On the afternoon of June 18, the Artificial Intelligence and Sustainability exchange workshop was held in the lecture hall 210 of the School of Energy and Materials. Chen Yili, Director of the International Student Office of Tongji University, and Liu Shulin, Director of Student Affairs, were invited to lead five international students from the UN Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development. We discussed the cutting-edge issues of AI and sustainability with 22 international students from the Green Development: Design and Development of Thermal Functional Materials program of Shanghai New Times International Summer School. Chen Yong, Party Secretary and Wang Yuanyuan, President of the Institute, attended the seminar.

On behalf of the college, Wang Yuanyuan gave a welcoming speech, and she extended a warm welcome to the faculty and students of Tongji University. Wang Yuanyuan pointed out that as AI is one of the most transformative technologies at present, the integration of AI and sustainable development is both a challenge and an opportunity, and he believed that the seminar could further promote cooperation and exchanges between universities. Promote cross-cultural understanding and collaboration among international students.

In his keynote speech on AI and sustainable development, Chen Yili said that AI and sustainable development are a global issue. Ai is promoting the transformation of higher education to integration of disciplines, virtual and real, and integration of China and foreign countries. Tongji University actively explores the deep integration of AI and environmental sustainability with the orientation of digital intelligence, green and integration.

In the form of round table discussion + group exchange, the exchange and discussion set AI to promote social resource optimization and green development and AI application in pollution detection and environmental control. Topics on AI tools for renewable energy production and power system optimization and AI application in basic education and its future impact. They shared many innovative cases and practical experience based on their respective national and professional backgrounds, and the students from Spain, the United States, Italy, Pakistan, Bangladesh and other countries presented their respective discussions. Shows how AI can drive the diverse paths of green transformation in different domains. The discussion site thought collision, the atmosphere is enthusiastic. Valeria, an Italian student, said, I am particularly concerned about the role of artificial intelligence in environmental monitoring, which can be combined with high-precision detection technology to identify potential sources of water or air pollution earlier. This has already achieved initial results in some industrial areas of our country. In my opinion, the greatest advantage of AI is that it can significantly improve the timeliness and scientific nature of decision making. I was impressed by the combination of AI and renewable energy, shared Matias, a student in Chile. We explored how AI can predict solar energy production, grid loads, and the impact of weather on energy supply. I believe that in the future, AI will be an important force to drive the green energy transition in developing countries.

Green Development - Design and Development of Thermal Functional Materials by Shanghai New Times International Summer School 2025 is sponsored by Shanghai Municipal Education Committee and organized by Shanghai Second Polytechnic University. This seminar on AI and Sustainable Development jointly held with the Foreign Student Office of Tongji University and the United Nations Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development is an important part of the project. It has enhanced cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary thinking, gained a more comprehensive understanding of green technology innovation, and gained a deeper understanding of green development - the design and development of thermal functional materials. This symposium on Artificial Intelligence and Sustainable Development is not only a practical exploration of mutual learning between Chinese and foreign young people, but also a beneficial exploration of Tongji University and our University in promoting international talent cultivation. In the future, the two sides will continue to expand cooperation areas, and jointly build more future-oriented exchange projects and research plans to serve global issues based on their respective advantageous platforms. Join hands to build an open, green and shared new pattern between schools.