On September 16th, the 84 freshmen firstly recruited into Tongji’s China-Italy College held the new semester opening ceremony in Jiading Campus. Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, who was paying an official visit to China, attended the opening ceremony and received the engagement letter as Tongji’s honorable professor. Prime Minister Prodi also delivered a speech to Tongji’s over 500 teachers and students. Attendees also include Wu Qidi, minister of Ministry of Education, Mr. Mussi, minister of Italian Ministry of Education, College and Research Institutes, Zhou Jialun, general secretary of Tongji’s Party Committee, and Wan Gang, Tongji President.
In his speech, Prime Minster Prodi states his appreciation to be Tongji’s honorable professor as well as happiness to attend the grand opening of China-Italy College. He says that as the first joint project of high education cooperation between Italy and China, the set-up of China-Italy College is an important event for the two countries’ relationship. The college will be devoted to develop future senior leadership talents familiar with the two countries’ culture and managing the two countries’ affairs. He believes that it must play a key role in improving technical and economic communication between the two countries as well as strengthening thee two countries’ relationship. He points out that as the world is thirst for new management talents, internationalized education is increasingly important. He hopes the college to expand educational cooperation and meet new development.
After the speech, Prime Minster Prodi also answered on-site questioning. Prime Prodi also visited the exhibition of “Volta Scientific Heritage”, “Communication Collection between China and Italy in Tongji”, Work Exhibition of Scientific Creations by Tongji Graduates.
It is said that Prodi’s visit is the third European head to visit Tongji after German Prime Minister Schröder‘s visit in December 2002 and French President Chirac’s visit in October 2004 within four years.
