From March 31 to April 12, Professor Li Yongdong from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Applied Electronics (EEA) at Tsinghua University visited Europe for academic purposes. During the visit, he participated in the 26th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications (EPE25) held in Paris, France, and was also invited to visit the Technical University of Munich in Germany and the Université Marie et Louis Pasteur in France.

From March 31 to April 4, Professor Li Yongdong and Dr. Chen Qing attended the EPE25 academic conference in Paris. The conference received a total of 352 submissions and accepted 237 papers, including 157 poster presentations and 80 oral presentations. During the conference, Professor Li engaged in in-depth discussions with renowned scholars from international universities and engineering professionals from leading enterprises. Dr. Chen Qing gave a presentation titled "Model Predictive Torque Control with Direct Parameter Variation for Induction Motors," showcasing the team's latest research achievements in the field of high-performance motor control.

This year’s conference attracted 17 internationally renowned companies, including Volkswagen, dSPACE, Hitachi Energy, and Wolfspeed. The conference banquet was sponsored by Huawei, highlighting the active participation and broad influence of Chinese enterprises in the global power electronics industry.

Photo: Professor Li Yongdong with EPE’25 Committee Members and GE Vernova Engineers

Note: The EPE Conference has been held biennially since its inception in 1985. Starting in 2011, it was jointly organized with IEEE and renamed ECCE Europe, becoming an annual event until 2024. In 2025, the EPE Association independently organized the final EPE'25, after which the association officially dissolved. ECCE Europe 2025 will be held in the UK in September and continue annually thereafter.

From April 6 to 8, Professor Li Yongdong and Dr. Chen Qing visited the High Power Converter Systems Institute (HLU) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), hosted by the current director Professor Marcelo Heldwein. The two sides had extensive discussions on research areas such as high-power converters and motor drives, reaching a preliminary intention for future research cooperation and talent cultivation. During the visit, the delegation toured HLU’s laboratory facilities to gain firsthand understanding of the experimental platforms and testing environments used in high-power converter research.

Professor Li has maintained a long-standing academic relationship with Professor Ralph Kennel, former director of HLU and a globally recognized expert. Professor Kennel has visited Tsinghua University and several other Chinese institutions multiple times to give academic lectures, playing a key role in promoting Sino-German academic exchange in the field of power electronics. He is scheduled to visit Tsinghua again in August this year for another academic lecture.

Photo: Professor Li Yongdong Discussing with Professor Marcelo Heldwein, Touring HLU Laboratory, and Attending Lunch Meeting

Note: Tsinghua University and TUM established their partnership in 1994 and signed a “Flagship Partnership Memorandum” in October 2020. This marked a new phase in bilateral cooperation in research, education, and innovation. The memorandum was signed virtually by then Tsinghua President Qiu Yong and TUM President Thomas F. Hofmann, aiming to deepen collaboration in aerospace, chemistry, micro-nano electronics, automation, civil engineering, and architecture, as well as expand into smart manufacturing, robotics, innovation and entrepreneurship, and lifelong learning.

From April 9 to 11, Professor Li Yongdong visited the FEMTO-ST Institute at Université Marie et Louis Pasteur (UMLP), France, at the invitation of Vice President Professor Daniel Hissel and Professor Zheng Zhixue, an EEA alumnus. He delivered an academic report titled “Status and Trends in Electrified Transportation and Marine Applications.” The talk focused on the key challenges and emerging technologies in the field, with particular attention to applications of high-frequency transformers in next-generation railway traction drives, DC railway power systems, electrified highways, and marine electric propulsion. The presentation generated wide interest and lively discussion among the attending faculty and students.

Photo: Professor Li Yongdong Delivering Academic Lecture and Taking Group Photo with FEMTO-ST Team Members

Professor Li Yongdong’s academic visit to Europe (along with an upcoming trip to the United States) further expanded Tsinghua University's international cooperation and academic influence in frontier fields such as power electronics and electrified transportation, laying a solid foundation for future collaboration in research, project development, and talent training.