An expert discussion meeting of optimization and integration of the National Engineering Research Center of Advanced Rolling Technology was held in Conference Room 306 of the Administration Building. Mr. GAO Runsheng, a first-tier inspector from the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Education, attended the meeting to guide the work and progress of the conference. WU Guilong, Chancellor of USTB, WU Aixiang, Vice President, Prof. LIU Xuefeng, Director of the Department of Science and Technology, Prof. HE Anrui, Director of NERCAR, and heads of related organizations attended the meeting. The meeting was hosted by Prof. Wu Aixiang.

Firstly, on behalf of the school, Mr. WU Guilong extended a warm welcome for the attendance of the leaders of the Ministry of Education and experts, and briefly introduced the construction of NERCAR, expressing his gratitude for their support, concern and care of the school and NERCAR over the years.

On behalf of the Science and Technology Department of the Ministry of Education, Mr. GAO Runsheng conveyed the spirit and requirements of the expert discussion meeting. He emphasized that, first, the school should place great importance on the optimization and integration work as it is an important task of the scientific and technological innovation. Second, it is necessary to thoroughly comprehend and accurately grasp the work requirements of optimization and integration of the engineering center. Third, it is crucial to seize the opportunity of optimization and integration and strengthen the development of national strategic scientific and technological capabilities.

Subsequently, the group of experts elected Academician WANG Yide as the director, and he hosted the evaluation meeting. The experts at the meeting attended the speech given by Prof. HE Anrui on the work report with technical inquiries and heated discussions from four technical directions of "advanced metal materials, equipment and control, intelligent manufacturing, green manufacturing", management system and operating mechanism, personnel team, the quality of laboratory conditions, etc.  Finally, the expert group formed a consensus, agreeing on the principle of the center's optimization and integration plan, and suggested that the experts' opinions should be fully absorbed and further revised and improved.