To actively implement the Three-Year Action Plan for Strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership reached between Chinese and Italian leaders during their 2024 meeting, and further deepen exchanges and cooperation between Sichuan Province and Italy in personnel visits, cultural exchange, and humanities education, a delegation of education and cultural officials from the Province and City of Asti, Italy, visited our university on the morning of March 24.
The two sides held discussions on vocational education cooperation, cultural exchanges, and intangible cultural heritage (ICH) inheritance. Wang Lasha, Director General of the Department of International Exchange and Cooperation of Sichuan Provincial Department of Education, together with Ren Yingwei and Sun Rui from the university, accompanied the delegation on the tour and attended the symposium. Heads of the University Party and Administration Office, the Industry-Education Integration and International Exchange Office, and relevant secondary colleges also participated.
During the visit, the delegation toured the Sichuan Key Laboratory for the Digital Protection and Inheritance of Embroidery Intangible Cultural Heritage, the Schneider Electric Green and Low-Carbon Technology Application Center, the Shu Embroidery Research Center, the Garment Intelligent Production Innovation Integration Center, as well as the Leather Art Studio, Master Haute Couture Workshop, and Craftsmanship Workshop of the School of Fashion. The delegation expressed admiration for the university’s achievements in the protection, inheritance, applied research, and achievement transformation of intangible cultural heritage skills, and highly recognized its educational philosophy of adhering to industry-education integration and strengthening practical education.
Subsequently, in-depth discussions were held. On behalf of the university, Ren Yingwei warmly welcomed the delegation and thanked the Sichuan Provincial Department of Education for its guidance and support. He noted that in recent years, the university has implemented President Xi Jinping’s commitments—including increasing French students in China to 100,000 and doubling European youth exchanges to China over the next three years, and inviting 50,000 American youth to study in China within five years. The university has undertaken the YES Program and hosted American youth study tours. It has also achieved fruitful cooperation with Italy, such as joint education programs with the Accademia di Belle Arti Libera di Firenze, co-building master studios and overseas ICH workshops, and successfully integrating Shu Brocade and Shu Embroidery with Italian fashion. Based on these foundations, he expressed the hope that both sides would take teacher-student exchanges and ICH inheritance cooperation as links, jointly cultivate international technical and skilled talents, and further deepen vocational education and cultural exchanges.
Wang Lasha delivered a speech on behalf of the Sichuan Provincial Department of Education. She pointed out that China and Italy have achieved fruitful cooperation since the establishment of diplomatic relations 55 years ago. Sichuan and Italy maintain close educational exchanges, with multiple Sino-foreign cooperative education projects in place. In recent years, educational cooperation between Sichuan and Italy has continued to deepen, especially in practical cooperation such as joint student training and teacher training. Chengdu University of Light Industry Vocational and Technical Education has distinctive and effective cooperation with Italian institutions. The Sichuan Provincial Department of Education will continue to support in-depth cooperation between vocational colleges in Sichuan and Italy in joint training, teacher exchanges, and practical training, welcoming Italian students to study in Sichuan and promoting high-quality educational development in both regions.
Laura Bergonzi, Director General of the Asti Provincial Education Department, stated that the meeting opened a new chapter for exchanges between Asti and China, continuing the cultural integration between China and Italy that began in the era of Marco Polo. She expressed the hope of establishing a two-way cooperation and exchange mechanism, strengthening educational cooperation through teacher-student exchanges, and cultivating students with a more international perspective.
This visit further consolidated the cooperation foundation between the university and Italy, injecting new impetus into Sino-Italian vocational education and cultural exchanges. Taking this visit as an opportunity, the university will deepen practical cooperation in teacher-student exchanges, ICH inheritance, and cultural exchanges, jointly cultivate international high-quality technical and skilled talents, and contribute to the development of Sino-Italian vocational education and cultural exchanges.
