From October 29th to 30th, the 2025 International Symposium on Advanced Building Materials was successfully held at Wuhan University of Technology (WUT). Hosted by the university, the event was co-organized by the State Key Laboratory of Silicate Materials for Architectures, the Green Building Materials and Manufacturing Engineering Research Center, the Hubei Provincial Silicate Society, and WUT Association for Science and Technology. The event brought together leading experts, scholars, and researchers from home and abroad to engage in in-depth discussions on emerging topics in the field of advanced building materials, injecting fresh momentum into global innovation and sustainable development in the construction materials industry. President Wang Fazhou of WUT attended the opening ceremony and delivered an address.

In his speech, President Wang pointed out that WUT attaches great importance to international development and has been actively implementing the “4310 Action Plan” for high-quality internationalization and vigorously advancing the reform of the opening-up institutional mechanisms. WUT has also established relationships for talent cultivation, academic exchanges, and scientific research cooperation with over 190 universities and research institutions and has appointed a number of overseas scientists who have made remarkable contributions to the university’s progress. The convening of this International Symposium on Advanced Building Materials will continuously promote the deep integration of international cooperation and academic exchanges within the laboratory. It will help build a seamless chain from disciplinary breakthroughs to industrial innovation, making WUT a key source of global scientific and technological advancement in building materials. In the future, the laboratory will continue to strengthen long-term strategic coordination with top international institutions, develop more “Chinese Solutions” in cutting-edge fields such as green and low-carbon development and smart materials, and strive to move from “catching up” to “leading the way.”

The symposium adopted a format of “Keynote Speeches and On-site Exchanges.” Renowned international experts, including Professor Johann Plank, Academician of the German Academy of Engineering and Professor at the Technical University of Munich; Professor Jos Brouwers from Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands; Professor Ole Jensen from the Technical University of Denmark; and Professor Angel Palomo from the Spanish National Research Council—were invited to deliver keynote speeches, sharing their cutting-edge research findings and insights into future technological trends in the field.

During the symposium, the unveiling ceremony of the “Xiuji–Kühl Laboratory” jointly established by WUT and the Technical University of Munich, as well as the appointment ceremony of Professor Johann Plank as Honorary Professor of WUT, were held. Wang Fazhou and Johann Plank jointly unveiled the plaque for the joint laboratory. Representatives from both sides stated in their speeches that the establishment of the “Xiuji–Kühl Laboratory” is not only a continuation of the century-old friendship between the two universities but also an important milestone for future deepened cooperation in the field of advanced building materials.

Through this symposium, WUT fully demonstrated its disciplinary advantages and scientific research strength in the field of advanced building materials, further enhancing the international academic influence of WUT and the State Key Laboratory of Silicate Materials for Architectures.

Written by: Yu Rui

Rewritten by: Xu Hanyue

Edited by: Liang Muwei, Li Huihui, Li Tiantian

Source: Silicate Materials Engineering Research Center