On September 25, 2023, Andrés Jaque, Dean of GSAPP and Steffen Boddeker, Vice Dean of GSAPP of Columbia University, visited our college. Vice President of Tongji university Lou Yongqi and CAUP Dean Li Xiangning met with the guests. Li Jing, Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs Office, Wang Lan, Vice Dean, Hu Rushan, director of Architecture department, Zhuo Jian, director of Urban Planning department, and Liu Kan, Director of International Cooperation Department, attended the meeting.

President Lou expressed his warm welcome to the Dean of GASPP and his delegation, and also expressed his heartfelt thanks to Dean Jaque for hosting him and Vice President Wang Lan at Columbia University in June this year. President Lou briefly introduced the internationalization characteristics of Tongji University and the strategic plan of building AI-driven sustainable development as one of the key research directions in the new era, and looked forward to cooperating with Columbia University in exploring the construction of an interdisciplinary, high-quality and globalized talent cultivation model.

Dean Li Xiangning and Dean Jaque reviewed the history and deep friendship between the two institutions, and exchanged views on the academic dynamics of their respective colleges. Dean Li Xiangning introduced some of the recent activities in which the two faculties have been involved, such as the World Design Cities Conference and Exhibition 2023 (WDCC) and the Shanghai Urban Space Art Season 2023 (SUSAS), etc. Dean Jaque shared his experience of serving as the chief curator of the 13th Shanghai Biennale. Both sides are looking forward to deepening the cooperation and exchanges between the two faculties in the fields of contemporary architecture and art, sustainable urban development, and historical heritage preservation.