From August 20 to 26, 2025, a delegation from Shanghai Zhongqiao University (SHZQU) visited Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki, Finland, to advance the jointly established “Zhongqiao–Helsinki Future Engineering School.” Approved by China’s Ministry of Education, the school will welcome its first cohort in September 2025, marking a milestone in SHZQU’s internationalization and support for the nation’s innovation-driven development.
Led by Vice Presidents Liu Shuyun and Dai Hongmei, the delegation engaged in dialogues with Metropolia President Riitta Konkola, Deputy CEO Simo Mustila, and the university’s leadership team. Both sides discussed curriculum design, joint faculty development, and student management standards, reaching consensus on English-medium instruction and mutual recognition of student records.
The delegation toured Metropolia’s Myllypuro, Myyrmäki, and Arabia campuses, observing teaching facilities and innovative practices in BIM applications, green materials testing, and food safety laboratories. They also visited the Clean and Sustainable Solutions Innovation Hub and the XR Center, gaining insights into how Finland integrates sustainability and digital technologies such as VR and AR into engineering education.
To strengthen industry links, the delegation met with SRV Group and Valio Group, exploring applications of life-cycle construction, smart building management, and food quality assurance—all aligned with the training goals of the Future Engineering School. Valio’s special gesture of raising the Chinese flag underscored the importance of the collaboration.
This visit not only deepened ties between SHZQU and Metropolia but also moved the joint school from planning to implementation. Both universities committed to building a replicable model for cultivating future engineers with global vision, innovation capacity, and sustainable thinking, advancing Sino-foreign cooperation in higher education.
