In accordance with UNESCO’s strategy and evaluation policy for Category 2 Institutes, from May 15 to 16, 2025, a UNESCO evaluation expert team visited Beijing to conduct an on-site evaluation of the UNESCO International Centre for Engineering Education (ICEE). The team included Madam Tengku Sharizad Tengku Dahlan, Director of the UNESCO International Science, Technology and Innovation Centre for South-South Cooperation (ISTIC), and WEN Lianggong, Vice Dean of the Microelectronics Innovation and Technology Institute of Beihang University Qingdao Research Institute, as evaluation experts. Dr. Ai Sugiura, Programme Specialist for Natural Science at the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia (Beijing), participated in the evaluation throughout the process. During the evaluation, the team held discussions with relevant leaders at Tsinghua University, the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), and the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO to review ICEE’s implementation of its mission, achievement of objectives, and institutional support since its establishment.

On the morning of May 15, YANG Bin, Vice Chairperson of the Tsinghua University Council and Executive Director of ICEE, met with the evaluation team at Gong Zi Ting. YANG Bin introduced Tsinghua University’s recent progress in educational and pedagogical reforms within engineering disciplines. He stated that ICEE co-established by Tsinghua University and CAE, serves as a key platform for the university’s international exchanges and collaborations. In recent years, under UNESCO’s guidance, ICEE has closely aligned with UNESCO’s strategic priorities and global sustainable development agendas, achieving a series of outcomes in advisory research, educational initiatives, and international network building. This evaluation and observation visit holds significant guiding value for enhancing and refining ICEE’s operations, as well as further advancing its functions in policy research and talent cultivation.

Group photo of the evaluation team at ICEE

On the morning of May 15, the evaluation team held a discussion with the ICEE team. WU Qidi, Director of ICEE and former Vice Minister of Education, delivered a welcome speech. YUAN Si, Executive Director of ICEE and former Vice President of Tsinghua University, presented ICEE’s innovative work in advisory research, educational activities, and international cooperation, along with its team management and resource development. GONG Ke, member of the Advisory Board of ICEE, former President of World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), and KANG Jincheng, ICEE’s Strategic Expert for International Cooperation and former Director General of CAE’s Department of International Cooperation, participated in the discussion. They highlighted ICEE’s achievements and influence in formulating international engineering education standards, enhancing engineering capacity-building in developing countries, and collaborating with international engineering organizations.

On the afternoon of May 15, the team visited xuetangX to engage with ICEE’s partners. Partners shared initiatives such as sharing high-quality online engineering education resources with developing countries, cultivating localized engineering talent through overseas construction projects, and promoting youth science and technology education. Subsequently, the team visited the School of Education at Tsinghua University for an interview. SHI Zhongying, Dean of the School of Education, and ZHONG Zhou, Associate Professor, participated in the session. Dean SHI emphasized that the School of Education, as the host institution of ICEE’s Secretariat, prioritizes ICEE’s development and has established engineering pedagogy as a distinctive discipline in Tsinghua’s first-class educational disciplines. He pledged continued collaboration with ICEE to advance engineering’s role in sustainable development.

Group photo of the evaluation team at the School of Education

On the morning of May 16, the team visited the CAE and the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO. At CAE, TIAN Qi, Director General of Department of International Cooperation, LIU Chang, Director of Division One of the Department of International Cooperation, and WANG Xiaojun, Director of the Education Division of Department Two, elaborated on CAE’s joint efforts with Tsinghua to develop ICEE and addressed questions from the experts. At the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO (CNCU), GE Siying, Deputy Secretary General of CNCU, GU Xin, Director of Division of Policy and General Administration of CNCU, GUO Wei, Director of the Division of Sciences and Culture of CNCU, and GUO Zhijun, Deputy Director of the Division of Education of CNCU, provided an overview of China’s support for UNESCO Category 2 Center, including ICEE.

Group photo of the evaluation team at CAE

Group photo of the evaluation team at the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO

On the afternoon of May 16, the team conducted a technical visit to Tsinghua University’s Fundamental Industry Training Center (iCenter). YAO Qiming, Vice Director of the iCenter, and LI Fan, Vice Director of the Teaching & Research Office of the iCenter, introduced Tsinghua’s engineering practice teaching platforms, distinctive features, and support for ICEE.

Group photo of the evaluation team at the iCenter

The UNESCO International Centre for Engineering Education (ICEE) is a Category 2 Centre jointly proposed and established by the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Tsinghua University. Approved at UNESCO’s 38th General Conference in November 2015, it was officially inaugurated in Beijing in June 2016. This evaluation holds significant importance for ICEE’s future development.