On April 22, 2024, the World Tunnel Congress 2024, hosted by the International Tunneling and Underground Space Association (ITA) and hosted by the Chinese Civil Engineering Society, opened in Shenzhen. The theme of this conference forum is "Tunnels make life better". This conference attracted over 2700 experts, scholars, and industry representatives from 65 countries and regions, and held 195 academic presentations on 15 topics.

The conference invited Ni Hong, Minister of Housing and Urban Rural Development, Michal Mlyn á r, Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations, Yi Jun, Chairman of the Chinese Civil Engineering Society and WTC2024 Organizing Committee, Qin Weizhong, Mayor of Shenzhen, Chen Yun, Chairman of China Railway Corporation, and Arnold Edward Dix, current Chairman of the International Tunnel and Underground Space Association, to attend the opening ceremony and deliver speeches. Wang Hui, Deputy Minister of Housing and Urban Rural Development, and Zhang Liwei, Deputy Mayor of Shenzhen, attended the conference.

Academician Chen Xiangsheng, Dean of the School of Civil Engineering and Transportation Engineering and the Future Underground City Research Institute of Shenzhen University, led the teachers and graduate students of our institute to participate in this conference. Academician Chen delivered a brilliant academic report titled "Thought on the Development of Urban Tunnel Engineering in China" at a technical conference. The report delved into the current situation and challenges of tunnel engineering from shallow to deep, exploring key technologies such as large-section rectangular pipe jacking construction, efficient assembly technology for underground train stations, and shield tunneling slag utilization technology. The report emphasized the importance of low-carbon and high-efficiency tunnel construction and operation, and emphasized the path to achieving carbon peak in China by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.

Shenzhen University participated in the exhibition area of the University Alliance of the Conference, showing the scale of Shenzhen University and the School of Civil Engineering and Transportation, the key research topics of the State Key Laboratory and the Future Underground City Research Institute in recent years. The booth is very rich in content, attracting many industry peers, university professors, and students to come and exchange ideas.

The representatives attending the Future Underground City Research Institute of Shenzhen University include Academician Chen Xiangsheng, Professor Su Dong, Professor Bao Xiaohua, Professor Fu Yanbin, Professor Wang Shuying, Professor Lv Haimin, Assistant Professor Fei Jianbo, Assistant Professor Han Kaihang, Assistant Professor Shen Xiang, Associate Researcher Li Qiang, Associate Researcher Zhu Min, Associate Researcher Shen Jun, Associate Researcher Zhou Xianshun, Postdoctoral Zhou Yuefu, and Postdoctoral Zhang Nan. The delegation had sufficient academic exchanges and experience sharing with the attending experts at the 2024 World Tunnel Conference, showcasing the academic and scientific achievements of the research institute, which received widespread praise from the attending experts.

On the first day of the conference, reporters from Outlook Weekly and Shenzhen TV conducted exclusive interviews with Academician Chen Xiangsheng on the impact of comprehensive utilization of urban underground space and tunnel construction in China both domestically and internationally, as well as on people's lives.