From December 14 to 18 (local time), Qiu Yong, Secretary of the CPC Tsinghua University Committee, visited France and Greece to advance educational and scientific cooperation as well as people-to-people exchanges between Tsinghua University and leading European universities and institutions. This visit contributed Tsinghua’s strength to the development of the China–EU comprehensive strategic partnership.
Qiu Yong (left) meets with Khaled El-Enany.
Qiu Yong Visits UNESCO.
During his visit to France, Qiu Yong met with Khaled El-Enany, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), on the morning of December 15.
Qiu Yong briefed El-Enany on Tsinghua University’s latest progress in international cooperation and expressed the University’s willingness to deepen collaboration with UNESCO in areas including artificial intelligence, online education, cultural heritage protection, and youth capacity building, with a view to contributing to global sustainable development.
El-Enany looks forward to bilateral cooperation in areas such as innovation in AI-driven educational innovation and digital cultural heritage preservation. He also expects to support the development of developing countries, including Small Island Developing States, through measures like special visiting scholar programs and joint research funds.
Tsinghua University and Sciences Po sign a letter of intent for cooperation.
On the afternoon of December 15, Qiu Yong visited Sciences Po and held talks with its President, Luis Vassy.
Qiu Yong noted that Sciences Po is an important partner of Tsinghua University and expressed the hope that the two institutions would further deepen cooperation in scientific research and talent cultivation, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence and public governance, as well as climate change and sustainable development. He emphasized that strengthened collaboration would contribute to China–France people-to-people exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations.
Vassy expressed his expectation that the two universities would jointly design joint training programs, advance research collaboration, and foster young talent, with the aim of delivering practical solutions for global sustainable development.
During the visit, the Tsinghua University Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development and the Sciences Po Paris Climate School signed a letter of intent on cooperation.
During his stay in France, Qiu Yong met with Deng Li, Chinese ambassador to France, to exchange views on advancing China–France cooperation in education.
Tsinghua University and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation.
During his visit to Greece, Qiu Yong met with Gerasimos Siasos, Rector of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), on the afternoon of December 16.
Qiu Yong outlined Tsinghua University’s global strategy and its implementation, expressing the hope that the two universities would work together to promote the integrated development of science and technology with culture, as well as classical civilization and modern science.
Siasos stated that the NKUA is willing to strengthen cooperation with Tsinghua in areas such as museum planning and development, as well as exchanges in engineering and the humanities.
Following the meeting, Qiu Yong and Siasos signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the two universities.
Tsinghua University delegation visit the National Technical University of Athens.
On the morning of December 17, Qiu Yong visited the National Technical University of Athens and held discussions with its Rector, Ioannis K. Chatjigeorgiou, on further expanding cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, energy transition, humanities research, and digital cultural heritage.
During the visit, the two universities signed a student exchange agreement.
Tsinghua University and the Athens University of Economics and Business sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation.
On the afternoon of December 17, Qiu Yong visited the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB) and held discussions with its Rector, Vassilis Vasdekis, on strengthening pragmatic cooperation in areas such as talent cultivation, joint research, and financial technology.
Following the talks, Qiu Yong and Vasdekis signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the two universities.
On the evening of December 17, Qiu Yong was invited to engage with representatives from Greece’s political, business, and academic communities and delivered a keynote address. The address was titled “Cultural Inheritance and Mutual Learning Among Civilizations in the Era of Artificial Intelligence”.
The event was attended by Giannis Kefalogiannis, Minister of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection of the Hellenic Republic; Evangelos Angelakos, former Mayor of Oinousses, Honorary Chairman of Angelakos S.A.; Vasileios Vasdekis, Rector of Athens University of Economics and Business; Ioannis K. Chatjigeorgiou, Rector of the National Technical University of Athens; Sophia Papaioannou, Vice-Rector of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; and Ren Fujun, CEO of the Southeast European Region of Huawei, among others.
During the exchange session, Tsinghua University and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens signed a letter of intent for cooperation. The two sides will carry out joint research and talent cultivation in areas including early detection and prevention of forest fires, as well as the application of digital technologies to cultural heritage preservation.
Signing of a letter of intent for cooperation
During the visit, Qiu Yong met separately with George Papandreou, former Greek Prime Minister and Dimitris Avramopoulos, a member of parliament in Greece, and visited the Port of Piraeus operated by the China COSCO SHIPPING Corporation Limited.
Relevant heads of academic departments and administrative offices at Tsinghua University accompanied the visit and took part in related activities.
Editors: Li Han, John Paul Grima
