Recently, a delegation from the Austrian Federal Commercial Office in China, along with representatives from Austrian timber structure companies, visited the College of Material Science and Technology at BFU to engage in a China-Austria exchange on wood structure production, education, and research. The event was attended by leaders from the Office for International Relations, the College of Material Science and Technology, and the faculty of the wood structure materials and engineering program. The meeting was chaired by the Dean of the College.

During the meeting, the head of the Office for International Relations of BFU presented the institution's commitment to international education and collaboration, with a particular focus on academic and research partnerships with the European Union and Austria. The head of the College of Material Science and Technology extended a warm welcome to the Austrian delegation and expressed her desire to delve deeper into collaborative opportunities, aiming to jointly advance the global timber structure industry and educational efforts. The Dean provided an exhaustive overview of the College, touching upon its developmental history, academic disciplines, research achievements, talent cultivation, and community outreach. Notably, she highlighted the College's significant strides in fostering ecological civilization and pursuing sustainable, green, and low-carbon development. The head of the Wood Structure Materials and Engineering program discussed the educational philosophy that integrates collaboration between industry, academia, research, and companies. Emphasizing the practical aspect of wood structure construction courses, he underscored their critical role in enhancing students' abilities to tackle real-world engineering challenges. Finally, the director of the Wood Structure Architecture Design Center showcased BFU's pioneering project, the Green Carbon Station—a near-zero energy consumption wood structure building located on campus. He also introduced the design concept behind Timber EcoNest, a near-zero energy wooden structure housing initiative, which is slated to be a student internship project in 2024.

Officials from the Austrian Federal Commercial Office in China presented the context and objectives of their visit, expressing a keen interest in forging a closer partnership with BFU that encompasses school-enterprise collaboration. Representatives from the Austrian companies provided overviews of their respective enterprises, highlighting their key products and services. They conveyed a strong commitment to supporting BFU's undergraduate internship programs and were enthusiastic about enhancing both training and collaborative endeavors with BFU.

Both parties engaged in fruitful discussions on topics such as the development of the timber structure industry, collaborative talent training, and potential scientific research projects. They also took the opportunity to tour the Green Carbon Station after the meeting.