On September 5, 2023, Prof. Anke Hagemann, Chair of the International Institute for Urban Planning and Design (IUCD) at the Technical University of Berlin (TUB) and one of the German coordinator of the Tongji-TUB dual degree program, and his delegation visited our institute. Accompanying them were members of the URA Project Team led by Prof. Hagemann, including Dr. Remy Sietchiping, Head of Policy, Legislation and Governance Department of UN-Habitat Ms. Laura Henneke, URA Project Researcher (alumnus of Tongji-TU Berlin Dual Degree Program), and Ms. Fan Li, URA Project Researcher. Dean Li Xiangning, Vice Dean Wang Lan, Prof. Yang Guiqing, Director of Leadership Training Center of Urban Nickel Hydraulics Zhang Li, Director of International Cooperation department Liu Kan, Head of International Affairs Office Li Wei and Assistant Professor Huang Juan attended the meeting.

President Li Xiangning warmly welcomed Prof. Anke Hagemann and his delegation and looked forward to exploring more opportunities for exchanges and visits in the future, while Vice Dean Wang Lan introduced the profile of the faculty and the international cooperation of the faculty. Prof. Anke Hagemann highly appreciated the faculty's solid talent cultivation, multifaceted international cooperation, and the in-depth integration of the concepts of sustainable development into the practice of the work and commended the faculty for being a top international organization in the field of sustainable development in the urban and rural areas. He also praised the faculty as a leading international think tank in the field of urban and rural sustainable development. Finally, Dr. Remy Sietchiping thanked the faculty for sharing its excellent work experience and expressed his hope to meet again at the 3rd International Forum on Urban-Rural Linkages: Connecting Cities and Rural Areas for Better Homes to discuss the direction of sustainable development, and invited the guests to come to meet with him in Nairobi, at the UN-Habitat headquarters.

During the meeting, both sides reviewed the history of cooperation between TU Berlin and UN-Habitat, and looked forward to further strengthening and broadening the cooperation in the future. At the end of the meeting, Prof. Anke Hagemann and his team interacted with the students and encouraged them to study hard and to gain more from the dual degree program and to contribute to sustainable development in the future.

After the meeting, the College received a letter of appreciation from Dr. Remy Sietchiping on behalf of the Policy, Legislation and Governance Department of UN-Habitat. The meeting was a milestone working meeting for mutual cooperation and a new starting point for future cooperation.

Letter of appreciation to the College from Dr. Remy Sietchiping on behalf of the Policy, Legislation and Governance Department of UN-Habitat.