Introduction

On January 30th, the signing ceremony for the framework agreement of the Joint Research Center for Advanced Thermal Management Technology between Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Highly Group was grandly held at the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Minhang Campus, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The unveiling ceremony of the Joint Research Center was also held simultaneously at the event. This collaboration marks the deep implementation of the development concept of "industry-education integration and school-enterprise collaboration" by both parties, accurately aligning the scientific research advantages of universities with the industrial strength of enterprises, jointly creating an innovation highland for advanced thermal management technology, and injecting strong momentum into the high-quality development of core components for household appliances and the new energy thermal management industry.

Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Shanghai Electric Group have a deep-rooted partnership. Since the 1990s, they have initiated in-depth cooperation with technology research and development as a bond. In 2004, they established a comprehensive strategic partnership and jointly established two municipal engineering research centers. The signing of a new round of strategic cooperation agreement in 2024 marks a new stage of collaborative innovation and deep integration in their cooperation. The establishment of this joint research center is the concrete outcome of their long-term friendly cooperation.

As a core backbone enterprise under Shanghai Electric, Highly Group has been deeply involved in the heating and cooling industry for over three decades, forming a dual-main business development pattern of "heating and cooling related solutions and core components" and "automotive components". Its rotary compressor market share ranks among the top three globally, with business coverage in 11 countries. Relying on its international layout, the automotive component industry is striving to become a globally leading supplier of thermal management system solutions for new energy vehicles. In recent years, Highly Group has continuously increased its R&D investment and maintained a strong momentum of growth in line with its revenue. The two parties have jointly tackled multiple key technologies in frontier fields such as automotive thermal management and new energy thermal systems. The collaborative research projects have repeatedly won important awards in Shanghai, laying a solid foundation for this in-depth collaboration.

According to the cooperation agreement, the Joint Research Center will focus on key common issues and frontier directions of advanced thermal management technology, and establish a full-chain innovation system encompassing "basic research - technology development - achievement transformation - industrial application". Shanghai Jiao Tong University will station top-notch research teams to provide cutting-edge technological ideas and scientific research support; while Highly Group will leverage its industrial advantages to provide application scenarios, pilot test platforms, and industrialization guarantees, ensuring the rapid implementation and transformation of research results into practical productivity.

Academician Lin Zhongqin from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Executive Vice President Xi Lifeng, Vice President of the Industry Research Institute Hou Guangfeng, Vice Dean of the School of Mechanical Engineering Zhu Lei, and other school leaders; Jia Tinggang, member of the Party Committee and Vice President of Shanghai Electric, as well as Chairman of Highly Group, and Li Yilong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and General Manager of Highly Group, attended the ceremony as representatives of the enterprise, jointly witnessing this important moment.

In his speech, Jia Tinggang stated that the collaboration between schools and enterprises is a crucial path to solving industrial technology challenges and stimulating innovation vitality. The establishment of a joint research center with Shanghai Jiao Tong University marks an important step in the implementation of Shanghai Electric's "2+X" open technology innovation system, indicating that the cooperation between the two parties has moved from a single project to a new stage of jointly building a platform and cultivating an ecosystem. Jia Tinggang hopes to leverage the joint research center to undertake major national or Shanghai municipal science and technology tasks, jointly apply for important national projects and science and technology awards, create a cradle for key technological breakthroughs, accelerate the integration of industry, academia, research, and application, and transform research achievements into core technologies. He also aims to use the talent pool of Jiao Tong University to cultivate enterprise scientific research and management personnel, while providing practical scenarios for Jiao Tong University students, jointly cultivating talents, and ultimately achieving a synergistic effect of "1+1>2".

In his speech, Xi Lifeng emphasized that under the guidance of the "dual-carbon" strategy, thermal management technology has become a key frontier technology driving the transformation of energy, transportation, and information. The joint establishment of a research center by both parties will be an important practice in leading industry development and serving national strategies. This cooperation is expected to compete for national science and technology awards within three years, promote the establishment of a key laboratory in Shanghai, and help the team play an important role in major national and Shanghai projects, making new and greater contributions to the transformation and upgrading of China's automotive industry and the achievement of the "dual-carbon" goals.

In his speech, Academician Lin Zhongqin highly praised the close cooperation with Shanghai Electric in the early stage and also witnessed the rapid development of Highly and the increasing maturity of its thermal management technology. Advanced thermal management is crucial for new energy vehicles. This school-enterprise cooperation can not only drive the development of related domestic industries but also facilitate the expansion of Highly's automotive business, greatly promoting the deepening of cooperation between both parties.

This signing marks a new starting point for the cooperation between both parties. In the future, leveraging thermal management technology as a fulcrum, the collaboration will gradually expand to broader fields such as new materials, artificial intelligence, and intelligent manufacturing. Together, they aim to build a virtuous ecosystem characterized by deep integration of industry, academia, and research, fostering continuous innovation. This will contribute significantly to the upgrading of the home appliance industry, the advancement of the new energy revolution, and the nation's green transformation, writing a new chapter in school-enterprise collaborative innovation.This signing marks a new starting point for the cooperation between both parties. In the future, leveraging thermal management technology as a fulcrum, the collaboration will gradually expand to broader fields such as new materials, artificial intelligence, and intelligent manufacturing. Together, they aim to build a virtuous ecosystem characterized by deep integration of industry, academia, and research, fostering continuous innovation. This will contribute significantly to the upgrading of the home appliance industry, the advancement of the new energy revolution, and the nation's green transformation, writing a new chapter in school-enterprise collaborative innovation.