During the summer vacation of 2024, with the support of the Base of Global Leadership Development at the International Centre for Engineering Education under the auspices of UNESCO (ICEE), the "Belt and Road" Water Management and International Engineering Cooperation Practice Detachment, consisting of 14 teachers and students from the Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Weiyang College, and Xingjian College at Tsinghua University, traveled to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to carry out overseas practical activities.

Group photo of visiting the Middle East Regional Management Center of China Harbour Engineering Company

On July 24th, the detachment conducted research and held discussions at the Riyadh headquarters of the China Harbour Engineering Company's Middle East Regional Management Center. The management center warmly welcomed the visit of Tsinghua teachers and students and introduced China Harbour's responsibility and mission in implementing ICEE’s Base in the Middle East, the company's overall business layout, and an overview of the Middle East regional operations and development. The teachers and students of the detachment actively asked questions about various topics, including the characteristics of the international engineering industry, the current state of water resources in Saudi Arabia, the requirements for green ecology and environmental protection in the Middle East, industry technology and equipment development, cross-cultural project management experience, corporate overseas social responsibility, and overseas employment opportunities for young students. Representatives from the regional management center answered each question in detail, creating a lively atmosphere for on-site communication.

Photo of Research and Discussions

On July 27-28, the detachment visited the Saudi Red Sea project group of the China Harbour Engineering Company, conducted on-site research on ongoing projects such as Sheybarah Island and Laheke Island, and held discussions with the project team. The teachers and students expressed that the ecological and environmental protection "China Plan" provided by China Harbour is impressive, demonstrating the overseas mission and responsibility of central enterprises and conveying new hope for green development.

Group photo of Research Red Sea project

On August 1st, the detachment boarded the "Tiankun Hao," Asia's largest self-propelled heavy lift suction dredger, which was conducting dredging operations in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. They visited the ship's culture corridor and bridge, learned about the development history of China's dredging industry and the performance of the "Tiankun Hao " equipment, and held discussions with the ship's management personnel. The teachers and students expressed that this close-up visit to the national heavy equipment "Tiankun Hao" allowed them to truly experience the strength and allure of Chinese engineering. They systematically understood the current development status of the dredging industry, providing important insights for future learning and scientific research. The detachment hopes to further deepen industry-university-research cooperation with ICEE’s Base and China Harbour in the future, and to jointly contribute positively to global water governance.

The Base of Global Leadership Development of ICEE was jointly initiated and established by ICEE and China Harbour Engineering Company in 2021, with the aim of promoting engineering education and capacity building under the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Beginning in 2023, the base will support Tsinghua’s faculty and students in carrying out overseas practical activities, providing opportunities for Tsinghua engineering students to gain insights into international engineering, enhance their communication skills, and broaden their global perspectives. The initiative aims to cultivate global engineering talents who possess both innovative abilities in sustainable development and strong cross-cultural communication skills, making positive contributions to achieving engineering support for sustainable development.