Li Hai, secretary of the CPC Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) Committee, led a delegation to the UK and Italy from June 7 to 13 for deepening educational cooperation with local universities.

BFSU delegation and representatives of foreign universities pose for a group photo. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

In UK, the delegation visited several higher education institutions, including Keele University, Oxford Brookes University, and the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at University of London.

At Keele University, BFSU's delegation reviewed the progress of the joint programs with the university in diplomacy as well as the educational technology and artificial intelligence. Li emphasized the importance of building on the decade-long partnership between them to enhance education quality and expand collaborations in research, academic publishing, and faculty exchanges.

Li Hai (left) signs cooperation agreement with the leader of the Oxford Brookes University. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

At Oxford Brookes University, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding. Discussions focused on two-way faculty and student exchanges, joint programs in "language + professional studies", regional studies, journal publishing, the "Discover China" summer program, and the development of the Confucius Institutes. Lindsay Williams, interim co‑pro vice-chancellor for Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Oxford Brookes University highly praised the long-term cooperation achievements between the two sides and expressed willingness to work with BFSU to further develop practical cooperation in areas such as international publishing and communication, AI governance, and joint educational programs.

The delegation then visited SOAS University of London. This year marks the 110th anniversary of SOAS and the 85th anniversary of BFSU. Li expressed sincere congratulations to the university and discussed the establishment of the BFSU SOAS Joint Institute as well as the cooperation in AI-enhanced language education and regional studies innovation with the university's leaders.

In Italy, Li led the team to visit Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Sapienza University of Rome, the University of International Studies of Rome (UNINT), and the Università degli Studi di Perugia.

At the Ca' Foscari University of Venice, both sides engaged in the discussions on renewing cooperation agreement and future cooperation on Mediterranean studies and the integration of digital humanities with traditional languages. BFSU delegation also visited the Treviso Campus of the university to explore joint master's and doctoral programs in translation.

BFSU delegation engages discussion with the leaders of the Sapienza University of Rome. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

At the Confucius Institute at Sapienza University of Rome, Li acknowledged its achievements in Chinese teaching and cultural exchange over the years. The two sides agreed to further enhance cooperation in international Chinese education and academic research.

BFSU delegation and leaders of the UNINT have exchanges. [Photo/bfsu.edu.cn]

At the UNINT, Li and his team discussed joint master's programs in translation, faculty co-teaching, and student exchanges, aiming to expand multi-level talent exchange channels.

Meanwhile, the delegation met with representatives from Università degli Studi di Perugia to discuss expanding cooperation in linguistics, literature, and regional studies.

In addition to visiting the aforesaid universities, BFSU's delegation also visited the Chinese embassies in the UK and Italy, where they discussed educational cooperation and cultural exchanges.

This visit marks a significant step for BFSU in leveraging its strengths in language and international exchange to deepen its European cooperation network and advance its global educational presence. It has strengthened BFSU's partnerships with leading universities and educational institutions in the UK and Italy, setting a clear direction for BFSU's development as a world-class foreign language university.