On the morning of June 30, 2026, a delegation from Politecnico di Milano (Polimi) —led by Professor Sergio Amedeo Pignari, Vice Executive Dean of the Xi'an Jiaotong-Politecnico di Milano Joint College (XJTU-Polimi College) and representative of the Polimi Rector—visited the School of Mechanical Engineering at Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU). The visit aimed to strengthen substantive research collaboration between faculty members from both institutions and to explore pathways for deeper engagement.

The XJTU side was represented byDr.Zhang Junbin, Party Branch Secretary of the School of Mechanical Engineering, and Professor He Jiankang, Associate Dean of the School, along with faculty delegates from the School of Mechanical Engineering and the Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering.

During the meeting, ProfessorPignarinoted that this year marks the fourth year of the Sino-Italian cooperative education program between Polimi and XJTU, with the inaugural cohort of undergraduate students having successfully graduated. He also announced that the new undergraduate major in Intelligent Manufacturing Engineering, jointly offered by the School of Mechanical Engineering and Polimi's Department of Mechanical Engineering, has been officially approved and will welcome its first cohort in September 2026. To ensure the high-quality delivery of this program and to facilitate greater participation from Italian faculty,ProfessorPignariemphasized the need to strengthen research ties, which he described as a cornerstone for the program's long-term sustainability.

Professor Francesco Braghin,Directorof the Mechanical Engineering program at Polimi, elaborated on the university's vision and initial progress in promoting bilateral research cooperation. He proposed prioritizing faculty members already involved in the joint teaching program as a starting point, facilitating targeted connections between research groups with overlapping interests.

Dr.Zhang Junbin provided an overview of the School's current research landscape and existing cooperative foundations. He expressed the School's open attitude toward Polimi's proactive approach and welcomed deeper collaboration through the joint college platform. He also highlighted that institutional mechanisms, including incentive policies for young faculty engagement in international cooperation, are being refined to ensure concrete follow-through.

Professor He Jiankang acknowledged Polimi's efforts and pointed out the strong alignment between the mechanical engineering research directions of both universities. He suggested that collaboration need not depend on large-scale conferences but could evolve through regular, informal exchanges that build mutual understanding and create opportunities. He stressed the importance of establishing efficient communication channels to reduce information silos and normalize research dialogue.

In the research exchange segment, Professor Braghin presented several key research areas and achievements at Polimi. XJTU faculty members—including Associate Professor Zhu Jian, Professor Li Bo, and Associate Professor Yao Desheng from the School of Mechanical Engineering, as well as Associate Professor Liu Meiqin from the School of Electronic Science and Engineering—also shared highlights of their ongoing projects.

Also present at the meeting were Professor Chen Xiaoming, Associate Dean of XJTU-Polimi College and faculty member of the School of Mechanical Engineering, along with other staff responsible for Italian affairs.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to building a sustainable, normalized framework for research collaboration that will not only benefit the joint education program but also foster long-term academic synergy between the two institutions.