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Shanghai Electric Launches Sino-Pakistan Academy of Excellence for Engineers

On November 24, 2025, Shanghai Electric officially inaugurated the Sino-Pakistan Academy of Excellence for Engineers, a collaborative initiative with the Shanghai Dianji University. This academy aims to cultivate internationally competitive, interdisciplinary engineers while serving as a platform for technological and cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan. This launch event took place simultaneously online and across multiple sites in both countries, marking a significant step in fostering collaboration in engineering sectors.

The ceremony included the signing of a cooperative agreement between representatives of the integrated Thar Block-I coal and power project and the Shanghai Dianji University, signifying the formal initiation of the talent cultivation initiative. Zhu Zhaokai, the president of Shanghai Electric Group, emphasized the growing need for versatile talents equipped with strong theoretical foundations, practical engineering skills, international perspectives, and intercultural collaboration capabilities, particularly against the backdrop of significant changes in the global industrial ecosystem.

Zhu mentioned, "The establishment of the Academy is a crucial initiative for Shanghai Electric to foster deep integration between industry, academia, research, and application, creating an international talent training system." He also highlighted the advantages of leveraging the academic strengths of Shanghai Dianji University in advanced manufacturing, aiming to deepen collaborative research, practical teaching, and faculty sharing to develop a new model for international talent cultivation under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Gong Siyi, the president of Shanghai Dianji University, stated that the Academy would be a key demonstration project abroad and would prioritize maintaining high standards in talent development systems, teaching quality, and comprehensive support services. "Our goal is to make this Academy a vital bridge for friendship and technological cooperation between China and Pakistan," she noted.

Recognized as the premier international training program for engineers led by a corporation within the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Academy plans to offer master's programs tailored to the Thar project’s needs, focusing on energy and electrical engineering. Through a dual mentoring system involving professors and industry experts, the Academy enables participants to tackle real-world challenges, skillfully merging theory with practice.

In recent years, Shanghai Electric has prioritized systematic talent training and strategic planning in building the Academy, intensifying collaboration between industry and academia to create an innovation ecosystem driven by globalization and the integration of advanced technologies. Since its establishment in 2024, the Academy has focused on empowering technology experts and developing high-level professionals, striving to build a solid talent pool for future technological leaders.

One of the Academy's flagship initiatives, the technology expert symposium, serves as a leading forum for top experts and scholars to promote knowledge sharing, technical collaboration, and talent development. The Academy has hosted five sessions since its inception, showcasing the latest technology trends and practical engineering insights.

Shanghai Electric's proactive talent strategy is underpinned by a strong commitment to technological progress and human capital in an era of rapid transformation. In the first half of 2025 alone, the company invested 2.546 billion CNY in research and development, a 9.4% year-over-year increase, accounting for 4.7% of its total revenue, with 39.5% of that funding directed towards emerging sectors.

To accelerate innovation, Shanghai Electric aims to position talent as its most strategic resource, continuing to reform its development system to build a robust and well-structured team. For more information, visit Shanghai Electric’s official site.