Since 1986, Hamburg and Shanghai have enjoyed a close and trusting sister city partnership that has evolved from economic ties into a diverse network spanning business, science, education, culture and personal exchange. During a visit to China by a high-level delegation from Hamburg, led by First Mayor Dr Peter Tschentscher and aimed at further strengthening this partnership, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) made important contributions to these efforts.
In his speech at the anniversary reception at the historic Peace Hotel, Hamburg's First Mayor Dr Peter Tschentscher highlighted urban development and health, modern mobility and innovative technologies as key issues shared by the two waterfront metropolises of Hamburg and Shanghai.
For TUHH, the focus of its cooperation in Shanghai and with other partners in China is on "Engineering to Face Climate Change". Both the student exchange programme with Fudan University and research projects at the newly opened CampusLab "Global Soil Health, Water and Climate", established in cooperation with the Feishu Institute in Shanghai, an offshoot of the Fields Institute in Toronto, contribute to this goal.
Reflecting on the visit, TUHH President Prof. Andreas Timm-Giel emphasised the importance of cooperation between the two cities: "In recent years, China has become one of the world's leading nations in technology, innovation and science. The 40-year partnership between Shanghai and Hamburg provides an excellent foundation for expanding our cooperation, learning from one another and working together to address the major challenges of the future, such as climate change. Through student exchanges and open academic dialogue, science can and should serve as a bridge between different cultures and nations. We are delighted to have received such a warm welcome from our partners in Shanghai."
Fudan University: Cooperation with a Leading University
TUHH President Prof. Andreas Timm-Giel and Vice President for Research Prof. Irina Smirnova met with Fudan University President Jin Li for direct talks aimed at further deepening cooperation between the two universities. In October 2025, the universities had signed cooperation agreements focusing on student exchanges. The visit built on these agreements and opened up opportunities for further joint activities.
At the subsequent "TU Hamburg Day", researchers from both universities presented their work in an interdisciplinary poster exhibition. Alongside academic exchange, discussions focused on the future of teaching and the role of artificial intelligence.
Sister Lab: Environmental Research Across Continents
Another highlight of the delegation's visit was the opening of the Sister Lab in Shanghai. The new partner laboratory at the Yangtze River Delta Oasis Smart Valley expands TUHH's CampusLab on Global Soil Health, Water and Climate with an international location.
Opened in Hamburg in 2025, the living lab is led by the Institute of Geo-Hydroinformatics (Prof. Shokri) and enables practice-oriented research, teaching and science communication on soil, water, vegetation and climate.
The Sister Lab initiative was developed in cooperation with the Feishu Institute in Shanghai, an offshoot of the Fields Institute in Toronto. It supports the objectives of the UNU Hub "Engineering to Face Climate Change" at TUHH, which is affiliated with the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) in Toronto.
Shaping the Future Together
These two initiatives demonstrate how TU Hamburg is bringing the sister-city partnership to life through academic cooperation, personal exchange and joint living labs. While the ports of Hamburg and Shanghai have been major hubs of global trade for decades, science and education are becoming increasingly important bridges between the two cities.
The 40th anniversary is therefore not only an opportunity to reflect on a longstanding friendship but also a starting point for new joint initiatives. TU Hamburg is helping to strengthen international networks, support early-career talent and develop shared solutions to global challenges. In Shanghai, the network continues to receive valuable support from the Hamburg Liaison Office.
