Indonesian students explore a green and sustainable future in China
In a laboratory at the School of Chemical Engineering and Technology at Tianjin University in northern China, a gas chromatography instrument hummed steadily. Instructor Qi Xiangjuan explained the key operating procedures in English while Indonesian students gathered around the laboratory table, taking careful notes and occasionally asking questions. The chemicals flowing through the glass equipment connected young people from both countries in their shared pursuit of environmentally friendly chemical engineering.
Recently, 26 faculty members and students from Indonesia’s Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) visited Tianjin University to take part in the two-week International Summer Camp on Chemical Engineering for a Sustainable Future. Since the camp opened, participants have attended eight lectures on cutting-edge academic topics, visited several laboratories, conducted hands-on experiments, and joined study visits to industrial areas, with an intensive and rewarding schedule.
Cutting-edge fields such as carbon capture, catalysis for hydrogen energy, and membrane separation are all closely linked to the green and low-carbon transition, and align with Indonesia’s development needs in areas including clean energy and carbon emission reduction. Focusing on China’s Dual Carbon goals, the summer camp aimed to showcase China’s expertise and capabilities in chemical engineering in addressing challenges related to the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Putu Pradnya Paramita Wibawa, a third-year student whose research focuses on catalysts, was impressed after taking part in the gas chromatography experiment. “At ITB, our gas chromatography equipment is still largely operated manually. Here, the automatic sample injection system, various reactors, and fully digitalised platform really amazed me. I would very much like to have the opportunity to learn with equipment like this,” she said.
The advanced instruments and equipment in the laboratories proved to be a highly valuable experience for the Indonesian faculty members and students. Albert Jhonatan Wellson Sinaga, a second-year student, was particularly impressed by the virtual simulation experiments and smart laboratories that can be accessed remotely.
Focusing on the transition towards greener and smarter chemical engineering, the School of Chemical Engineering and Technology at Tianjin University integrates cloud-based remote operation with AI-supported automatic evaluation, developing a mature model for remote experimental learning and making it available worldwide as a shared international educational resource. “You can simulate the entire experimental process through a computer without worrying about making mistakes in actual operation. This way of learning is completely new to me,” he said.
Previously, one of his seniors had been invited to take part in an international competition on smart remote experiments organised by Tianjin University, making the opportunity to try the system directly very appealing to Albert. “We hope this exchange does not end this year, but can continue in the years to come.”
By exploring international evaluation standards for AI-supported remote experiments, the school is building an international chemical engineering education community that combines virtual and physical experiments. Another memorable experience for the students was the Chem-E-Car competition. Tianjin University students formed teams with their Indonesian counterparts to operate small cars powered by chemical reactions. They competed to see whose car could stop closest to the finish line. Everyone held their breath before the race began, and cheers broke out as the cars crossed the finish line.
“Previously, I only studied reaction kinetics from textbooks. It was only after practising it myself that I realised how important parameter control is. The combination of chemical engineering and automatic control is very interesting,” said an Indonesian student.
Tianjin is the birthplace of China’s modern chemical industry. The summer camp also included a series of carefully designed study visits. At the Huanghai Chemical Industry Research Institute of Tianjin Bohai Chemical Industry Group, the Indonesian faculty members and students learned about the century-long history of the Jiu Da Fine Salt Company and the Yongli Soda Plant founded by Fan Xudong. From traditional soda ash production to sustainable aviation fuel, safe zinc-ion batteries, and transparent ABS resin, the transformation of China’s chemical industry towards greener, higher value-added, and more specialised production could be seen and felt directly by the visitors from Indonesia. The concept behind the cars, which use chemical reactions as a power source and operate without producing carbon emissions, provided a tangible small-scale illustration of environmentally friendly chemical engineering.