From August 23 to September 5, the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and Xinya College jointly organized a two-week summer exchange program titled "SUTD-THXY Design Innovation Sandbox: Autopilot, On Smart Campus." Ten students from SUTD and 15 students from Xinya College formed cross-institutional teams to explore the topic of autonomous driving on smart campuses. The event adopted a "two-location, split-session" format, with the first week taking place in Beijing and the second week in Singapore. The project was co-supervised by Professor Zeng Guohui from the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at SUTD and the Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, along with Professors Pei Xin and Bai Yuqi from the Department of Automation at Tsinghua University. The project received strong developmental and technical support from Beijing Longqiu Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.

At the opening ceremony held at Tsinghua University on August 24, Professor Mei Ciqi, Dean of Xinya College, extended a warm welcome to the SUTD faculty and students on behalf of the college, and expressed sincere gratitude to the Department of Automation and Longqiu Company for their support. Professor Mei encouraged the students from both institutions to actively interact during the event and to build the confidence to embrace new challenges through the shared experience of accomplishing a task together. He emphasized that the trust and collaborative skills forged during the process are far more important than the final outcome. Professor Zeng Guohui, the faculty advisor from SUTD, expressed his gratitude to Tsinghua University's Xinya College and the Department of Automation for their support and dedication to the project. He encouraged the students to engage wholeheartedly, think critically, and reap the rewards of friendship and personal growth through cross-cultural collaboration. Professor Zhuo Qing from the Department of Automation served as the chief technical advisor for the project. He encouraged the students to start with real-world problems, independently define their design goals, dare to ask questions, embrace trial and error, and seek solutions through exploration. Ms. Liu Jinling, Head of the Traffic Section of the Safety and Security Office, provided the faculty and students with a systematic overview of the traffic conditions and operational characteristics on the Tsinghua campus, offering detailed real-world context and data support for the students' project designs.

The 25 students were divided into five groups, with each group consisting of two SUTD students and three Xinya College students. Under the theme of "Autonomous Driving on a Smart Campus," each team selected a specific topic, developed a system, and accomplished corresponding tasks on the campus maps of both universities using smart vehicles.

After two weeks of collaboration and iterative development, the five groups presented their final projects at SUTD on September 4.

Following the presentations, Professor Lay Kee Ang, Associate Provost at SUTD, highly commended the spirit of collaboration and exploration demonstrated by the students from both universities. He noted that this event marks a solid starting point for cooperation between the two institutions, and that they will explore more diverse models of collaboration in the future to make inter-university teamwork a regular practice. Professor Mei Ciqi encouraged the students to engage in in-depth exchanges, learn about each other's cultures, challenge themselves in unfamiliar environments, and achieve personal growth. He encouraged everyone to continue designing and optimizing their smart vehicles, and invited the students to serve as "co-creators" of the event by participating in the preparations for its next edition.

Group photo of faculty, students, and the five smart vehicles after the final presentation

Beyond their intensive academic schedule, the faculty and students participated in a wide variety of activities in Beijing and Singapore, including campus tours, corporate visits, and immersive cultural experiences. During their stay in Beijing, the students visited Tsinghua University's Fundamental Industry Training Center and the Tsinghua University History Museum, gaining firsthand experience of the university's engineering tradition and humanistic heritage. They also toured the Xiaomi EV factory and the Yizhuang Autonomous Driving Demonstration Zone for an up-close look at the cutting-edge practices of China's smart electric vehicle industry, before visiting the Forbidden City to appreciate the profound depth of Chinese history and culture. During their time in Singapore, the faculty and students toured the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) campus to experience its unique teaching and design philosophies. They visited Grab's headquarters, engaging with the operations and technology teams to gain insight into the innovative ecosystem of Southeast Asia's smart mobility and lifestyle service platforms. Finally, they explored Jewel Changi Airport, discovering the charm of Singapore's urban innovation through its harmonious blend of nature and architecture.

The inaugural SUTD-THXY Design Innovation Sandbox has come to a successful conclusion. Through cross-institutional collaboration and mutual learning between young people from both countries, this event fostered a deeper mutual understanding and forged lasting friendships. We look forward to seeing students from both universities bring even more fresh ideas and new initiatives to the next event!