On October 30, the Global Climate Change and Water Security session of the 2025 International Conference on Industry-University-Research Collaboration (Henan) was successfully held at the First Lecture Hall of Longzihu Campus, organized by North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power (NCWU). The event was hosted by the Center for School Planning and Development of China's Ministry of Education and the Education Department of Henan Province. Wang Huaxing, Director of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchange of the Education Department of Henan Province, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech. Nearly 300 experts, scholars, and representatives from universities and institutions in France, Norway, South Korea, China, and other countries and regions participated in the conference. Vice President Zhao Jun presided over the meeting.
In her speech, Wang Huaxing introduced the fruitful achievements of Henan Province in hosting the International Conference on Industry-University-Research Collaboration. She highly commended the outstanding contributions made by NCWU in areas such as ecological protection in the Yellow River Basin and efficient water resource utilization. She noted that this session focuses on the pressing issues in water security under global climate change, offering new ideas and pathways to address global water security challenges and promote green and low-carbon development. She emphasized that the Education Department of Henan Province will fully support universities in deepening the integration of industry, academia, research, and application. She expressed her hope that the conference would facilitate more international technical cooperation and exchange projects, contributing Central Plains wisdom to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
The International Conference on Industry-University-Research Collaboration serves as a significant and influential global platform, playing a vital role in organically connecting talent chains, innovation chains, and industrial chains worldwide. In recent years, NCWU has made notable progress in deepening international exchange and collaboration, as well as integrating industry, academia, research, and application. By hosting this session, we aim to strengthen in-depth exchanges and cooperation with high-level overseas universities, top-tier research institutions, and leading enterprises. This initiative will enhance the internationalization of our faculty and improve the joint supervision of Chinese and foreign advisors in graduate education. Ultimately, we strive to contribute to serving national strategies and promoting high-quality regional economic and social development.
The following distinguished experts delivered outstanding keynote presentations, offering attendees a profound and comprehensive academic feast: Professor Hojeong Kang from the Yellow River Research Institute of NCWU, Professor Philippe Gourbesville, current President of the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR), Professor Xu Chongyu, Member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences, and Professor at the University of Oslo, Professor Yu Zhongbo, Director of the National Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention at Hohai University, Professor Huang Qiang from Xi'an University of Technology, Senior Engineer Wang Yu, Chief Planner of the Yellow River Conservancy Commission, Researcher Leng Guoyong from the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Researcher Shi Haiyun from Southern University of Science and Technology, and Senior Engineer Zhang Leizheng from the Yellow River Institute of Hydraulic Research.
The session also featured an international industry-academia-research collaboration symposium and a graduate student forum. Experts, scholars, and industry representatives engaged in free discussions on key topics such as international joint research, talent co-cultivation, and outcome sharing. More than 50 doctoral and master's students presented their research findings on issues including the impact of climate change on water resources and water security strategies.
It is reported that this conference marks the second consecutive time NCWU has hosted the Henan sub-forum of the International Conference on Industry-University-Research Collaboration. The event has effectively facilitated the in-depth construction of a multi-level international cooperation network, accelerated the cross-border integration of technological innovation elements, and promoted efficient linkages between scientific research innovation and industrial demands. This has injected new momentum into NCWU's efforts to enhance its international discourse capabilities, expand its open-education framework, and accelerate the flow of industry-academia-research-application elements.