On June 5, the "Joint Laboratory for Cathode Materials ofAll-Solid-State Batteries" of Ningbo Eastern Institute ofTechnology (EIT) and GEM Co., Ltd. officially signed its cooperationagreement on the EIT campus. The two sides will carry out in-depthcooperation in core technology breakthroughs, joint talentcultivation, and the commercialization of research achievements,jointly exploring a new model of industry–universitycollaborative innovation.
Shiyi Chen, President of EIT and Member of the Chinese Academy ofSciences; Kaihua Xu, Chairman of GEM; Wenjun Zeng, Vice President ofEIT and Foreign Member of the Canadian Academy of Engineering; andMing Zhou, Dean of the Division of Engineering of EIT and Member ofthe U.S. National Academy of Engineering, attended the ceremony andwitnessed the signing. Xueliang Sun, EIT University Chair Professor,Director of the Institute of Matter and Energy, and Foreign Member ofthe Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Kun Zhang, Senior DeputyGeneral Manager of GEM and President of GEM Central ResearchInstitute, signed the agreement on behalf of the two parties.
New energy and energy-storage technologies are national strategicemerging industries, and all-solid-state batteries are the coredirection for the next-generation upgrade of power batteries. Shiyi Chen noted that GEM has long been deeply engaged in the new-energymaterials industry and committed to empowering the real economythrough industry–academia–research collaboration, whichaligns highly with EIT's operating philosophy of staying closely tiedto national strategies, empowering industries through innovation, andserving local development through scientific research. Thiscooperation is the inevitable result of the two parties' long-termdedication and shared direction. He expressed the hope that bothsides would take this signing as a new starting point, delve into thefrontier of solid-state batteries, and jointly build a top-tierdomestic demonstration platform for industry–academia–researchcooperation, contributing to the high-quality development of thenational new-energy industry and to scientific and technologicalself-reliance.
Kaihua Xu expressed sincere gratitude for EIT's warm reception andstrong support. He spoke highly of EIT's grand aspiration of being"born of the times and arriving with a mission." As aglobal leader in developing "urban mines" and a drivingforce behind the full life-cycle value chain of lithium batteries,GEM has always kept in mind its original aspiration that "resourcesare limited, but recycling is infinite." GEM and Academician Xueliang Sun's team have long conducted joint research and technologicaltackling around core directions such as solid-state cathodematerials, building deep scientific synergy. He looks forward tobuilding the laboratory into a first-class R&D laboratory servingthe country and the industry in the era of new quality productiveforces.
Xueliang Sun pointed out that the establishment of the joint laboratoryrests on the strategic vision and full support of Chairman Kaihua Xu,and would not have been possible without the great support of EIT'sleadership. The founding of the joint laboratory is an importantmeasure for the university to deepen university–enterprisecooperation, enhance its social impact, and promote the transfer ofscientific and technological achievements. As head of the jointlaboratory, he will lead the team to focus on the key scientificquestions and core technological bottlenecks of cathode materialsdedicated to all-solid-state batteries, strive to advancebreakthroughs in original research and industrial application, andcontribute to the development of solid-state battery technology inChina.
Underthe agreement, the joint laboratory will rely on the innovation teamcentered on Academician Xueliang Sun, together with GEM's engineeringand industrialization talent teams and innovation platforms, focusingon original innovation and industrial deployment of key technologiesacross the entire chain of all-solid-state batteries. It aims tobecome a global highland for solid-state battery R&D, a base forcultivating high-end talent, and a demonstration platform for thecommercialization of achievements, boosting the development of thenational new-energy industry.
On the same day, Kaihua Xu and his delegation, accompanied by Xueliang Sun, toured EIT's Institute of Matter and Energy, and the twosides also discussed and exchanged views on topics such assolid-state batteries.
The signing ceremony was hosted by Pan Yijie, Director of the ResearchDepartment. GEM Deputy General Manager Yujun Chen, members of Xueliang Sun's team, and others attended related activities.