On April 17, 2024, Dean WANG Lan of our college embarked on a visit to the United States, specifically to the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Executive Director CHEN Chen of the Department of Urban Planning be accompanied as well. The delegation was received by Bill Chapman, Interim Dean of School of Architecture, UHM, Clark Llewellyn - Director of Global Track, UHM, Brent White, Assistant Provost for Global Engagement, UHM, Sarita Rai - Director of Study Abroad Center, UHM, Vanessa Works, Special Programs Specialist, UHM.

Clark Llewellyn extended a warm welcome to the delegation from our college and introduced the dual degree program. Both sides engaged in a discussion on its operational status in recent years and conducted in-depth deliberations on integrating international competitions into the teaching process. Dean WANG Lan emphasized that participating in international design competitions to enhance innovation and competitiveness has always been a prominent feature of the Tongji-Hawaii dual degree program. Looking back at 2023, dual degree students actively participated in numerous international competitions during their exchange period, including the Seoul Biennale of Urbanism and Architecture, Concrete Masonry Student Competition, and Steel Structure Student Design Competition, and achieved commendable results.

Both parties also reached a consensus on the future development of the dual degree program. They expressed their intention to leverage the Tongji-Hawaii dual degree program platform to further promote the program and expand its influence, attracting more student participation. Executive Director CHEN Chen also indicated that Tongji University is eager to further expand the coverage of the dual degree program by including Urban Planning as a major, thereby broadening the scope of cooperation and enhancing its level. Additionally, both sides will continue to monitor the employment situation of graduates, establish a talent pool, and cultivate more outstanding talents with interdisciplinary abilities.

Project Introduction:

The Tongji University - University of Hawaii Dual Degree Program has been running for 11 cohorts since its inception in 2012. Students participating in this program will be awarded a Master's degree in Architecture from Tongji University and a Doctoral degree in Architecture from the University of Hawaii through a series of training components, including master's studies (in China), professional internship (in the United States), and doctoral studies (in the United States). Within Tongji University's current international dual degree training system for Architecture, this program holds an irreplaceable and unique value.

For Tongji students participating in this program, the entirely English-speaking learning process and internship experiences at top-tier American firms have significantly broadened and enhanced their international competitiveness. Many graduates from this program have enjoyed promising careers.

Over the past 10+ years, under the guidance of teachers from both sides, Chinese and American students participating in this program have achieved outstanding results in a series of important international competitions, winning a total of 29 awards, including the AIA Henry Adams Award, the AIA National Outstanding Thesis Award, the AIA Student Design Award, the ACSA Steel Structure Design First Prize, and many other honors. These achievements have greatly enhanced the influence of the program. As of 2024, it has successfully nurtured over 40 Chinese and American students.