On 7 November 2023, the opening ceremony of the third batch International Master Class of Metallurgical Engineering (hereinafter referred to as "Opening Ceremony") was held at Central South University. Prof. Guo Xueyi, Vice President of Central South University, Prof. Cheng Qiongwen, Secretary of the Party Committee and Prof. Min Xiaobo, Dean of the School of Metallurgy and Environment of Central South University, Dr. Zhang Kun, Deputy General Manager of GEM.Co.Ltd, attended the Opening Ceremony, and Mr. Firdausi Manti, Director General of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment Coordination of Indonesia, and Mr. Manti, Director General of the Ministry of Transportation and Industry, also attended this opening ceremony. Mr Firdausi Manti, Director General of the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Indonesian Investment (hereinafter "Kemenkomarves"), and Mr Yudi Saptono, Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Transportation and Industry (Kemenhub), were present at the opening ceremony by via online video. A total of 28 new students also participated in the ceremony and opened a new chapter in their lives.

As a major programme of technological and cultural exchanges between China and Indonesia, GEM-CMMAI-CSU jointly developed the International Metallurgical Engineering Master Class (hereinafter referred to as the "Joint Training Class") which has continuously supplied high talents for the metallurgical industry and new energy industry in Indonesia. This is in line with the development history of China and Indonesia, which jointly promote the development of new energy and green development. The programme has also rewritten the history of Sino-Indonesian scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation, and has been strongly supported by the Indonesian government.

On 14 October 2019, the first batch of joint training classes opened at Central South University, 22 Indonesian students successfully overcame difficulties during COVID-19 and completed their studies onschedulein three years. Most of the students who have graduated, chose to join PT QMB Indoneisa and become part of the management. The effectiveness of this training has been recognised by the Indonesian government.

On 18 October 2022, the second batch of joint training classessuccessfully conducted. Since thebeginof the class, 30 Indonesian students have completed their professional courses at CSU. Currently, these students are undergoing a three-month Chinese language crash course at GEM in order tohave ability to speakin Chinese and master China's advanced metallurgy and new energy materials knowledge.

The year 2023 will mark the 10th anniversary of the "Belt and Road" Initiative, and the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping's visit to GEM, as well as the first anniversary of the eight steps proposed by President Xi Jinping to support high-quality "Belt and Road" joint development. At this important historical moment, GEM not only promoted the registration of the third co-cultivation class, but also signed the fourth international co-cultivation agreement for the Master of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science with Central South University and the Indonesian government (CMMAI), and signed the first China-Indonesia joint laboratory as well as university scholarship agreement with Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). It aims to deeply promote Sino-Indonesian scientific, technological and cultural cooperation, and actively implement President Xi Jinping's "China's Eight Steps to Support High-Quality 'One Belt and One Road' Development".

"The boulder rose with the wind in one day, and travelled 90,000 miles." At the opening ceremony, Prof Guo Xueyi, Vice President of CSU, delivered a warm welcome to the 28 new students who had travelled a long way to the university, and reviewing a series of initiatives and achievements of the tripartite joint efforts to develop talents between GEM-CMMAI-CSU. He said that the university will continue to work closely with the Indonesian government and GEM to nurture the students well. He also hoped that the students would give their best and make good use of their time, so that they could contribute to promoting Indonesia's economic and social development, and could become a bridge of friendship and cooperation between the university and Indonesia.

Dr. Zhang Kun, Deputy General Manager of GEM Group, said that GEM will carry forward the investment concept of "Integration of Technology and Culture-Growing with Indonesia", and not only build a high-tech nickel resource industrial park with "Technology+Intellegience+Green" in Indonesia, but also the first world-class engineering research centre for nickel laterite ore wet metallurgy and new energy materials, and become the first world-class nickel industry museum in Indonesia. On 6 January, GEM signed a "Memorandum of Understanding on Joint Construction of China-Indonesia Research Laboratory for New Energy Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Technology" with Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and Central South University (CSU). "This is the first joint laboratory in the history of Chinese universities, Chinese enterprises and Indonesian universities, which creates a new history in Sino-Indonesian scientific and technological cooperation. At the same time, launched Indonesia's "one million" talent development plan, that is, the three parties agreed in the next five years to train "One hundred engineering doctorates, One thousand engineering masters, and Ten thousand engineering personnel", to provide high talent support for Indonesia's economic and social development. Furthermore, Dr Zhang Kun also encouraged the new students of the third batch of joint training classes to use their professional knowledge to promote the transformation and development of Indonesia's nickel resources. Furthermore, Dr Zhang Kun also encouraged the new students of the third batch of joint training classes to use their professional knowledge to promote the transformation and development of Indonesia's nickel resources into new energy, as well as to become ambassadors of scientific and technological and cultural exchanges between China and Indonesia. He also encouraged the students to become first-class metallurgical scientists and new energy material scientists in Indonesia or possibly even in the world, thereby contributing to the development of the world's new energy industry!

At the opening ceremony, Prof. Cheng Qiongwen, Secretary of the Party Committee and Prof. Min Xiaobo, Dean of the Faculty of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, as well as Mr Yudi Saptono, Deputy of Maritime Industry and Transport, Indonesia, delivered speeches respectively. They reviewed the situation of the two joint training courses, affirmed the great achievements of these trainings, and hoped that the new students of the third batch of joint training courses could become the pillar of consensus of the two countries as well as promote cultural, scientific and technological exchanges between Indonesia and China; they also hoped that GEM-CMMAI-CSU could further deepen cooperation, cultivate more talents in the fields of metallurgy and new energy, and create a "One Belt, One Road" cooperation model in universities that are in the stage of jointly promoting cooperation between Indonesia and China to achieve greater development in various fields.

Afterwards, Peng Xuezhen (Viola Dheena), an outstanding student representative of the second batch of co-training classes, delivered a warm welcome to the newly registered students and expressed her gratitude to GEM-CSU-CSMMAI for their generous support and training.

Nyoman Ari Bhaskara (Indonesia), a representative of the third batch of the joint training class, said that he will strive to become one of the many outstanding young people leading the development of science and technology in Indonesia. Turning his academic dreams into real contributions, taking part in promoting Sino-Indonesian cultural, scientific and technological exchanges, and contributing to the development of Indonesia's metallurgical and new energy industries.

After the ceremony, all students, lecturers, and invited guests had taken a group photo.

Prof. Guo Xueyi, Vice President of Central South University (front row from right 6), Prof. Cheng Qiongwen, Secretary of the Party Committee of the Faculty of Metallurgy and Environment of Central South University (front row from right 7), Professor Min Xiaobo, Dean of the Faculty of Metallurgy and Environment of Central South University (front row from right 4), and Dr. Zhang Kun, Vice President of GEM Group (front row from right 5), with 28 new students in the third GEM-CSU-Indonesian Government Master of Science in Metallurgical Engineering programme. Zhang Kun, Vice President of GEM Group (front row from right 5), and with 28 new students in the third GEM-CSU-Government of Indonesia cooperation programme for Master of Science in Metallurgical Engineering

Opening Ceromony Scenery

Welcoming speech from Prof Guo Xueyi, Vice President of Central South University (CSU)

Welcoming speech by Dr Zhang Kun, Deputy General Manager of GEM Group

Welcoming speech by Peng Xuezhen (Viola Dheena), the outstanding student representative of the second batch of training class

Welcoming speech by Bai Kerui (Nyoman Ari Bhaskara), a representative of the third batch of training class