On the morning of December 18, 2025, the launch ceremony of the International Union of Materials Research Societies (IUMRS) headquarters was held at the Beijing Friendship Hotel. Among the more than 40 distinguished guests attending the ceremony were IUMRS President Prof. Anil Kumar; Mr. Liu Xingping, Director of the Science and Technology Innovation Department of the China Association for Science and Technology ; Prof. Gao Ruiping, former Vice Director of the National Natural Science Foundation of China and Secretary-General of its Advisory Committee; Prof. Guo Xiaolin, Minister-Counsellor for Science and Technology at the Chinese Embassy in France; IUMRS Past President Prof. Osvaldo Olivera; Past President and former Office Director Prof. B.V.R. Chowdari; First Vice President Prof. Li Guangxian; Secretary-General Prof. Samuel Chigome; Treasurer Prof. Santi Maensiri; former Secretary-General Prof. Feng Qiang; Prof. Lai Yinan, Deputy Director (presiding) of the Department of Engineering and Materials Science at NSFC; Honorary Presidents of C-MRS, Academician Zhou Lian and Academician Huang Boyun; C-MRS Presidents, Academician Wei Bingbo and Academician Li Yuanyuan; C-MRS Secretary-General Prof. Zhang Zengzhi; C-MRS Standing Committee representatives Prof. Song Cheng and Prof. Song Yanlin; Board representatives Prof. Mao Changhui and Prof. Li Jingfeng; Branch director representative Prof. Li Zhou; as well as representatives from materials societies across continents and countries including the United States, Europe, Africa, Russia, Singapore, Thailand, Pakistan, Indonesia and Nepal; diplomatic envoys; international organization officials; leaders from China’s science and technology community; and mainstream media journalists. Together, they witnessed this historic milestone.

The launch ceremony marks the official relocation of the IUMRS headquarters to Beijing, China, with the Chinese Materials Research Society (C-MRS) assuming full operational and management responsibilities effective January 1, 2026. This is the first time China has hosted the headquarters of an international science and technology organization of this level. It signifies a major increase in China’s voice and influence in the global governance system of materials science and technology, and will provide solid scientific and technological support for building a community with a shared future for mankind.

The ceremony was presided over by C-MRS President Academician Wei Bingbo. He reviewed the process that led to the headquarters’ relocation to Beijing: in October 2024, C-MRS formally submitted its application to host the IUMRS headquarters; in September 2025, the application was unanimously approved by the IUMRS Executive Committee; subsequently, in October 2025, it was ratified unanimously by the IUMRS General Assembly; that same October, during the opening ceremony of the Third World Materials Conference, IUMRS President Prof. Anil Kumar officially announced that the IUMRS headquarters would move to Beijing, and President Chaobin He of Materials Research Society-Singapore formally handed over the IUMRS authorization letter for the headquarters relocation to Beijing. Prof. Chowdari, IUMRS Office Director, formally presented the IUMRS headquarters plaque to C-MRS Secretary-General Prof. Zhang Zengzhi. Prof. Wei noted that this is not only an important milestone in the history of IUMRS but also a key step for C-MRS in assuming major responsibilities and obligations for the global development of materials science.

C-MRS President Academician Li Yuanyuan stated in his address that today’s technological revolution is undergoing profound changes, giving rise to an unprecedented new wave of science and technology, in which materials play a crucial role in the material revolution. “One generation of materials triggers one generation of technological revolution and thus generate one generation of emerging industries. Materials have always led industrial development and human well-being.” he said. As the world’s most authoritative international organization in the materials field, IUMRS should play an active role, guiding materials societies around the world to jointly explore and address global development issues, major material supply challenges facing a community with a shared future for mankind and the green recycling of industrial materials. IUMRS must accelerate its adaptation to the major development opportunities presented by the current technological revolution. He emphasized that C-MRS, the world’s largest materials society with over 210,000 members at home and abroad, holds significant influence and leadership in the international materials community. Following the relocation of the headquarters to Beijing, we must unite and mobilize materials scientists and IUMRS member societies worldwide to serve the progress of human society and global development, and to advance IUMRS toward a healthier, more open, more united and more dynamic stage.

The launch ceremony was solemn and grand. Nine Chinese and international representatives including CAST Director Liu Xingping, President Li Yuanyuan, Honorary President Huang Boyun, Director Gao Ruiping, Minister-Counsellor Guo Xiaolin, First Vice President Li Guangxian, Office Director B.V.R. Chowdari, Secretary-General Samuel Chigome and Treasurer Santi Maensiri jointly stepped onto the stage and pressed the launch button. Under warm applause, the IUMRS Beijing headquarters logo slowly unfolded. Immediately afterward, Prof. Zhang Zengzhi, C-MRS Secretary-General and Director of the IUMRS Beijing Headquarters Office, announced that IUMRS had completed its headquarters registration in Beijing in full compliance with Chinese law.

IUMRS President Prof. Anil Kumar, Past President Prof. Osvaldo Olivera, Past President Academician Zhou Lian, former NSFC Vice Director Prof. Gao Ruiping, Minister-Counsellor Guo Xiaolin, C-MRS Honorary President Academician Huang Boyun, IUMRS Secretary-General Prof. Samuel Chigome, IUMRS Treasurer Prof. Santi Maensiri, and former Secretary-General Prof. Feng Qiang delivered speeches. They spoke highly of C-MRS’s active role and leadership in promoting international cooperation in materials science and technology. They expressed strong confidence that with C-MRS operating the IUMRS headquarters, IUMRS will play a leading role, actively coordinating and leveraging the strengths of materials societies across countries, continents and regions, and jointly advancing the development of materials science for all of humanity. IUMRS Past President and former Headquarters Director Prof. B.V.R. Chowdari delivered a speech and presented the IUMRS headquarters financial report. IUMRS First Vice President and C-MRS Supervisor General Prof. Li Guangxian delivered a speech and presented the IUMRS headquarters operational plan.

Prior to the ceremony, President Wei Bingbo, President Li Yuanyuan, Executive Vice President Xie Jianxin, Supervisor General Li Guangxian, Secretary-General Zhang Zengzhi, Deputy Director Lai Yinan, former Secretary-General Feng Qiang, Past President B.V.R. Chowdari, Secretary-General Samuel Chigome, Treasurer Santi Maensiri, and other distinguished representatives held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and toured the new IUMRS Beijing headquarters office, located in Beijing’s Techart Plaza. In the future, this venue will serve as a club and shared platform for materials scientists worldwide to engage in scientific exchange and cooperation.

The International Union of Materials Research Societies (IUMRS) was founded in 1991 in Chicago, USA. Its member societies now span over 100 countries across five continents. IUMRS is a principal member of the International Science Council (ISC) and holds significant status and influence within the international academic organization system. For many years, IUMRS has faithfully fulfilled its mission, bringing together leading materials scientists, top experts, and outstanding young researchers from around the world to promote cooperation and exchange in materials science. It has played an active and driving role in the global development of materials science and remains a key force in the international academic community.