On July 13, the opening ceremony of the 2026 Tongji University Italia Summer School, themed “Marco Polo 3.0: Bridging Wisdom, Co-Creating the Future,” was held on Tongji’s Siping Campus. Organized by the Sino-Italian Campus, the program welcomed more than 30 undergraduate and postgraduate students from leading Italian universities, including the University of Bologna, Polytechnic University of Turin, University of Florence, University of Pavia, University of Trento, Roma Tre University, and the University of Bergamo. Their academic backgrounds covered a wide range of disciplines, including linguistics and literature, economics and management, law, computer science, civil engineering, and architecture. Representatives from Tongji’s Foreign Affairs Office, the Sino-Italian College of Engineering and Innovation (SICEI), and the Sino-Italian Campus also gathered at the Yunchou Building to attended the opening ceremony.

Prof. ZHAO Hongduo, Assistant President, Dean of the Graduate School, and Dean of SICEI, delivered the welcoming address. He stated that cross-border intelligence and collaboration are indispensable to jointly addressing the innovation challenges of the new era. Among Tongji’s numerous international partners, Italy has always held a uniquely important position. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Sino-Italian Campus, this summer program builds a stage for two-way exchanges between Chinese and Italian students. He expressed his hope that participants would work together to advance China–Italy cooperation toward an even brighter future.

Mr. Vojko Bratina, Science and Technology Officer of the Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai, noted that Italy has a long tradition of science and technology, with outstanding performance in fields such as automotive engineering, aerospace, and robotics. China and Italy have established close cooperative relations in science and technology, and the development of bilateral exchange programs is of vital importance. He wished the summer school a complete success.

Representing the faculty, Prof. Matteo Ploner from the Department of Economics and Management at the University of Trento delivered a speech. He remarked that cities serve as carriers of ideas and collective memory, and cross-cultural exchange is of great importance. He expressed his gratitude to Tongji for providing this academic visit opportunity in Shanghai and hoped that everyone would gain fruitful experiences from it.

Two student representatives, Federica Rossetti from Roma Tre University and Mila Mastroianni from the University of Florence, spoke in Chinese, Italian, and English. They shared their passion for the Chinese language and their journey of appreciating China’s time-honored culture in the process of learning Chinese. They expressed their hope to further engage with Chinese faculty and students in this new environment, deepening their understanding of modern China.

Following the speeches, the students enjoyed a vibrant dragon dance performance by the Tongji University Dragon and Lion Dance Association. Participants also had the opportunity to experience traditional Chinese folk culture firsthand.

On the same day, faculty and students also listened to introductions to Tongji's international cooperation programs and the summer school itinerary. They also visited the History Museum and the DigitalFUTURE exhibition, gradually integrating into Tongji’s campus life.

2026 summer school is an active response to President XI Jinping’s initiative to double the scale of European youth exchanges in China, following the successful hosting of the “Marco Polo 2.0” Tongji University Italian Summer School in 2025. This year’s two-week program offers Italian students an opportunity to experience and understand China through traditional cultural activities such as Chinese calligraphy, martial arts, bamboo weaving, and kite making. Participants will also visit Tencent and Bull Group, travel to Shanghai and Suzhou to explore contemporary Chinese society and examples of China–Italy cooperation in cultural heritage conservation, and take part in the Design Harvest Workshop and the NICE Global Intercultural Lab, allowing the Italian faculty and students to experience a multi-dimensional and authentic China.