Professor Fan Mo Joins Oxford High-Level Talent Delegation to Suining and Advances Industry–University–Research Collaboration

From August 19 to 21, an Oxford University high-level talent delegation visited Suining, Sichuan Province for exchanges and field visits. Professor Fan Mo of the School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), and a former Oxford researcher, attended as a principal guest. He exchanged views with Suining officials, leading enterprises, research institutions, and medical representatives on scientific innovation, technology transfer, platform development, and talent collaboration.

Wang Zhongcheng, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Suining Municipal Committee and Mayor of Suining, together with Vice Mayors Xu Jianjun and Ye Ping, participated in relevant sessions. The 14-member delegation included 12 postdoctoral researchers, doctoral and master’s students from Oxford in engineering, materials, medicine, neuroscience, computing, chemistry, lithium batteries, and electronic information, as well as two leaders from Tianma Venture Capital.

Targeted engagement with priority industries

On the morning of August 20, the delegation divided into three groups according to members’ expertise and Suining’s priority industrial layout, conducting field visits focused on lithium-battery new energy and new materials, electronic information, and biomedicine.

Professor Mo and fellow delegates visited Shehong City, where they toured Tianqi Lithium and Sichuan Meifeng Chemical. They learned about progress in lithium-battery materials, chemical new materials, R&D, and manufacturing, and discussed new-energy materials, AI-enabled R&D and production, intelligent manufacturing, and technology transfer.

The electronic-information group visited Suining Economic and Technological Development Zone and toured Sichuan Yingchuangli Electronic Technology and Lipu Chip Microelectronics, discussing electronic circuits, integrated circuits, industrial AI, intelligent production-line upgrading, and joint technical R&D. The medical and biomedicine group visited Suining Central Hospital to learn about local healthcare, clinical research, and medical-talent development, and exchanged views on AI-assisted medicine, medical-data analysis, early disease screening, clinical research, and training.

Roundtable on science, technology, and talent collaboration

On the afternoon of August 20, the two sides held a roundtable chaired by Vice Mayor Ye Ping. Officials from relevant municipal departments and representatives from Shehong City, Suining Economic and Technological Development Zone, and Suining Central Hospital attended, alongside representatives of Tianqi Lithium, Shengxin Lithium, Yingchuangli, Lipu Chip, Meifeng Chemical, the Suining Lithium Battery Industry Association, and other institutions.

Participants watched a Suining promotional video. The Organization Department introduced local talent policies, while the Education and Science and Technology departments presented support measures and the innovation environment. Delegation members introduced prospective plans for research collaboration in Suining, technology deployment, high-tech entrepreneurship, and deeper industry–university–research cooperation.

Drawing on his team’s work in industrial AI, embodied intelligence, intelligent robotics, machine vision, digital twins, and robotic intelligent manufacturing, Professor Mo discussed the integration of AI with Suining’s key industries. He noted that Suining has a strong industrial base and rich application scenarios in lithium-battery new energy, electronic information, and biomedicine—areas closely aligned with the team’s research. Future collaboration can formulate projects around concrete local and corporate needs, undertake joint research on key technologies, and move research outcomes from the laboratory to production lines.

The discussions produced preliminary cooperation intentions in several areas: joint laboratories for industrial AI, embodied intelligence, intelligent robotics, new-energy materials, electronic information, and AI-enabled healthcare; pilot-scale technology-transfer platforms; mechanisms for high-level talent exchange, flexible recruitment, reciprocal visits, joint graduate training, and coordinated projects; and local validation and demonstration of commercially promising technologies. Vice Mayor Ye Ping welcomed the delegation and called for the initial intentions to be developed into concrete projects.

Extending cooperation to the industrial front line in Chuanshan District

On the morning of August 21, Professor Mo and delegation members conducted industrial visits in Chuanshan District, accompanied by district officials. They visited Sichuan Toppler Technology, Sichuan Shengjie Optoelectronics, and Sichuan Ruijiexin Electronics to understand Suining’s industrial base, innovation capabilities, and enterprise needs in intelligent manufacturing equipment, optical components, and printed circuit boards.

At Toppler, the delegation examined the company’s technology deployment in high-end PCB/CCL intelligent manufacturing equipment and industrial-automation solutions. At Shengjie Optoelectronics, they learned about optical-component R&D and production; at Ruijiexin Electronics, they explored the manufacturing and innovation of high-density interconnect printed circuit boards.

During the visits, Professor Mo exchanged views with company leaders on intelligent production lines, machine-vision applications, production digitalisation, joint research on key technologies, pilot validation, technology transfer, and high-level talent cooperation. He stressed that joint laboratories and pilot platforms should respond closely to real enterprise needs and connect fundamental research, technical development, validation, and industrial application.

Establishing long-term mechanisms for project delivery

The visit strengthened links between Professor Mo’s laboratory and Suining government departments, industrial parks, medical institutions, technology companies, and investment organisations, laying a foundation for substantive future collaboration. The parties will establish ongoing coordination on joint laboratories and pilot platforms, key-technology research, high-level talent cooperation, technology transfer, and high-tech business incubation, converting the preliminary intentions into projects and practical outcomes that support Suining’s intelligent industrial upgrading and high-quality development.