Recently, International Top-level Forum on Engineering Science and Technology–Intelligent Manufacturing Engineering Management, hosted by Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) and jointly organized by Division of Engineering Management of CAE and Hefei University of Technology (HFUT), was held in Hefei. 27 academicians from CAE, 3 foreign academicians, John R. Birge and Ignacio E. Grossmann from National Academy of Engineering (NAE), and Panos M. Pardalos from National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NASU), as well as more than 400 experts and scholars from universities, research institutes and large manufacturing enterprises at home and abroad, attended the forum.

The opening ceremony was hosted by Sun Yongfu, Academician of CAE. Fan Daiming, Academician and Vice Dean of CAE, Deng Xiangyang, Executive Governor of Anhui Province, and Liang Liang, President of HFUT addressed the ceremony.

Professor Fan Daiming pointed out in his speech that high-end equipment manufacturing sector plays a critical role in national economic security and national defense security. It is one of the key drivers of the transformation of traditional industries and technology development. Therefore, CAE will further provide strategic advice for accelerating the development of high-end equipment manufacturing sector.

Deng Xiangyang highlighted in his address the commitment of Anhui to building a strong province of manufacturing industry through transformation and innovation. He noted that Anhui sincerely hopes to deepen cooperation with CAE and other large institutes.

President of HFUT Liang Liang expressed his warm welcome to all experts and scholars. He said that HFUT has started a new journey of “Double-First Class University Plan”. It is hoped that the experts and scholars attending the forum will give more valuable guidance for us. HFUT will further strengthen talents training, scientific research, social services, cultural heritage and international exchanges and cooperation. Thus HFUT can make contributions to the implementation of “Made in China 2025” strategy and the construction of manufacturing power.

After the opening ceremony, Academician Xiang Qiao, from AERO Engine Corporation of China, John R. Birge, Academician of NAE, Yu Jingyuan, researcher of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, Ignacio E. Grossmann, academician of NAE, academician Ling Wen, from Shenhua Group Corporation Limited, Panos M. Pardalos, academician of NASU, and Academician Yang Shanlin from HFUT, respectively gave keynote speeches on the following themes: Aeroengine R&D engineering management, role of networking and flexibility in operation management of intelligent manufacturing, organization and management of large-scale scientific and technological engineering, application challenges of mathematical programming optimized in process industrial enterprises, promoting high-quality development of energy industry intelligently, optimization of sustainable manufacturing and energy systems, modeling and scientific data, and intelligent manufacturing engineering management in industrial internet environment.

International Top-level Forum on Engineering Science and Technology is a high-end academic activity of CAE, gathering the top experts from all over the world for collaborative innovation for the next 20 years. And it is also to have a forward-looking, strategic and comprehensive discussion on the development of engineering science and technology. The theme of 2018 forum is “Intelligent Manufacturing Engineering Management”. At this forum, experts and scholars from home and abroad conducted in-depth communication centering on theoretical methods and technology of intelligent manufacturing engineering management and opportunities and challenges under the new technology environment, which contribute to the development of intelligent manufacturing engineering management.