On the morning of June 3, 2020, EEA and VT ECE (the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of Virginia Tech) held an online cooperation and exchange meeting. Chinese participants included Professor Kang Chongqing, Dean of EEA, Professor Xiao Xi, Deputy Dean of EEA, Professor Shen Chen, Chairman of the Academic Degree Committee, Professor Dong Xinzhou, Professor Li Yongdong, and Associate Professor Sun Kai, Director of the Institute of Power Electronics and Motor Systems. American participants included Professor Dushan Borojevich, Vice President of Virginia Tech, Professor Luke Lester, Dean of ECE, Professor Arun G. Phadke, Professor Fred C. Lee, Professor C. C. Liu and Assistant Professor Dong Dong. The meeting was chaired by Professor Dushan Boroyevich. He first introduced the background of the signing of the memorandum of cooperation between the two sides in 2018 and the purpose of organizing this meeting.

On behalf of the Chinese side, Professor Kang Chongqing, Dean of EEA, introduced the historical evolution, educational and scientific research, personnel training and the latest research achievements of EEA, and reviewed the history of cooperation and exchange between Tsinghua EEA and VT ECE. In particular, he thanked Professor Arun G. Phadke, Professor Fred C. Lee, Professor Dushan Boroyevich and Professor C. C. Liu, four NAE academicians, for their support and help in the discipline development and personnel training of EEA for a long time.

Professor Luke Lester, Dean of VT ECE, introduced the historical development, discipline layout, student training and future planning of ECE on behalf of the American side, and expressed the hope to actively promote exchanges and cooperation with Tsinghua EEA.

Representatives of the two sides discussed specific measures to promote cooperation and exchanges under the influence of COVID-19, including: 1) Chinese teachers and postgraduates to participate in the online joint annual meeting of CPES and PEC of Virginia Tech; 2) American teachers teach Tsinghua graduate students remotely; and 3) hold online joint academic seminars attended by teachers and students from both sides. The two sides also decided to set up an executive committee for cooperation between the Tsinghua EEA and VT ECE, composed of representatives of teachers and graduate students from both sides, to promote follow-up exchanges.

Virginia Tech is an internationally renowned university in the field of engineering education, and the electrical engineering discipline (power system, power electronics) has long been in a leading position in the global universities. The Department of Electrical and Computing Engineering has 4 NAE academicians and 15 IEEE fellows, as well as two international top research platforms, PEC (Power and Energy Center) and CPES (Center of Power Electronic Systems). CPES is the first national engineering research center in the field of electrical engineering approved by NSF (Natural Science Foundation) of the United States, it has become the most famous power electronics research institution in the world since it was established more than 30 years ago, and has been leading the development of power electronics science and technology for a long time.

Some Chinese and American representatives attending this cooperation and exchange meeting