On March 26 2023, the launching ceremony between the Association of Arab Universities (AArU) and Fudan University was held online. Prof. Amr Ezzat Salama, Secretary General of AArU, Prof. Walid Salameh, Senior Consultant of AArU, Prof. Li Jin, President of Fudan University, and Prof. Zhimin Chen, Vice President of Fudan University attended the ceremony. The event was chaired by Prof. Yijia Jing, Dean of the Institute for Global Public Policy of Fudan University.

After preliminary communication and consultation between the two parties, Fudan University and AArU signed an MoU in February 2023. This launching ceremony marked the official beginning of the cooperation between the two parties and the entry into the implementation phase.

Prof. Li Jin, President of Fudan University, introduced the ideas, strategies, and major steps of Fudan University in internationalization of education and research in recent years. He expressed sincere commitment to Fudan’s cooperation with AArU and Arab universities, and proposed plans for the next phase of cooperation.

Prof. Amr Ezzat Salama, Secretary General of AArU, reviewed the exchanges and cooperation between AArU and Chinese universities. He pointed out that the signing of the MoU with Fudan University was a new starting point for China-Arab education cooperation. He hoped that this model could promote substantive cooperation between Chinese and Arab universities.

President Li Jin and Secretary General Salama then exchanged the MoU and institutional gifts.

Representatives from relevant agencies, schools, and departments of Fudan University, including the Office for Global Partnerships, the International Cooperation Office of Medical College, the Institute for Global Public Policy, the School of International Culture Exchange, the School of International Relations and Public Affair, the School of Foreign Languages and Literature, the Law School, the Department of Materials Science, and the Center for Middle East Studies, witnessed the ceremony. Colleagues from AArU, including the Director of the General Secretary Office, and the Financial Chief Officer, attended the ceremony. 

Founded in 1964, AArU currently has more than 400 member universities from 22 Arab countries and regions. It plays a significant role in strengthening cooperation between higher education ministries in the Arab region, promoting educational exchanges among universities, improving the quality of higher education, and achieving sustainable development.

Source: Website of the Office for Global Partnerships of Fudan University