Supporting by the Outstanding Graduate Student International Exchange Program, Pro. Xuemei Zheng in the School of Electrical Engineering and Automation, together with six doctoral students, undertook a five-day short-term academic exchange visit to the Cambridge University during July 4 to July 9, 2026.
Firstly, they visit the Power Electronics Research Center (PERC) at the Department of Engineering, located in the west side of the Cambridge campus. They also have an academic communication with Pro. Teng Long and his Phd research team.
The Phd students in Pro. Long's laboratory presented a detailed overview of their latest research, including advanced packaging of power devices, parameter extraction of semiconductor thermal resistance networks, liquid–solid phase-change advanced materials, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) suppression in motor drive systems, etc.
After the visiting lab, both sides students introduced their research currently and discussed their focused research fields. The impressed by the PERC is their attention is on the full-chain research coverage, that is, from device-level exploration to system-level integration. They pay more attention on the relationship between fundamental research with industrial applications.
Academic discussion between HIT and Cambridge Doctoral Students
Visiting the Cambridge Power Electronics Research Centre
Group Photo of HIT and Cambridge Participants
The delegation subsequently visited the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) at the Department of Engineering, and visited Pro. Shi Yongjiang, the director of the IFM Centre. Pro. Shi gave a keynote presentation entitled The Re-globalisation of Manufacturing and the Challenges Facing Made in China.
He began by introducing the academic background of the IfM and the distinctive features of the Silicon Fen high-technology industrial cluster. He then proceeded to systematically elaborate on a three-dimensional analytical model of global manufacturing networks, framed around four core dimensions: value chains, supply chains, geographical distribution, and ownership structures, all grounded in the foundational theories of modern manufacturing industrial systems.
Drawing on case studies of leading Chinese enterprises such as Xiaomi and Huawei, Prof. Shi analyzed the strategic logic underpinning Chinese firms' decision-making in global resource allocation. He also offered a systematic review of the evolutionary trajectory of China's manufacturing sector since the reform and opening-up policy, tracing its progression from the early processing with supplied materials, processing with imported materials, and compensation trade (the three-plus-one trade model) to its ongoing ascent towards the higher end of the value chain.
The presentation was impressive, affording the HIT faculty and students a more systematic and in-depth understanding of the evolving landscape of global manufacturing and the strategic options available to Chinese industry. The talk was followed by a lively discussion with the students, generating a vibrant academic atmosphere throughout the session.
Prof. Shi's Lecture to the HIT Delegation
Group Photo at the IfM
This academic visit has further strengthened the friendly cooperative relationship between Harbin Institute of Technology and the University of Cambridge, laying a solid foundation for in-depth collaboration between the two institutions in the fields of power electronics, energy, manufacturing, and emerging interdisciplinary areas. The two sides exchanged insights on their respective postgraduate training programs. Hope in the future, two universities will continue to leverage the Outstanding Graduate Student International Exchange Program platform to expand cooperation in joint talent cultivation, collaborative research and innovation, and the sharing of academic resources.
Preliminary examination: Zheng Xuemei
Review: Guan Yueshi
Final judgment: Li Yansong
