Covestro, a world-leading supplier of high-tech polymer materials based in Germany, and Tongji University held the 2017 Innovation Day and the inauguration ceremony of Covestro-Tongji Innovation Academy on Wednesday, launching their comprehensive strategic partnership focusing on the transportation and construction fields.

From left to right: Peter Rothen, Germany's consul general in Shanghai; Dr. Markus Steilemann, board member for innovation and chief commercial officer of Covestro; Professor Wu Jiang, executive vice-president of Tongji University; Dr. Liu Yan, Party chief of the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Committee at the inauguration ceremony of the Covestro-Tongji Innovation Academy. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A series of seminars under the theme of Sustainable Mobility took place during the Innovation Day, including lectures from experts and interactions among Tongji University, industry players and Covestro customers.

"Tongji University, together with Covestro, is committed to supporting China's transformation into an innovation-driven economy. Our long history of collaboration has helped to drive forward China's indigenous innovation," said Wu Jiang, executive vice-president of Tongji University.

"The newly established Innovation Academy and the Innovation Day together form an enhanced incubator aimed at fostering research projects in the transportation and construction fields, industrializing new material technologies and encouraging entrepreneurial ability among students and industry players."