China is set to offer over 100 exchange opportunities to Italian universities, aiming to further deepen higher education cooperation between the two nations. Chinese Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng made the announcement on Saturday at the opening ceremony of the China-Italy University Rectors Dialogue in Beijing.
Huai revealed that China will provide at least five fully funded student exchange opportunities to each of the 22 Italian universities participating in the event. “Currently, China and Italy boast all-round, wide-ranging, and multi-layered education exchanges and cooperation,” he noted, emphasizing the mutual benefits of such collaborations.
At the ceremony, the Italian segment of a high-level initiative to double the scale of European youth exchanges in China was launched. Several Chinese and Italian universities also signed agreements to jointly build research centers and campuses, marking a significant step forward in academic partnerships.
Huai highlighted that China is now the largest source country of international students in Italy, while Italy ranks among the top five European countries in terms of its students studying in China. To date, universities from both countries have jointly established 45 collaborative higher education institutions and programs, as well as nine international research laboratories focused on cutting-edge disciplines and high-tech engineering fields.
“We sincerely hope that universities in both countries can make full use of various opportunities, such as short-term study visits, student exchanges, summer schools, and joint training programs, to promote in-depth exchanges among Chinese and Italian youth,” Huai added.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership. Over the past two decades, educational exchanges and cooperation have played a significant role in enhancing mutual understanding between the two peoples.
Tiziana Lippiello, board member of the Conference of Italian University Rectors, reflected on the historical ties between China and Italy. “More than 700 years ago, Marco Polo’s travels connected the Chinese and Western civilizations. Looking into the future, we will continue the spirit of mutual respect and exchange in dialogue and cooperation, and create more opportunities for the young people of both countries,” she said at the ceremony.
The dialogue was jointly organized by the Chinese Ministry of Education and the Italian Ministry of University and Research, with representatives from nearly 50 universities in both countries in attendance.
