On November 9, the China-Italy University Presidents’ Dialogue was held at Peking University. Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng attended the dialogue and delivered an address. With the theme “Promoting Mutual Learning of Civilizations and the Cultivation of Outstanding Talents”, the event included two parallel forums, bringing together representatives from nearly 50 universities from China and Italy. The dialogue aimed to explore China-Italy higher education cooperation, collaborative innovation, and models for cultivating high-level talent. Vice President Lu Chunlong represented China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL) at the event and delivered a speech at one of the parallel forums. Vice President Lu was accompanied by Li Juqian, Director of the International Cooperation and Exchange Office, and Italian student representatives from CUPL, who attended the opening ceremony.
(On the eve of the opening ceremony, Vice Minister of Education Chen Jie inspected the China-Italy education exhibition, where Vice President Lu Chunlong presented an overview of CUPL’s international exchange initiatives and achievements in cooperation with Italy, followed by a group photo with CUPL representatives. Photo credit: Li Juqian)
(Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng delivering a speech at the China-Italy University Presidents’ Dialogue.)
In his opening remarks, Minister Huai Jinpeng highlighted China’s commitment to educational openness and willingness to broaden academic exchanges and cooperation with Italy and other countries worldwide. He emphasized China’s active role in global education governance, contributing to international education reform and development. Vice Minister of Education Chen Jie chaired the session. Peking University President Gong Qihuang, along with Li Jiya, an Executive Committee member of the Italian University Rector’s Conference, also addressed the dialogue. Anna Maria Bernini, Italy’s Minister of University and Research, provided a video message.
(CUPL Vice President Lu Chunlong delivering a Keynote Speech at the parallel forum of the China-Italy University Presidents’ Dialogue. Photo credit: Li Juqian)
Representing CUPL in the parallel forum titled “Heritage and Innovation of Civilizations—The Future Mission of Higher Education”, Lu Chunlong delivered a keynote speech on "University Internationalization Strategy and Talent Cultivation: A Case Study of CUPL's Collaboration with Italy". He reflected on the long-standing collaboration between CUPL and Italian universities in talent development, research projects, and faculty-student exchanges, showcasing significant milestones. Notably, CUPL pioneered Chinese-Italian legal talent cultivation, becoming the first Chinese partner of the University of Bologna and establishing the first joint legal education agreement with the University of Rome Tor Vergata. Over the past three decades, CUPL has made remarkable contributions to Sino-Italian legal cooperation, including establishing the "Research Centre on Roman Law and Italian Law," co-founding the "Research Centre for Codification of Chinese Law," and hosting the "International Conference on Roman Law, Chinese Law, and Civil Code" for more than 30 years. These efforts encompass a comprehensive model that supports both outbound and inbound talent exchange and has resulted in extensive research and practice in China-Italy legal exchange, substantially advancing legal education and talent development in China.
（The Research Centre on Roman law & Italian Law, alongside the Research Centre for Codification of Chinese Laws and the Cultivation of Chinese Law Talents, has collectively published 50 translations of original Roman Law documents, 18 works on Roman and Italian Law, 6 volumes of conference proceedings on Roman and Chinese Law, and 6 modern Italian legal codes. Researchers at the centers have published over 130 papers on Roman and Italian law. ）
（Lu Chunlong and Roberto Di Pietra discussing future cooperation. Photo credit: Li Juqian）
During the conference, Li Juqian accompanied Lu Chunlongfor discussions with Roberto Di Pietra, President of the University of Siena, regarding prospective collaborations. Lu Chunlong highlighted CUPL’s fruitful interactions with the Italian legal community, expressing a strong interest in establishing a partnership with the University of Siena to facilitate more dynamic academic and personnel exchanges. Roberto Di Pietra discussed the strengths of the University of Siena in legal education and international exchange, expressing hopes to collaborate further in areas such as legal studies, cross-cultural exchange, and language education.
In the afternoon, CUPL representatives held in-depth discussions with Italian university representatives, reaching agreements on various collaborative topics, including student exchanges, faculty visits, and joint research. Lu Chunlong affirmed CUPL’s commitment to its international development strategy, aspiring to deepen practical cooperation with Italian universities and legal professionals. This collaboration aims to foster more profound exchanges between Chinese and Italian scholars and students, advancing legal education and talent cultivation to address shared opportunities and challenges.
The China-Italy University Presidents’ Dialogue not only strengthened the friendship and mutual trust between CUPL and Italian universities but also reinforced collaborative confidence, laying a solid foundation for future partnerships in education and research.
