Representatives from more than 50 industries gathered at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) campus to explore how companies can change their strategies to undergo digital transformations. The event focused on combining the learning resources of universities and the advantages of the multiple industrial clusters of the Chamber of Commerce. Doing so will channel academia, industry and research towards promoting mutual empowerment in technological innovation, working together to drive innovation and development.

Before the workshop began, the entrepreneurs visited the UNNC Museum and the Li Dak Sum Incubator. During the visit to the Incubator, the entrepreneurs from the Ningbo Wenzhou Chamber of Commerce were very engaged. They highly praised and encouraged the technological achievements of UNNC. One entrepreneur commented, "It has been a long time since I left the campus and returning today has left a deep impression on me. We are Wenzhou-based companies rooted in Ningbo and UNNC is an international joint venture rooted in Ningbo too. We share similarities with our diverse backgrounds."

The campus tour presented the unique features of the University of Nottingham's global education system, which includes international connections between the three campuses working together, as well as the application of research achievements in multiple key fields. Visitors were able to experience the spirit and core values of UNNC. The innovation ecology and dynamics of the University's system demonstrate the vision of empowering industries through technology, promotion of local development through knowledge and resolution of global problems through technology. 

After the campus visit, Ms Jie'er Zhou, the Secretary-General of the Ningbo Wenzhou Chamber of Commerce, delivered an opening speech, introducing the efforts made by the Chamber of Commerce in promoting university-industry collaboration in recent years: "University-industry collaboration is an important way to promote innovation and development. In 2023 and 2024, our Chamber undertook the task of improving the service capabilities of university-industry collaboration from relative government departments. The aim is to leverage the respective advantages of universities and the Chamber to strengthen the connection between industry, academia and research, which allows the guidance of enterprises to focus on technological innovation and high-quality development. The collaboration also plays a vital role in promoting the construction of industrial chains and supply chain ecological cooperation systems, transforming scientific and technological achievements and industrial upgrades. In this way, it can help promote high-quality economic and social development."

Professor Hing Kai Chan, Professor in Operations Management, expressed a warm welcome to the joint Chairman of the Ningbo Wenzhou Chamber of Commerce, Guocheng Chen, and all the member entrepreneurs. Professor Hing Kai Chan began his keynote speech by explaining the basic concept of intelligent manufacturing and digital transformation. He gradually delved deeper into the topic and analysed the application of digital technology and key supporting technologies, as well as the steps of transformation with real-life examples. Most of the companies participating in this workshop are intelligent manufacturing enterprises that are currently undergoing or preparing for digital transformation. The entrepreneurs interacted positively together and raised the challenges they faced during the transformation. Professor Chan also shared his understanding and suggestions on these issues.

Finally, a representative from the Ningbo Wenzhou Chamber of Commerce delivered a summary of the workshop, expressing sincere thanks for the successful organisation of the event. The Chamber hopes that through strengthened cooperation between universities and enterprises, more scientific and technological achievements can be transferred from "theory" to "practice", and more industry results can be yielded from the fruits of technology.