On the morning of December 18, 2025, the Inauguration Ceremony of the Headquarters of the International Union of Materials Research Societies (IUMRS) was solemnly held at the Beijing Friendship Hotel.

The ceremony was attended by Professor Anil Kumar, President of IUMRS; Mr. Liu Xingping, Director-General of the Department of Scientific and Technological Innovation of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST); Professor Gao Ruiping, former Vice President and Secretary General of the Advisory Committee of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC); Professor Guo Xiaolin, Minister-Counsellor for Science and Technology at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in France; Professor Osvaldo Olivera, former President of IUMRS; Professor B. V. R. Chowdari, former President and former Director of the IUMRS Secretariat; Professor Li Guangxian, First Vice President of IUMRS; Professor Samuel Chigome, Secretary General of IUMRS; Professor Santi Maensiri, Treasurer of IUMRS; Professor Feng Qiang, former Secretary General of IUMRS; Professor Lai Yinan, Deputy Director (Acting Director) of the Department of Engineering and Materials Sciences of NSFC; Academician Zhou Lian and professor Huang Boyun, Honorary Presidents of the Chinese Materials Research Society (C-MRS); Professor Wei Bingbo and Academician Li Yuanyuan, Presidents of C-MRS; Professor Zhang Zengzhi, Secretary General of C-MRS; representatives of the Standing Council including Professor Song Cheng and Professor Song Yanlin; Council members Professor Mao Changhui and Professor Li Jingfeng; branch organization representatives led by Professor Li Zhou; as well as representatives of materials research societies from the United States, Europe, Africa, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Pakistan, Indonesia, Nepal, and other countries and regions. Also present were foreign envoys stationed in China, officials from international organizations, leaders from China’s science and technology community, and representatives of major media outlets. More than 40 distinguished guests gathered to witness this historic and milestone event.

The inauguration of the IUMRS Headquarters marks the official establishment of the organization’s headquarters in Beijing, China, with the Chinese Materials Research Society (C-MRS) assuming full responsibility for its operation and management. The headquarters will officially commence operations on January 1, 2026. The relocation of the IUMRS headquarters to Beijing represents the first time China has hosted the headquarters of an international scientific organization of this level, signifying a substantial enhancement of China’s voice and influence in global materials science governance. This milestone will also provide strong scientific and technological support for advancing international cooperation and contributing to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

The inauguration ceremony was presided over by Academician Wei Bingbo, President of the Chinese Materials Research Society (C-MRS). In his remarks, he reviewed the process leading to the relocation of the IUMRS headquarters to Beijing.

He noted that in October 2024, C-MRS formally submitted an application to host the IUMRS headquarters. In September 2025, the proposal was unanimously approved by the IUMRS Executive Committee, and was subsequently adopted unanimously at the IUMRS General Assembly in October 2025. Later that same month, at the opening ceremony of the 3rd World Materials Summit, Professor Anil Kumar, President of IUMRS, officially announced the relocation of the IUMRS headquarters to Beijing. Professor Chaobin He, President of the Materials Research Society of Singapore, formally handed over the authorization for the relocation of the IUMRS headquarters to Beijing, while Professor B. V. R. Chowdari, Director of the IUMRS Secretariat, officially presented the IUMRS headquarters plaque to Professor Zhang Zengzhi, Secretary General of C-MRS.

Professor Wei Bingbo emphasized that this relocation represents not only a significant milestone in the development of IUMRS, but also a critical step forward for the Chinese Materials Research Society in assuming major responsibilities and obligations in advancing the global development of materials science.

Professor Li Yuanyuan, President of the Chinese Materials Research Society (C-MRS), noted in his address that today’s scientific and technological revolution is undergoing profound transformation, giving rise to an unprecedented new wave of technological innovation, in which materials play a pivotal role as a key driver of material revolutions. He emphasized that “each generation of materials gives rise to a generation of technological revolution and a generation of emerging industries,” and that materials have consistently led the industrial development of humankind and improved human well-being.

As the most authoritative international organization in the field of materials science, IUMRS should fully develop its leading role by guiding materials societies worldwide to jointly explore and promote solutions to global development challenges, key materialto reassure issues related to building a community with a shared future for mankind, and the green circular use of industrial materials. He stressed that IUMRS must accelerate its adaptation to the major opportunities presented by the current scientific and technological revolution.

Professor Li further noted that the Chinese Materials Research Society, as the largest materials-related academic society in the world, with more than 210,000 members from China and abroad, holds significant influence and leadership within the global materials community. With the headquarters relocated to Beijing, C-MRS will unite and bring together materials scientists worldwide, as well as materials societies from different countries, continents, and regions under the IUMRS framework. Guided by the mission of serving the progress of human society and global development, these efforts aim to propel IUMRS into a new stage characterized by greater vitality, openness, unity, and sustainable development.

The inauguration ceremony was solemn and grand. Mr. Liu Xingping, Director-General of the Department of Scientific and Technological Innovation of the China Association for Science and Technology; professor Li Yuanyuan, President of C-MRS; Professor Huang Boyun, Honorary President of C-MRS; Professor Gao Ruiping; Professor Guo Xiaolin, Minister-Counsellor for Science and Technology; Professor Li Guangxian, President of IUMRS; Professor B. V. R. Chowdari, Director of the IUMRS Secretariat; Professor Samuel Chigome, Secretary General of IUMRS; and Professor Santi Maensiri, Treasurer of IUMRS—nine Chinese and international representatives in total—jointly took the stage to activate the launch device. Amid warm applause, the IUMRS Beijing Headquarters emblem was slowly unveiled.

Immediately thereafter, Professor Zhang Zengzhi, Secretary General of C-MRS and Director of the IUMRS Headquarters Office, announced that IUMRS had formally completed its headquarters registration in Beijing in accordance with regulation of China.

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Professor Anil Kumar, President of IUMRS; Professor Osvaldo Olivera, former President of IUMRS; Professor Zhou Lian, former President of IUMRS; Professor Gao Ruiping, former Vice President of the National Natural Science Foundation of China; Professor Guo Xiaolin, Minister-Counsellor for Science and Technology at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in France; Academician Huang Boyun, Honorary President of the Chinese Materials Research Society; Professor Samuel Chigome, Secretary General of IUMRS; Professor Santi Maensiri, Treasurer of IUMRS; and Professor Feng Qiang, former Secretary General of IUMRS, delivered speeches in turn.

They spoke highly of the Chinese Materials Research Society (C-MRS) for its active role and leadership in advancing international cooperation in materials science and technology. They expressed strong confidence that, under the operation and management of C-MRS, the IUMRS headquarters would fully develop its leading role by actively coordinating and uniting the strengths of materials research societies across countries, continents, and regions, thereby jointly promoting the development of materials science for the benefit of all humanity.

Professor B. V. R. Chowdari, former President of IUMRS and former Director of the IUMRS Headquarters, delivered remarks and presented the financial report of the IUMRS headquarters. Professor Li Guangxian, First Vice President of IUMRS and Chair of the Supervisory Board of C-MRS, delivered remarks and presented the operational plan for the IUMRS headquarters.

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