On the morning of September 2, Massimo Bray, Director General of the Treccani Institute of the Italian Encyclopedia, led a delegation on a visit to Fudan University. Fudan University President Li Jin met with the delegation and presented Professor Bray with the appointment certificate as Honorary Professor of Fudan University. The two sides held in-depth discussions on further deepening China–Italy cultural exchanges and expanding channels for cultural dialogue and mutual learning among civilizations.

President Jin welcomed Professor Bray and his delegation to Fudan University and spoke highly of his outstanding achievements in cultural studies and China–Italy cultural exchange. He reviewed the fruitful cooperation between Fudan University and the Treccani Institute in recent years. In 2025, the two institutions signed a trilateral cooperation agreement, successfully organized a number of academic conferences, and jointly published special issues, together with the German-Italian Centre for European Dialogue,. Young students from both sides have also actively participated in the China–Europe University Students Dialogue on Global Governance. President Jin noted that Professor Bray brings together the perspectives and strengths of both a scholar and an administrator and has made pioneering contributions to comparative cultural studies and cultural exchange between China and Italy. Fudan University looks forward to further deepening cooperation with Professor Bray and the Italian cultural community, while strengthening the longstanding friendship between the peoples of China and Italy.

Professor Bray expressed his sincere gratitude to Fudan University for its warm reception and for the honor of being appointed an Honorary Professor. He noted that cultural exchange is an important means of enhancing mutual understanding and seeking solutions to common challenges. He introduced the work carried out by the two sides in recent years in promoting faculty and student exchanges and spoke highly of the role played by the intergovernmental China–Italy cultural cooperation mechanism. Professor Bray emphasized that China and Italy are home to two civilizations with long and rich histories, and that cooperation between the two countries can serve as an example of intercivilizational exchange and mutual learning. He expressed his great honor at joining the Fudan University community and pledged to actively fulfill his responsibilities as an Honorary Professor while continuing to promote academic and cultural cooperation between the two countries.

Professor Bray currently serves as Director General of the Treccani Institute of the Italian Encyclopedia, Chairman of the China–Italy Cultural Forum at the Italian Ministry of Culture, and Italian Coordinator of the China–Italy cultural cooperation mechanism. He previously served as Italy’s Minister of Cultural Heritage and Tourism and is a recipient of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. In recent years, he has developed fruitful cultural and academic cooperation with the Institute for Global Public Policy (IGPP) at Fudan University. Upon the recommendation of IGPP, Fudan University decided in April 2026 to appoint Professor Bray as an Honorary Professor of Fudan University.

Marta Leonori, Head of the Management Division of the Treccani Institute; Francesco D’Arelli, former Director of the Italian Cultural Institute of Shanghai; Davide Bellomo, an Italian Member of Parliament; and Wei He, Interpreter and Consultant for Treccani in China, joined the delegation. Professor Yijia Jing, Dean of IGPP; Associate Professor Haoqi Qian, Associate Dean of IGPP; Professor Li’an Lu, Director of the Office of International Affairs and Cooperation; and relevant staff members also attended the event.