2nd Conference of China-ASEAN Smart Ocean Center Academic Committee Successfully Held

The 2^ndConference of the China-ASEAN Smart Ocean Center Academic Committeewas held at Tianjin University’s School of Marine Science and Technology on December 11, 2019. The Symposium was presided over by Zhang Zhen, Director of the Office of International Cooperation, Tianjin University.

Zhai Jingsheng, Director of the China-ASEAN Smart Ocean Center, and Dean of the School of Marine Science and Technology introduced the center's work in 2019 and reported the plans for next year. In 2019, the center carried out in-depth cooperation with ASEAN universities and institutions in terms of education and teaching, personnel exchange, and scientific and technological cooperation. It has initiated innovative curriculum training projects, held rowing dynamometer training competitions and international academic conferences and set up academic exchange platforms. In 2020, the center will continue to promote student curriculum training, enrich the diversification of training content, and build an international joint laboratory and a China-ASEAN smart ocean scientific and technological achievements database. “We will also build a smart ocean high-end think tank, launch the China-ASEAN Smart Ocean website platform construction, and publicize the achievements of the ‘China-ASEAN Smart Ocean Center’. Hopefully, the center will pool more resources and improve its brand building.” Zhai noted in his report.

During the discussion panel, members of the academic committee discussed the work report. Lei Bo, Party Secretary of the South China Sea Branch of the Ministry of Natural Resources, fully affirmed the development of the center. He emphasized that the training and education work of the center was a work that truly reflected the characteristics of Tianjin University. Lei suggested that in the future the center look for more common interests between China and ASEAN from historical and cultural perspectives.

Guan Changlong, Dean of the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences from Ocean University of China, proposed that the center should be more open and cooperate with international marine training bases to jointly cultivate students' practical ability, carry out maritime teaching, and let trainees truly feel the ocean and understand the ocean.

Edwin Setlawan, a faculty member of the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, said that his school has always opened the door to members of the center, hoping to receive long-term exchanges and learning between teachers and students of Tianjin University and strengthen in-depth cooperation in satellite data, marine pollution, and marine business management.

Pattanasak Mongkolwat, Dean of Faculty of Information and Communication Technology of Mahidol University, expressed his anticipation for the summer exchange program of Tianjin University students who will be invited in 2020 by Mahidol University. He emphasized that information technology and data science courses were widely used in the current information age and the two universities should have more cooperation in areas such as coastal areas and environmental science monitoring.

Boonsit Yimwadsana from Mahidol University, who has spent 6 months working at Tianjin University hoped that more teachers and students from Mahidol University will have the opportunity to come to Tianjin University for exchanges.

Academician Pan Delu, Head of the China-ASEAN Smart Ocean Center Academic Committee concluded the discussion. He thought highly of the center’s work in 2019, considering it “solid, fruitful and distinctive.” Pan expected the center to always adhere to its core focus on marine students education and training and on the common interests and needs of China and ASEAN, and actively develop multi-level international cooperation.

By the School ofMarine Science and Technology