On the afternoon of 28 May, the unveiling ceremony for NMIT Intelligent Engineering of Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power was held at the Qiantang Campus.

Tianguo Qian, Party Secretary of Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric power, and Wan Jian, President of the university, were joined by JingjingLan , Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchange at the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Education; Dr Ron Xavier, Regional Director-Greater China and Counsellor (Education); Caroline Seelig, President of Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT); and Kate Neame, Vice-President of NMIT, in jointly unveiling the School of Intelligent Engineering. The ceremony was presided over by Wan Jian.NMIT Vice-Chancellors Rae Perkins and John Inglis, along with Li Zhenghui, Vice-Chancellor of Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric power, attended the ceremony. Heads of relevant university departments and representatives of the teaching staff were present to witness this significant occasion.

In his address, TianguoQian noted that the unveiling and establishment of the School of Intelligent Engineering marked a new phase in the institutionalised and large-scale development of the partnership between the two institutions.Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric power will work alongside NMIT to successfully operate the School of Intelligent Engineering, focusing on intelligent technology and future urban development. It will deeply integrate New Zealand’s advanced expertise in intelligent technology and digital creativity with the university’s traditional strengths in water resources, Electric power, civil engineering and architecture, thereby meeting the needs of Zhejiang’s digital economy and intelligent construction industries. The aim is to cultivate interdisciplinary new-generation engineering talent with an international outlook, an innovative spirit and outstanding engineering practical skills.

Caroline Seelig reflected on the nearly two-decade-long history of cooperation between the two institutions. She noted that, based on trust, consensus and mutual respect, the two parties have established a solid and enduring partnership. In the future, NMIT will deepen its collaboration with Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric power and work hand in hand to ensure that students at the School of Intelligent Engineering receive the same quality of education, support and care as their New Zealand counterparts, thereby living up to the trust and expectations of students and parents alike.

Ron Xavier remarked that educational cooperation between New Zealand and China is deeply rooted, and the partnership between NMIT and Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric power serves as a vivid illustration of the friendly educational collaboration between the two nations. The School of Intelligent Engineering adheres to a student-centred educational philosophy, integrating advanced teaching models and talent development systems from both China and abroad, and holds great promise for the future. He expressed the hope that the School would leverage the strengths of Sino-foreign cooperative education to cultivate more international talents who possess both solid professional skills and comprehensive qualities.

Jingjing Lan remarked that the inauguration of the School of Intelligent Engineering is not only a concrete implementation of the spirit of the World Digital Education Conference but also a significant step in the two universities’ collaborative exploration of new pathways for engineering education in the era of intelligence. The Provincial Department of Education will support the School of Intelligent Engineering in its operations and assist in establishing it as a benchmark for Sino-foreign cooperative education.

Following the unveiling ceremony, the first meeting of the Joint Management Committee of the School of Intelligent Engineering was held.