President MA Yanming leads ZJU delegation to Switzerland and Italy

As 2026 marks Zhejiang University’s “Europe Year for Global Collaboration,” MA Yanming, President of Zhejiang University, led a delegation on a visit to Switzerland and Italy from January 19 to 23 to further deepen partnerships with European partners.

The delegation attended the 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum, which opened on January 20 in Davos. Zhejiang University was one of the three Chinese universities invited to attend. MA Yanming participated in the annual meeting and related events, including the Global University Leaders Forum. ZHU Qiuguo, a professor from the College of Control Science and Engineering and the Polytechnic Institute and founder of DEEP Robotics, also took part, contributing to discussions topics such as robotics and intelligent factories.

Under the theme “Leadership in Transition: Universities and the World Ahead,” the Global University Leaders Forum explored how universities can respond to rising global uncertainty and play a constructive role in society. University leaders from 21 world-renowned institutions across 10 countries and regions, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Oxford, and Imperial College London as well as representatives from Nature, joined the discussion.

At the forum, MA Yanming highlighted ZJU’s experience in innovation and entrepreneurship, noting that universities can build robust innovation ecosystems that connect knowledge creation, talent development, and public value, thus positioning higher education as a trusted partner in modern governance. He also introduced the university’s Global University Collaborative Mechanism for Innovation in AI Education and Teaching and shared updates on the Asia-Pacific final of the Global Sustainability Challenge hosted by ZJU. He emphasized the importance of open collaboration and multi-stakeholder partnerships to address shared global challenges.

During the Davos meeting, MA Yanming held bilateral talks with EPFL President Anna Fontcuberta i Morral, President of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, Ángel Cabrera, President of Georgia Institute of Technology, and Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director at the World Economic Forum, to explore new opportunities for university-level cooperation and expanded academic exchange.

In Italy, the delegation visited the University of Turin, where President MA Yanming met with Rector Cristina Prandi. MA Yanming reviewed the two universities’ longstanding collaboration in fields such as China studies, business, and international politics, and expressed hope for deeper cooperation in priority areas and the joint cultivation of outstanding talent. Cristina Prandi shared recent developments at the University of Turin and welcomed stronger two-way student exchange programs to further support people-to-people ties between the two countries. MA Yanming presented the University of Turin with A Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings and attended an event marking the 15th anniversary of the joint double master’s program in China studies.

At the Polytechnic University of Milan, MA Yanming met with Rector Donatella Sciuto. MA Yanming highlighted ZJU’s recent progress in artificial intelligence and innovation and entrepreneurship, and proposed closer cooperation in talent development, joint innovation initiatives, and people-to-people exchange. Donatella Sciuto expressed her interest in further strengthening the partnership and exploring deeper collaboration in building innovation ecosystems that contribute to global development. MA Yanming also presented A Comprehensive Collection of Ancient Chinese Paintings to the Polytechnic University of Milan and toured its micro- and nano-fabrication center.

During the visit, MA Yanming and the delegation also paid a visit to the Consulate-General of China in Milan and exchanged views with Consul General LIU Kan on Sino-Italian higher education cooperation. The delegation also met with ZJU alumni representatives in Switzerland and Italy.

Translator: FANG Fumin
Editor: HAN Xiao