On September 24, 2025, a pivotal exchange meeting for the dual-degree program between Tongji University's College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP) and the University of Hawai'i at Manoa's School of Architecture unfolded in CAUP's Conference Room C1.

The dialogue opened with warm welcomes from CAUP Dean Wang Lan and the University of Hawai'i's newly appointed Architecture Dean Mo Zell. Wang Lan hailed the decades-long Hawaiian dual-degree program as a beacon of cross-cultural architectural education, while acknowledging the challenges posed by shifting policy landscapes. Mo Zell responded by proposing actionable solutions: streamlining program structures, tackling operational bottlenecks, and implementing flexible credit recognition and joint thesis defense systems to ensure resilience against policy volatility.

A highlight of the meeting was the discussion on talent development outcomes. Clark E. Llewellyn, former dean and Global Track director at the University of Hawai'i, illustrated the program's transformative power through the Shanghai Eco-City Design project. He emphasized how American students gained nuanced understanding of balancing technical needs with social values in complex contexts, while Chinese students broke free from traditional design paradigms through Hawaiian open-classroom experiences.

The program's robust framework was another focal point. Associate Dean Philip F. Yuan outlined its dual-mentorship system, international competition participation (including ACSA Steel Design and NCMAFDN/ACSA Concrete Block Design contests), and digital design workshops—all blending academic rigor with creative openness. Program head Huang Yiru shared impressive career trajectories: 30% of alumni pursuing academia or postdoctoral research, and 40% securing positions at global design firms, attributing their edge to cross-cultural competencies.

As the program nears its 15th anniversary, both universities reaffirmed their commitment to nurturing architects with global vision—professionals adept at navigating China's rapid urbanization while mastering US sustainable design standards.