Linyi and Shandong University open a new chapter of cooperation
Eighty-one years after a university born in the Yimeng old revolutionary area gave Shandong University its enduring revolutionary gene, the city of Linyi and the university joined hands across mountains and rivers, holding a "Yimeng spirit at Shandong University" event and Shandong University Linyi Day at the university's central campus in Jinan on Oct 13 and 14.
It was the first time Linyi has entered Shandong University in the form of a city-themed day.
The historical thread runs deep. In August 1945, the Party began preparations to establish "Linyi Shandong University." Amid the flames of war, the school moved between seven locations, including the Jingwen Academy in Linyi's old town and Tingshui town in Junan county. In 1948, it merged with Huazhong Construction University to form East China University, and in 1951 it moved to Qingdao and merged with the National Shandong University to form the new Shandong University, becoming part of the university's 120-year history.
After more than 80 years, the history and culture of Linyi Shandong University and the Yimeng spirit have long been integrated into Shandong University's academic lineage, forming the deep foundation of its revolutionary heritage.
On the evening of Oct 13, the themed presentation "The Yimeng Spirit Passed Down Through Generations" was held. More than ten programs were staged through lectures, situational drama and song-and-dance performances, bringing the Yimeng spirit to the campus. The event carried special meaning: the first such presentation was held at Shandong University in late 2024, marking the start of a national tour, and its return to the campus both recalls that bond and serves as a practical effort to plant red seeds in young minds.
On the morning of Oct 14, at the Yimeng spirit seminar held at the university, several professors and experts discussed the value, digital reshaping and conceptual logic of the Yimeng spirit. In recent years, Linyi has issued guidelines on further carrying forward the Yimeng spirit, supported by a work plan, advancing the practice and transmission of the red gene, cultural exchange and the living inheritance of red resources, and accelerating the building of a red culture inheritance and development highland with national influence.
Guided by the Yimeng spirit, Linyi has become a regional central city in southern Shandong and northern Jiangsu. It is one of China's top 100 manufacturing cities and ranks third in the province by the number of industrial enterprises above designated size, with 106 products ranking among the top three globally or nationally by output or market share, and aims to reach one trillion yuan in industrial output this year. Its market cluster is the largest in the country, its market transaction volume ranks first among prefecture-level cities nationwide, and total logistics value exceeds one trillion yuan. Its cultural tourism industry recorded 100 million visits and 100 billion yuan in revenue last year.
Under the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), the Shandong provincial Party committee and government have tasked Linyi with building a provincial sub-central city and moving toward trillion-yuan city status. To achieve this, the city needs stronger support from science and talent.
More than 1,000 Linyi students study at Shandong University, more than 2,000 of its graduates have settled in Linyi, 33 of its distinguished teachers have taken temporary science and technology posts in the city, and more than 100 cooperation projects have drawn over 300 million yuan ($42.25 million) in social investment.
In January 2026, the Linyi high-end engineering equipment industry technology research institute, led by Linyi Lingong Machinery Group and jointly established with Shandong University and key enterprises along the industry chain, was unveiled, marking a new stage of platform-based, systematic collaborative innovation in the city's high-end equipment industry.
"Enterprises pose the questions, universities solve them, and we use research breakthroughs to tackle bottleneck technologies," said Wan Yi, Party secretary of the university's School of Mechanical Engineering. The research team formed by the university and Shandong Lingong has solved a number of technical problems including integrated design of hybrid power modules and flexible multi-in-one domain control technology, developing a multi-in-one domain motor controller for electric engineering machinery.
On the healthy meat products industry chain, the Healthy Products Research Center jointly built by Shandong University and Jinhua Group's Shansong Pharmaceutical was unveiled in December 2025, exploring an efficient collaborative mechanism in which the industry sets the topic, the enterprise poses the question and research answers it.
In May 2026, the Jiusan Society's provincial committee and Shandong University established a joint biotherapy laboratory in Linyi, focusing on technology development, achievement transformation and talent cultivation to strengthen the city's modern pharmaceutical and biomanufacturing industry chains.
Precise matching underpins this cooperation. On May 9, 2025, a Shandong University science and technology achievement express event was held in Linyi, with experts from its science and technology research institute and schools of mechanical engineering, chemistry and chemical engineering, and electromechanical and information engineering sharing their research. Two matching sessions were held for intelligent manufacturing and new materials, with representatives of 10 intelligent manufacturing companies and 20 new materials companies discussing technical problems one-on-one with experts and visiting related enterprises.
The university's research strengths have created new engines for Linyi's 13 signature industry chains, including high-end stainless steel, biomanufacturing and fine chemicals.
On Aug 22, 2025, marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of Linyi Shandong University, the university's science and technology achievement express (Linyi stop) and Linyi's signature industry chain talent-industry matchmaking conference were held in the city. Thirty-four experts and professors from the university's teaching and research units in mechanics, materials, chemistry, environment and microbiology held in-depth discussions with representatives of more than 100 enterprises.
Meanwhile, based on the innovation needs of its 13 signature industry chains, Linyi has linked with 106 universities and research institutes nationwide, gathering 6,142 experts and 2,727 high-value achievements and initially forming an industry-talent map that links industry, platforms, talent and technology.
On the morning of Oct 14, the launch ceremony of Shandong University Linyi Day and a youth talent recruitment presentation were held. The event used on-site recruitment, industry and talent project signing and open bidding for key challenges to integrate spirit transmission with talent cultivation, scientific achievement transformation and industrial empowerment.
The event marked a step from scattered to systematic cooperation between the city and the university. Going forward, the two sides will establish a regular cooperation mechanism focused on talent cultivation, industrial research, rural revitalization and cultural tourism integration, promoting mutual empowerment of the university's research results and intellectual resources with Linyi's industrial sectors and grassroots practice.
Editor：韩蒙蒙