China-Italy Design Innovation Hub Launch Ceremony and China-Italy Design Innovation Day held

On Nov 13th, the China-Italy Design Innovation Hub launch ceremony and China-Italy Design Innovation Day, hosted by Tsinghua University and the Politecnico di Milano, and organized by Tsinghua’s Academy of Arts & Design together with TUS-Holdings Co., Ltd., took place at the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University. Experts and scholars in the domain of design and innovation from both China and Italy attended the ceremony, and together witnessed the launch of the Innovation Hub as well as the unveiling of Tsinghua Arts and Design Institute in Milan.

In February 2017, witnessed by President Xi Jinping of China and President Sergio Mattarella of Italy, Qiu Yong, the President of Tsinghua University, and Mr. Ferruccio Resta, Rector of the Politecnico di Milano, signed an agreement in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, setting forth their joint intention of establishing the China-Italy Design Innovation Hub in the city of Milan. This event promoted and deepened, in a practical manner, Sino-Italian innovation and cooperation, and facilitated the further development of design and innovation in both countries.

Among the attendees of the ceremony were Mrs. Valeria Fedeli, Minister of Education, University and Research of Italy, Mr. Ettore Francesco Sequi, the Italian ambassador to China, Mr. Ferruccio Resta, Rector of the Politecnico di Milano, the President of Tsinghua University Qiu Yong, Mr. Cao Guoying, the Deputy Director General of the Department of High-tech Development and Industrialization of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and Mr. Deng Wei, Vice Chairperson of the University Council of Tsinghua.

In his speech, President Qiu stated that Tsinghua first released its global strategy in 2016, and the China-Italy Design Innovation Hub is a very important part of this strategy. The hub is Tsinghua’s first educational and research base in Europe, which will build upon the advantages of both universities in the fields of arts and design to focus on establishing an integrated platform of talent training and innovation which academic circles, governments and industries of both China and Italy can participate in. The China-Italy Design Innovation Hub will promote communication and collaboration between both countries in education, scientific research, and the cultural industries.

Regarding the cooperation between Tsinghua and the Politecnico di Milano, Rector Resta noted that the Politecnico di Milano has made progress in terms of international cooperation and is open to communicate and work with other universities. Tsinghua is a dream partner for the Politecnico di Milano. It marks a significant cooperation between the two universities.

As another milestone in Sino-Italian scientific innovation and collaboration, the launch of the China-Italy Design Innovation Hub signifies that Tsinghua, after the establishment of the Global Innovation eXchange (GIX), has made the university closer to its goal of becoming a more innovative, more internationalized, and more humanity-oriented university. This innovation hub will have the training of talents at its core, and will make itself a globally influential institution in design and innovation with the joint support of Tsinghua’s Academy of Arts & Design and the Politecnico di Milano. By means of its innovative mode of governance and operational mechanisms, and its close ties with related industries, the China-Italy Design Innovation Hub will help with the transition and upgrading of Chinese manufacturing, make an active contribution to Sino-Italian educational, scientific and cultural exchanges, and thereby serve “The Belt and Road Initiative”.

Mrs. Valeria Fedeli extended her best wishes to both universities on behalf of the Italian government, and stated in her speech that the establishment of the China-Italy Design Innovation Hub signifies a great step forward jointly made by China and Italy in scientific and technological cooperation.

Mr. Cao Guoying noted in his speech that the China-Italy Design Innovation Hub will make a contribution to the training of talents in design, discipline development, the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, and incubating businesses.

Apart from the launch of the hub, the unveiling ceremony of Tsinghua Arts and Design Institute in Milan was held at the same time. This institute will integrate the leading disciplines of the Tsinghua’s Academy of Arts & Design and the other excellent educational resources of both China and Italy to undertake teaching and research in Milan.

The cooperative Partnership signing ceremony of the Base for Cooperation with Government of the China-Italy Design Innovation Hub was held the same day.

(By Zhu Lvhe)