The conference is dedicated to promoting in-depth integration across disciplines and collaboration between Research Groups and industrial partners. By showcasing the capabilities of Research Groups, reporting cutting-edge academic achievements, and facilitating in-depth dialogues between academics and industrial partners, it has built an open, shared, and mutually beneficial platform for participants. On this platform, sparks of thought ignite innovative inspiration, jointly mapping out a grand blueprint for future technological advancements.

The event was chaired by Dr Juan Wang, Interim Associate Dean for RKE at FoSE. Professor Laura Bishop, Vice Provost for Research and Knowledge Exchange at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC), and Professor Giampaolo Buticchi, Interim Dean of FoSE, delivered welcome speeches at the opening ceremony, expressing their warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to the attending companies and researchers.

Professor Laura Bishop pointed out that the UNNC is a university without borders and a rapidly growing centre of excellence in research, innovation, and knowledge exchange. We rely on world-class research achievements and technological innovation to provide solutions to local and global challenges. At the same time, she expressed her best wishes for the success of the conference in promoting interdisciplinary exchange, advancing knowledge dissemination, exploring frontiers of knowledge, and seeking innovative solutions to global challenges.

Professor Giampaolo Buticchi comprehensively elaborated on the significant achievements the faculty has made in promoting interdisciplinary cooperation and the integration of academia, industry, and research. He also emphasized the faculty's outstanding performance in global rankings. These achievements not only reflect the faculty's leap in research capabilities but also highlight its leading position in the global academic community. Professor Buticchi particularly emphasized the faculty's relentless efforts in securing major research projects and establishing cooperative relationships with industry partners. These have injected strong momentum into the faculty's continuous development. Finally, he warmly invited all participants to actively engage in the conference discussions, share their unique insights, explore potential cooperation opportunities, and expressed his heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to the successful convening of the conference, wishing the event a complete success.

The event consists of several sessions. First, Professor Xiangjian He chaired the internal Research Group presentation session, where Research Groups from the faculty showcased their core research achievements, covering various fields, including advanced energy and environmental materials & technologies, advanced intelligent manufacturing, artificial intelligence and optimisation, composites, fluids and thermal engineering, geospatial and geo-hazards, natural resources and environment, partial differential equations, power electronics, machines and control, science and engineering education, sensor, sensor network, and instrumentation, sustainable built environment, international marine economic technologies, and the next generation of the Internet of Everything. Each Research Group not only shared their cutting-edge technological advancements in interdisciplinary integration but also provided practical research outcomes for the business community.

The latter half of the event included research talks and university-industry exchange sessions. The research talks were held across three parallel sessions, chaired by Professor Xiaoling Liu, Professor Jian Yang, and Dr Yong Sun. A total of 17 scholars from FoSE and Mr. YingKai Jiang, CTO of Ningbo Juphoon System Software Co., Ltd, representative from enterprises, shared the latest developments and insights in their respective research fields. Each venue was filled with a strong academic atmosphere, and the interaction among participants was particularly lively. New perspectives, methods, and challenges presented in the reports sparked heated discussions. They expressed agreement, raised questions, or offered additional insights, injecting new vitality and innovative inspiration into their respective fields of study. These in-depth discussions not only deepened academic exchanges but also built a solid foundation for future collaborative research.

During this event, FoSE engaged in in-depth exchanges and research collaborations with multiple companies and universities, including Ningbo Jinji Strong Magnetic Material Co., Ltd., Henan Byker Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Ningbo Juphoon System Software Co., Ltd., Ningbo HuaCong Building Energy Saving Technology Co., Ltd., Ningbo Zhongnuo ZhiJian Technology Co., Ltd., Ningbo Chemgoo Pharma Tech Co., Ltd., and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The discussions spanned a variety of academic disciplines, injecting new vitality into university-enterprise cooperation. Moreover, professors and Research Groups tailored their research focus to the technological needs of these companies, offering valuable advice and guidance for their technological innovation and breakthroughs. These interactions not only strengthened the ties between academia and industry but also laid a solid foundation for future collaborations between the two sectors.

Over the past year, the FoSE RKE Committee has organized more than 20 industry visits. These activities have greatly facilitated mutual understanding between the faculty's researchers and industry partners, clarifying research directions and objectives, and better meeting the needs and expectations of partners. At the same time, companies have been able to draw inspiration from the faculty's research achievements to explore new ways to solve industry challenges, achieving a win-win situation for both sides. These visits have not only strengthened the close ties between the faculty and enterprises but also laid a solid foundation for promoting the deep integration of industry, academia, and research, further promoting the collaborative development of the academic and industrial sectors.

This conference not only showcased the achievements and strengths of FoSE, UNNC in scientific research, but also injected new momentum into the faculty's industry-academia-research cooperation. The attendees generally believe that such exchange activities are an important platform for promoting scientific and technological innovation and fostering the development of industry-academia-research cooperation. It not only provides participants with valuable learning opportunities but also injects new vitality into the advancement of scientific and technological innovation and the collaborative development of industry-academia-research.