On October 21, the FIP_ITMM@Tongji innovation platform, a collaborative effort between Tongji University and the German Fraunhofer Society, was officially launched. Developed over nearly three years by Tongji University's College of Transportation Engineering and Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Nondestructive Testing IZFP, the platform received formal authorization and endorsement from the Fraunhofer Society. Professor Bernd Valeske, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Nondestructive Testing IZFP in Germany, and Professor Ling Jianming, Dean of the College of Transportation Engineering at Tongji University, spoke on behalf of their respective organizations and jointly inaugurated the innovation platform. The event was attended by experts and representatives from the Fraunhofer Institute for Nondestructive Testing IZFP in Germany, the Beijing Representative Office of the German Fraunhofer Society, the Shanghai Civil Engineering Society, China Railway Shanghai Group Co., Ltd., China Academy of Railway Sciences Co., Ltd., Shanghai Shentong Metro Group Co., Ltd., Guangzhou Metro Group Co., Ltd., China Railway Shanghai Design Institute Group Co., Ltd., Shanghai Investigation, Design & Research Institute (Group) Co., Ltd., Shanghai Real & Vitae Technology Co., Ltd., Southwest Jiaotong University, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai Institute of Technology, Tongji University, and other institutions.

Established in 1949, the German Fraunhofer Society stands as Europe's premier applied research institution, boasting 75 institutes and research units that span cutting-edge technology domains such as information and communication, life sciences, and microelectronics. The society holds over 10,000 active patents. The Fraunhofer Innovation Platform (FIP) represents a research initiative established by the Fraunhofer Society in partnership with leading overseas universities or research institutions. It leverages the strengths of both entities to facilitate the translation and commercialization of scientific research outcomes.

FIP_ITMM@Tongji will concentrate on pivotal issues in intelligent perception for rail transit, actively fostering industry-university-research collaboration and establishing a premier platform for interdisciplinary integration, resource complementarity, and talent development.

Following the launch ceremony, the third technical salon on 'Operations and Maintenance of Rail Transit Infrastructure' took place. Ying Boxuan, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Civil Engineering Society, delivered a speech on behalf of the organizers. Zheng Jian, former Chief Engineer of China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. and Dean of the Institute of High-Speed Railway and Station-City Integration at Tongji University, presented a specially invited report titled 'Practice of Innovative Development in China's Railway.' Experts like Christian Conrad, Chief Executive Officer of the Marketing Department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Nondestructive Testing IZFP in Germany, also delivered academic presentations, sharing the latest research advancements and practical cases in the realm of intelligent perception and operations and maintenance for rail transit.

The establishment of this platform signifies another significant milestone in the collaboration between Tongji University and Germany. Looking ahead, both parties will harness Tongji University's rich academic legacy and talent pool, combined with the Fraunhofer Society's proven track record as a 'transformation bridge' between German scientific research and industrial applications. This will foster in-depth cooperation between China and Germany in the fields of scientific research, industry, and education in rail transit. Ultimately, this will support the international expansion of cutting-edge technologies, high-end equipment, and related standards in China's rail transit sector, enhancing its global standing.