Zeng Yu Qun, CEO of CATL fresh Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (the world's largest battery maker for electrical vehicles – over 36% of the planet marketplace share), declared early in the year that he would donate an amount of over 2 billion RMB (more than 1 billion zlotys) to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, of which he is simply a graduate. Over the last six years Zeng Yu Qun has donated over 3 billion yuan in total. That's almost 2 billion zlotys.
On 8 April 2026, on the 130th anniversary of the university's establishment, a celebration took place on Minhang campus, during which a donation agreement was signed between CATL and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The secretary of the college's organization committee, Yang Zhen Bin, and the rector of the university and a associate of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ding Kui Ling, jointly presented Zeng Yu Qun with a donation certificate and a medal "Excellent postgraduate – Award for Outstanding Contribution to the University's Development".
The information provided shows that CATL will besides supply RMB 200 million to support the construction of art education facilities at the university, and will besides give 4 intelligent electrical ferries to make an ecological water connection between Minhang campus and northern campus.
It is worth noting that among the CATL staff there are besides another persons associated with this peculiar university, and these are:
- Wu Kai, CATL's chief scientist and associate of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, postgraduate undergraduate, master's and PhD degree in applied chemistry (2014);
- Zhao Feng Gang, Vice-President of CATL for the R & D and engineering and production system; and
- Yang Zhen Yu, co-founder and managing partner at Han Yuan Asset, Vice president of the University's Education improvement Foundation, and postgraduate undergraduate degree in industrial management engineering from the 1989 year.
The CEO of Zeng Yu Qun has been consistently active in CATL's cooperation with Shanghai Jiao Tong University for years. In October 2020, the university and CATL signed a cooperation agreement to jointly establish a Clean Energy Technology investigation Centre focusing on the improvement of key energy technologies. In April 2021, on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the establishment of the university, Zeng founded the Zeng Yu Qun Educational Fund. In December 2023, the Zeng Yu Qun Medical Education Fund was established to support the comprehensive improvement of medical education at the university. In April 2024 the building of the Academy of Future Technology was started, which together with the building of the Institute of Energy of the Future CATL will make a "twinner complex".
In his speech at the Zeng Yu Qun ceremony, he stressed that “remembrance of sources” is the foundation of his conduct in both individual and professional life. “Every time I return to campus, I remember my old days of college, full of instruction from teachers and deep relationship with colleagues. I have always wanted to make my humble contribution to the improvement of the home university," he said. "CATL treats innovation as a origin of development, the foundation of innovation is education and its core is talent".
The donation agreement provides for the free transfer of the Shanghai Education improvement Foundation Jiao Tong University 5 million series A CATL shares, which are not subject to trading restrictions. According to the share rate of 31 March 2026, this donation corresponds to a marketplace value exceeding RMB 2 billion. Thus Zeng Yu Qun set a fresh postgraduate donation evidence for his alma mater in China.
Source:
Author: 梁安基 Andrzej Z. Liang, 上海 Shanghai, 中国 China
Email: [email protected]
Editorial: Leszek B.
Email: [email protected]
