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Signed! Strategic Alliance Between Xihua University and Tonglin Foundry

On December 5, 2025, Chengdu Tonglin Foundry Industry Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chengdu Zhengheng Power Co., Ltd., successfully held the Industry-University Cooperation Signing and Licensing Ceremony with Xihua University.

Talent cultivation constituted the core of this collaboration. The School of Materials Science and Engineering of Xihua University produces over 400 undergraduate and postgraduate graduates annually, among whom more than 30% possess interdisciplinary practical capabilities, which are highly aligned with the talent needs of Tonglin Foundry.

During the speech session, Professor Wang Zhengyun, Vice Dean of the School of Materials Science and Engineering of Xihua University, pointed out that Xihua University has achieved fruitful research results in the fields of metal materials, composite materials and lightweighting of engine components. By synergizing with Tonglin Foundry’s accumulated expertise in engine cylinder block manufacturing processes, the two parties will jointly promote the application of new materials and intelligent manufacturing. Furthermore, they will co-establish a “double-qualified teacher” training system, enabling enterprise mentors to teach in classrooms and students to train in workshops, realizing the “career-start-up upon enrollment” model and innovating the joint talent cultivation mechanism. These concrete plans paved the way for the subsequent appointment of “Growth Mentors”.

Huang Yong, Director of the Technology Center, stated in his speech: “Industry-education integration must focus on solving real-world problems with practical solutions. We look forward to transforming production line challenges into joint research projects, collaborating with Xihua University to tackle key technologies such as green manufacturing and intelligent testing, and integrating engineers’ practical experience deeply into the talent training process to cultivate the ‘field engineers’ urgently needed by the industry.”

A special alumni video sharing session was arranged for the event. Several alumni who studied at Xihua University and have now grown into technical backbones or senior engineers at Tonglin Foundry shared their growth stories via video.

Subsequently, the ceremony proceeded to its core segment: the signing and licensing. The collaboration was officially launched as Vice Dean Wang Zhengyun and Director Huang Yong signed the agreement and exchanged documents. The mutual awarding of the “Industry-University Cooperation Base” plaque symbolized the materialization and long-termization of this partnership.

This was followed by the appointment of “Growth Mentors”. Tonglin Foundry selected five frontline experts, including department directors, doctoral researchers and senior engineers. These mentors will not hold nominal titles; instead, they will shoulder the important responsibility of integrating frontline experience and industry standards directly into the talent training process, serving as key participants in teaching activities.

Leaders from the Administration and Human Resources Department of Tonglin Foundry elaborated on the company’s systematic initiatives for talent introduction, cultivation and retention. This addressed universities’ concerns about development platforms for students and demonstrated the company’s sincerity in building a stable haven for talent.

The in-depth value of industry-education integration lies in building a platform for sustainable development. It is not merely a student internship base, but also a joint R&D center, a technical exchange community and an achievement incubator. Through joint application for scientific research projects, sharing of experimental equipment and co-compilation of practical teaching materials, resources from both the university and the enterprise are efficiently integrated and multiplied. The ultimate goal of this in-depth integration is to create what Xihua University refers to as the “Innovation Highland for the Foundry Industry in Western China”, providing sustained talent support and technological innovation impetus for the high-quality development of regional manufacturing.

The signing ceremony concluded successfully, but it marks only the beginning of in-depth cooperation between the two parties. This strategic alliance between Xihua University and Tonglin Foundry is not just a collaboration between a university and an enterprise; it represents an organic connection between the education chain, talent chain, industrial chain and innovation chain. Moving forward, the two parties will jointly build the “Innovation Highland for the Foundry Industry in Western China”, cultivate more “craftsman-type” talents who excel in both theory and practice for the industry, and inject sustained momentum into the transformation and upgrading of China’s manufacturing sector.