On November 19th-28th, 2025, members of the Utrecht University (UU) and East China University of Science & Technology (ECUST) Joint Research Center (JRC UU-ECUST), Bert Weckhuysen, Florian Meirer, Matteo Monai, and PhD candidate Hui Wang, visited ECUST in Shanghai, for the first Annual Meeting of the JRC UU-ECUST. The primary purpose of the visit was to strengthen the connection between the JRC partners and to engage in scientific discussions with PhD candidates, researchers, and staff from ECUST and UU. During the week, the team had a sort of “scientific retreat”, with back-to-back meetings focused on the progress and direction of research projects, and occasional breaks to chat while taking a stroll in the ECUST campus. Florian and Matteo gave two lectures on the ECUST campus, and Bert gave a plenary lecture at ECUST’s flagship event, the Frontier Forum of Future Chemical Engineering. On the weekend, there was some time to relax, with a visit to the picturesque Zhujiajiao water town and the bustling Century Avenue in the center of Shanghai. Before leaving, there was some time to celebrate the first two publications from the JRC ECUST-UU, and to plan ahead for the next year. “We look forward to a fruitful collaboration,” says Bert, Director of the JRC ECUST-UU, “We are fully focused on building the refinery of the future, joining forces between Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and bringing together different expertise and backgrounds”.