On April 30th, a symposium for initiating open projects was held at Guangxi University by the State Key Laboratory dedicated to featured metal materials and life-cycle safety for composite structures, a joint effort between the province and the ministry. Prof. Dr. Xiao Jianzhuang, Vice President and standing member of GXU Party Committee, participated in this meeting.

Vice president Xiao emphasized the importance of the first batch of open projects initiated following the establishment of the laboratory, highlighting Guangxi University’s and the laboratory’s commitment to these initiatives. The university is dedicated to supporting the project teams in driving their projects forward and providing the necessary assurances. He urged laboratory partners to excel in coordination and support roles. Leaders of the granted open projects, along with their lab counterparts, are encouraged to leverage their unique strengths, uphold a practical and realistic approach, and collaborate to secure significant research outcomes for each project. Xiao also invited feedback and suggestions on the lab’s open projects, aiming to enhance the collaborative and open exchange of academic research within the laboratory.

The laboratory director provided an overview of the lab and shared details on the submission, review, and approval process of open projects. In the discussion phase, project leaders from 17 prestigious institution, including Tsinghua University, Institute of Metal Research, CAS, and an international university, University of Manchester, reported their preparatory work and research plans. They also engaged in detailed discussions with the lab’s researchers on various research topics, fostering an environment of collaborative exchange.

Open projects play a crucial role in the research activities and management of the State Key Laboratories, epitomizing its principles of openness, mobility, collaboration, and competition. These projects foster a research framework that encourages collaboration across multiple fields and the integration of various disciplines.

The symposium utilized a hybrid approach, blending both online and in-person elements, and was attended by more than 30 leaders of open projects and GXU researchers involved in these collaborations.