On 26 June, the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FoSE) at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) and Joyson Electronics Group shared a special "two-way commitment". On this day, the senior management team of JoysonQuin visited the UNNC campus, while at the same time, FoSE postgraduate students and their supervisors also went to Joyson Electronics for a "Cosy Island" company visit. This marked not only another deep interaction after the signing of the doctoral training partnership agreement in March, but also a significant step forward in moving industry-academia collaboration "from paper to practice".
JoysonQuin Visits UNNC: In-Depth Discussions on Integrated Industry-Academia-Research
On the morning of 26 June, Mr. Guiting Chu, Vice President of JoysonQuin China, led a delegation of over ten senior executives to the University of Nottingham Ningbo China. Professor Junliang Zhou, Dean of FoSE, Professor Jian Yang, Associate Dean for Research and Knowledge Exchange, Professor Yong Shi, Head of the Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing, and more than ten other academic staff warmly received the visitors. The Joyson delegation first toured the UNNC Museum in the Trent Building, gaining an in-depth understanding of UNNC's founding history, educational philosophy, and latest achievements in research and innovation.
The JoysonQuin team brought heads of key departments including the Technology Centre, Engineering, Prototyping, Robotic Joints Project, Sensor Technology, and Innovation Centre; the academic team from FoSE included professors and assistant professors covering multiple fields such as mechanical engineering, materials, manufacturing, automotive NVH, thermal management, computer science, and aerospace. The UNNC faculty shared their latest research results in advanced materials, additive manufacturing, aerospace structural optimisation, AI algorithms, and intelligent control. Both sides agreed to carry out all-round cooperation in technology needs matching, research collaboration directions, and human resources, while also promoting the concrete implementation of the Institute of Excellence for Industrial Engineers, the doctoral training partnership programme, and UNNC student internship programmes.
Ms. Wenli Zhao, Global HR Director of JoysonQuin, said in her concluding remarks: "East meets West, elites gather, and together we compose a splendid chapter! There are numerous opportunities for future cooperation at academic, technical, and human resources levels. We look forward to more exchanges and collaboration, and sincerely invite all professors to visit and guide us at JoysonQuin!"
After the meeting, the guests visited the Advanced Composites Laboratory, the Nonlinear Vibration Control Laboratory, and other facilities, gaining firsthand insight into UNNC's research strengths in advanced manufacturing, new materials, and related fields.
The students and supervisors toured the Joyson exhibition hall and the Humanoid Robotics Institute, learning about Joyson's development history, global industrial footprint, and the latest progress in humanoid robotics and embodied AI. During the subsequent "Joyson Talks" session, Joyson technical experts delivered three insightful keynote presentations – covering the application of AI large models in enterprises, trends in intelligent automotive cockpits, PIA smart manufacturing Industry 4.0 and digital factories, and embodied robotics and dexterous hand technologies. This immersive experience, from exhibition hall to laboratory, from technical briefings to production line inspections, allowed UNNC faculty and students to feel the pulse of industry frontiers up close.
From March Signing to June Exchange Visits: Accelerated Implementation
On 12 March this year, the University of Nottingham Ningbo China and Joyson Electronics formally signed a cooperation agreement to launch the joint postgraduate and doctoral training programme under the Institute of Excellence for Industrial Engineers. The two parties will focus on fields such as automotive electronics, embodied intelligence, and artificial intelligence, adopting a university-industry dual-supervisor model to cultivate interdisciplinary talents with both cutting-edge technical vision and industrial practice capabilities. This collaboration aims to bridge the gap between higher education and industry needs, leveraging UNNC's academic strengths and Joyson's industrial technology advantages to achieve mutual complementarity and win-win outcomes.
Just three months later, the "two-way exchange visit" on 26 June serves as a vivid testament to the implementation of the agreement – Joyson executives stepped onto campus while UNNC students went deep into the company, allowing academia and industry to spark new ideas through face-to-face interactions.
Looking ahead, with the continued operation of the Doctoral Joint Cultivation Innovation Centre, both sides will engage in deeper collaboration in technological breakthroughs, result commercialisation, and more. This "two-way commitment" between UNNC FoSE and Joyson Electronics is writing a new chapter in industry-academia collaborative talent development.