To deepen international exchange and cooperation in the fields of smart material design and structural control optimization technology, and to promote the high-quality development, transformation, and upgrading of industries in the Greater Bay Area, the Sino-French Institute at Dongguan University of Technology (DGUT), in collaboration with the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Intelligent Disaster Prevention and Emergency Technologies for Urban Lifeline Engineering, the Interdisciplinary Science Research Center of DGUT, and the Institute of Science and Technology Innovation, hosted the International Symposium on Smart Material Design and Structural Control Optimization Technology at the DGUT Institute of Science and Technology Innovation on March 25. The symposium focused on the latest research achievements and development trends, bringing together outstanding experts and scholars from China and France in this field to jointly explore academic frontiers, share innovative experiences, and further advance international exchange and cooperation. The symposium was held simultaneously online and in person, attracting broad participation from peers and professionals in related fields.

Professor Yang Minlin, Vice President of DGUT and Dean of the Sino-French Institute, attended the symposium and delivered a speech. He noted that the convening of this symposium would not only help strengthen exchange and cooperation between China and France in the fields of smart material design and structural control optimization technology, but would also have a positive and far-reaching impact on the development of DGUT. Through in-depth cooperation with leading institutions in materials science, engineering technology, and other fields from France and other European countries, the university will further broaden its international perspective, enhance its scientific research capabilities, and make greater contributions to cultivating outstanding talent, promoting local industrial innovation, and driving economic and social development.

During the presentation and exchange session, six experts shared their insightful reports with the participants on the topic of smart material design and structural control optimization technology: Professor David Bassir from École Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, Professor Abel Cherouat from the University of Technology of Troyes, Professor Jean-François Deü from the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers, Professor Abdelkhalak El Hami from the National Institute of Applied Sciences of Rouen, and Professor Wang Biao and Professor Zheng Yu from DGUT. They engaged in in-depth discussions on topics including the latest research progress, application prospects, and challenges, and held friendly exchanges on future directions for cooperation.

At the symposium, Yang Minlin presented letters of appreciation to the six presenting experts, thanking them for their positive contributions to the symposium and to the international academic exchange and cooperation of DGUT.

As the host institution of the symposium, the Sino-French Institute has achieved remarkable results in promoting Sino-French educational exchange and scientific research cooperation in recent years. The institute fully leverages the advantageous resources of both China and France in fields such as intelligent manufacturing, materials science, and engineering. Through forms of cooperation including joint training programs and collaborative research, it has cultivated a group of high-quality talents with an international vision and an innovative spirit. Looking ahead, the institute will continue to capitalize on its strengths, strengthen exchanges and cooperation with peers at home and abroad, and promote the output of more high-level scientific research achievements and talent cultivation efforts, thereby making greater contributions to the internationalization of the university and local economic and social progress.

According to the responsible organizers, the successful convening of this international symposium not only established an important platform for exchange and cooperation between China and France in the fields of smart material design and structural control optimization technology, but also further advanced the internationalization process of the Sino-French Institute and the university as a whole, injecting new momentum and vitality into the future development of DGUT.

Written by and First Review: Shen Han / Second Review: Zhang Mingjun / Third Review: Yin Ling