, President of SUSTech, along with other faculty and staff representatives.

Prof. Michael Hoch introduced the core strengths of the German U15 and the delegation’s intention to deepen cooperation with SUSTech. He noted that U15, consisting of 15 leading comprehensive German universities, boasts advantages across multiple disciplines. He also recalled the in-depth communication with SUSTech in Beijing last October, emphasizing that this visit would further promote practical cooperation and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes on the basis of the existing foundation.

Prof. Jan Hesthaven, on behalf of the TU9 alliance, introduced the alliance’s focus on engineering and applied sciences, pointing out that TU9 is a key driving force behind Germany’s industrial innovation. He highlighted the strong alignment in research and development directions between TU9 and SUSTech, noting that there is broad space for in-depth academic and research cooperation between the two sides.

Prof. Qikun XUE, President of SUSTech, extended a sincere welcome to the delegation and reviewed the friendly exchange history between SUSTech and German higher education institutions. He introduced SUSTech’s latest progress in international cooperation and scientific research, emphasizing SUSTech’s commitment to open exchange and global engagement, and noted that the visit marks a new chapter for in-depth cooperation between SUSTech and U15, TU9 alliances.

Prof. Li JIN, Vice President of SUSTech, briefly introduced the SUSTech’s disciplinary strengths, research focus and international cooperation progress. Prof. JIN expressed a positive attitude towards deepening bilateral cooperation. He believed that both sides can achieve win-win results through complementary advantages.

During the discussion, both sides exchanged views on in-depth cooperation between SUSTech and German U15, TU9 alliances. Prior to the forum, the delegation visited the Institute of Robotics of SUSTech.

Other SUSTech representatives attending the event included Prof. Weiping LIU, Chair Professor of the Department of Physics, CAS Academician, Prof. Fei YE, Vice Dean, Graduate School, Prof. Wenyong ZHANG, Deputy Dean, School of Medicine, Prof. Chenglong FU, Department Head of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, and Dr. Hao CHEN, Executive Deputy Director, SUSTech Global.

About German U15 and TU9 Alliances

The German U15 is an alliance of 15 leading comprehensive universities in Germany, known for its outstanding strength in comprehensive disciplines and high-level scientific research. It plays a core role in Germany’s higher education and research system, with member universities covering a full range of disciplines including medicine, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering. The TU9 is an alliance of 9 top German technical universities, focusing on engineering and applied science research and talent training. As the backbone of Germany’s industrial innovation and technological progress, the TU9 has made important contributions to the development of global engineering and technology fields.