At the invitation of Heidelberg University, École des Ponts ParisTech, and the University of Padua, Professor Fu Jiyang, Vice-President of Guangzhou University(GZHU), led a delegation to visit the three universities.
On the morning of May 13, delegates visited Heidelberg University, which had inter-university exchanges and student exchange programs with GZHU for more than ten years. At Heidelberg University's Language Teaching Center, the delegation held talks with representatives of the university. Both parties reviewed the achievements in summer programs, MBA programs, language courses, and online international courses, and conducted in-depth discussions on further cooperation. GZHU will engage in substantial joint research with Heidelberg University in chemistry and geography, biology, physics, and astronomy, deepening collaboration in teaching, research, and student exchanges.
On the morning of May 14, delegates visited École des Ponts ParisTech and met with Alon Rozen, Dean of the School of Innovation and Management. The parties discussed joint PhD programs, collaborative research, innovation and entrepreneurship, student exchanges, and city cooperation. After the discussion, representatives from both sides signed the Cooperation Agreement between Guangzhou University and École des Ponts ParisTech.
On the morning of May 15, delegates visited the University of Padua and held talks with university leaders and scholars including President Professor Daniela Mapelli. They jointly convened the board meeting of the Confucius Institute at the University of Padua. Both sides agreed that the Confucius Institute has become a model of cooperation and a bridge for further collaboration. They expressed hope that the Confucius Institute would continue to actively promote Chinese language teaching while further enhancing cooperation in discipline development, academic collaboration, research cooperation, faculty exchange, and talent cultivation. After the talks, representatives from both universities signed the Agreement on the Construction of the Confucius Institute between the China International Chinese Education Foundation, Guangzhou University, and the University of Padua.
On the afternoon of May 15, delegates attended the academic committee meeting of the International Research Center for the Protection of Historical Buildings and Cultural Heritage. Vice President Roberto Dall'Aglio of the University of Padua and Professor Liu Yanhui from GZHU’s Earthquake Engineering Research Center presented work reports, and the meeting also discussed the center's development and future work directions.
On the morning of May 17, delegates held a discussion with the faculty representatives of the Confucius Institute at the University of Padua. University leaders highly praised the dedication of the Confucius Institute teachers for their teaching, conveyed the school's care for their work and lives, and encouraged them to continue to be ambassadors of Chinese culture and representatives of China's image.
On the afternoon of May 17, delegates visited the Chinese Embassy in Italy and held talks with Education Counselor Yu Xingguo and other representatives. Counselor Yu introduced the situation of Sino-Italian educational and technological cooperation and exchanges and highly praised the outstanding achievements of the Confucius Institute at the University of Padua in promoting Sino-Italian cultural exchange and Chinese language education in Italy.
This visit promoted pragmatic cooperation between GZHU and renowned European universities in academic exchanges, research collaboration, talent cultivation, and cultural exchanges. It effectively enhanced the influence of GZHU and the Guangzhou International Sister Cities University Alliance in Europe, laying a solid foundation for the high-quality development of GZHU's open education and the exploration of high-level international cooperation paths for talent cultivation.
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