Dear Relevant Organizations：
To deeply study and implement the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and to put into effect the requirements of documents such as the Opinions on Deepening the Reform of the Modern Vocational Education System issued by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council, and guided by the Notice of the General Office of the Ministry of Education on Accelerating Key Tasks for Reforming the Modern Vocational Education System and the Implementation Plan for the "Robot+" Application Action, we aim to drive innovation in the robotics industry and further advance the reform of the modern vocational education system. To this end, Zhuhai Gree Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd., Beihang University, and relevant vocational colleges are taking the lead, in collaboration with the Vocational Education Center of China Education Television, Beijing Soft Robot Technology Co., Ltd. (SRT), as well as other institutions of higher learning, vocational colleges, research institutes, industry associations, and upstream and downstream enterprises in the robotics industry, to jointly establish the "National Industry-Education Integration Community for the Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing Industry" (hereinafter referred to as the "Community"). Together, we will create a model of deep industry-education integration featuring collaboration among government, industry, academia, and enterprises.
Robots are hailed as the "jewel at the crown of manufacturing." Their R&D, manufacturing, and application are important indicators of a country's technological innovation and high-end manufacturing capabilities. According to the China Robot Industry Development Report (2022), China's robot market reached US$17.4 billion, with an average annual growth rate of 22% over the past five years, reflecting the vigorous growth of the robot industry.
Founded in 1991, Gree Electric Appliances, Inc. of Zhuhai has grown into a diversified, technology-driven global industrial manufacturing group, with operations spanning home consumer goods and industrial equipment, and products sold to more than 190 countries and regions.
The company has built 77 production bases both domestically and internationally, located in Guangdong, Chongqing, Anhui, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Tianjin, Sichuan, Jiangxi, Shandong, as well as in Brazil and Pakistan. In addition, it has established six renewable resource bases in Changsha, Zhengzhou, Shijiazhuang, Wuhu, Tianjin, and Zhuhai, covering the entire industry chain from upstream production to downstream recycling, thus achieving green, circular, and sustainable development.
The company currently has 16 research institutes: the Institute of Refrigeration Technology, Institute of Electromechanical Technology, two Institutes of Home Appliance Technology, Institute of New Energy and Environmental Technology, Institute of Health Technology, Institute of Communication Technology, Institute of Intelligent Equipment Technology, Institute of Robotics, Institute of Internet of Things, Institute of Equipment Power Technology, Institute of Motor System Technology, Institute of Laundry Technology, Institute of Freezing and Refrigeration Technology, Institute of Building Environment and Energy Conservation, and Institute of Electrical and Electronic Materials. In addition, it has 152 research centers, 1,411 laboratories, and one academician workstation (motors and controls). It also hosts one State Key Laboratory, one National Engineering Research Center, one National Industrial Design Center, one National Certificated Enterprise Technology Center, and one Robotics Engineering Technology R&D Center. Furthermore, it has been designated as a National Inquiry Center for Refrigeration Equipment Research and Evaluation Base.
Zhuhai Gree Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gree Electric Appliances, Inc., is an intelligent equipment enterprise integrating R&D, production, sales, and service. Currently, the company's products cover more than ten fields, including servo manipulators, industrial robots, intelligent warehousing equipment, intelligent inspection, heat exchanger special-purpose machine tools, unmanned automated production lines, and CNC machine tools, with over 100 product specifications.
The company offers custom-developed grippers and auxiliary equipment to deliver tailored industrial robot integration applications and large-scale automated production line solutions. It has been recognized as a “Guangdong Province Leading Enterprise in Robotics” and a “Zhuhai Municipal Engineering Technology Center for Intelligent Equipment.” Three R&D and production bases have been established in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, covering a total area of approximately 300,000 square meters, primarily dedicated to the incubation and industrialization of industrial robots, CNC machine tools, automation equipment, and automated production lines. Additional bases are planned and under construction in Wuhan, Hangzhou, and Chongqing. The expected annual output value is projected to exceed RMB 10 billion.
Beihang University (BUAA), founded in 1952, has been a key national university since its establishment. It is one of the first 16 key universities in China, and also one of the first 22 universities authorized to establish graduate schools after the restoration of the academic degree system in the 1980s. Beihang was admitted to the "211 Project" in 1995, the "985 Project" in 2001, and was selected as a "Double First-Class" construction university in 2017. The Beihang Robotics Institute, founded in 1987 by Academician Zhang Qixian, is a research entity integrating teaching, research, and development, and enjoys high recognition in China.
The vocational college intending to take the lead must have already established programs related to industrial robotics and intelligent manufacturing, and be a well-known institution in the industry.
Now, Gree, Beihang University, and a renowned vocational college are jointly taking the lead in establishing the proposed Community. This initiative is aimed at meeting the demand for high-quality technical and skilled talent in the robotics industry. It will establish a sound operational mechanism with a physical entity, create a supply-demand docking mechanism for industry and education, jointly carry out talent cultivation, coordinate technological research and development, develop high-quality teaching evaluation standards and industry talent assessment standards, professional teaching resources, practical capability projects, and teaching equipment, and build "Robot+" industry-education integration training bases. Following preliminary preparations, the Community is planned to be officially launched in October, with an inaugural meeting and the first plenary session of its inaugural council to be convened at an appropriate time. At that meeting, the Community’s charter will be reviewed, the council structure will be confirmed, and membership credentials will be issued.
We sincerely invite your esteemed organization to participate in the construction of the Community. If your organization confirms its participation, please complete the following:
Appendix 1: Membership Application Form for the National Industry-Education Integration Community for the Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing Industry.docx
(Print double-sided, two copies) and affix the official seal. Send the scanned copy to the designated email address before October 15.
● Contact Person: Li Yang
● Tel：13011223626
● Email：liyang@softrobottech.com
National Industry-Education Integration Community for the Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing Industry (Proposed)
Seal of Zhuhai Gree Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd. (Acting)
October 7, 2023