Deng Wei, secretary of the CPC Committee of Hunan University (HNU), led a delegation to Portugal and Italy from November 28 to December 5, 2024. This visit aimed to promote high-level cooperation of HNU with the counterparts in the two countries.
At the University of Lisbon, Luís Manuel dos Anjos Ferreira, the university's president, and Vice President João Peixoto, met with the HNU delegation. The two sides reached consensuses on student exchanges, faculty visits, and teaching and research cooperation. Secretary Deng and President Ferreira signed a framework agreement on strategic cooperation between the two universities. Deng stated that both the University of Lisbon and HNU boast time-honored historic and cultural heritage, and excel in design, business, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer, and other disciplines. The signing of the strategic cooperation agreement will set up a framework and provide guarantees for the two sides to promote a higher-level cooperation. Ferreira expressed a warm welcome to the HNU delegation. He said that the University of Lisbon, just like HNU, has a long history of university operation. It is one of the oldest universities in Europe and the largest comprehensive university in Portugal. He hoped that the signing of the strategic cooperation agreement will be an opportunity to strengthen the comprehensive cooperation with HNU, and will help realize mutual benefits and win-win situation, as well as common development. After the meeting, the delegation visited the School of Architecture of the University of Lisbon.
During his visit at Politecnico di Milano, Secretary Deng met with Franco Bernelli-Zazzera, a representative of the president of the university, exchanging views on talent cultivation and research cooperation in such disciplines as design, information, and commerce. They indicated that, the two universities share similar disciplinary structure and preponderant disciplines. With continuous exchanges and cooperation in design and other fields, the two universities have a sound foundation of cooperation. They expect to carry out practical cooperation in broader fields and at deeper levels, allowing more students to study different cultures and enabling more scholars to conduct long- or short-term exchanges and visits at each university, jointly achieving breakthroughs on issues and projects of common concern. The delegation also visited the laboratory and student training center of the School of Design of Politecnico di Milano.
At the University of Bologna, Secretary Deng met with Raffaella Campaner, vice president for International Affairs of the university. Deng said that HNU has been committed to inheriting the academic and educational ideologies of Zhu Xi and Zhang Shi while learning from the strengths of European and American countries. Oriented to international education standards, HNU strives to encourage students to grow with wisdom and culture of both eastern and western civilizations throughout their studies. Both HNU and the University of Bologna have long history of education, and share similar disciplinary structure. He looks forward to deepening collaboration with the University of Bologna, carrying out in-depth negotiation on specific projects and disciplines, to expand modernized cooperation between these two ancient universities.
Raffaella Campaner said that the presidents of the two universities participated in the Dialogue between Chinese and Italian University Presidents that was held in Beijing last month. The University of Bologna attaches great importance to the cooperation with HNU. He expressed his hope that both sides will strengthen the exchange and cooperation and work together to carry out more research and student exchange programs.
During the visit, the delegation also visited the Business School of the University of Bologna, and exchanged views on further deepening cooperation in business talent cultivation and scientific research.
During his stay in Lisbon, Secretary Deng visited the Chinese Embassy in Portugal and met with Zhao Bentang, Chinese Ambassador in Portugal. During his visit in Rome, Deng exchanged views with Yu Xingguo, counselor of the Education Office of the Chinese Embassy in Italy.
During the visit, the delegation also visited the Aesthetics Research Center of Huawei European Research Institute, and the European Design Academy, meeting and communicating with representatives of HNU alumni.
Persons in charge of HNU's School of Design, Business School, College of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, Publication Department (Press Office) of HNU's Party Committee, Office of International Cooperation and Exchange and other related departments attended the visits.
