On the morning of November 20, 2025, Fudan University awarded an honorary doctorate to Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States (LAS).

Li Jin, President of Fudan University and Chair of the University Academic Degrees Committee, read the official notice from the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council approving the award and presented the honorary degree certificate to Secretary-General Gheit.

Born in Cairo in June 1942, Secretary-General Gheit earned a degree in Commerce from Ain Shams University in 1964. He joined the diplomatic service in 1965, serving in Egyptian missions in Rome, Moscow, and New York. In 1999, he became Egypt’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and from 2004 to 2011, he served as Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. In July 2016, he was appointed Secretary-General of the LAS and was successfully re-elected in March 2021. Secretary-General Gheit enjoys high prestige in the Arab world and the international community, consistently fostering friendly relations with China and actively promoting China–Arab cooperation, strengthening bilateral ties during his tenure.

In recognition of his outstanding achievements in diplomacy and global governance, as well as his contributions to fostering innovative cooperation between the LAS Secretariat and Fudan University, the University Academic Degrees Committee recommended that Secretary-General Gheit be awarded an honorary doctorate, which was approved by the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council in July 2025.

To date, Fudan University has conferred honorary doctorates on 16 distinguished individuals, including Zhenning Yang and Dazhao Li.

Secretary-General Gheit remarked that this honor not only belongs to him personally but also reflects the values of collective action championed by the LAS. He noted that it stands as a testament to the deep friendship between China and the Arab world, conveying a vision of an enduring China–Arab bridge, constructive dialogue, and fruitful cooperation benefiting both regions.

In his keynote speech at the 3rd China–Arab Forum on Global Development and Governance, Secretary-General Gheit emphasized Fudan University’s significant contributions to the sustained development of the forum, making it an important platform for educational and research exchanges and cooperation between China and the LAS. He stressed that the LAS views education as a core pillar of national development: basic education focuses on character building and capacity development, higher education stimulates innovation and critical thinking, and scientific research provides cutting-edge solutions to socio-economic challenges. Knowledge exchanges between universities enhance their capacities to address global challenges. In just two years, the LAS and Fudan University have achieved a series of pragmatic results in higher education and research, demonstrating strong commitment and efficient execution, setting a model for international academic collaboration.

President Jin presented Secretary-General Gheit with the English edition of A History of Chinese Thought by Fudan senior faculty member Zhaoguang Ge, and in return, Secretary-General Gheit gave his works Witness: War and Peace and My Witness: Egyptian Foreign Policy (2004–2011) (Chinese edition).

Speeches at the conferment ceremony were also delivered by Amr Ezzat Salama, Secretary-General of the Association of Arab Universities (AARU), and Vice President Yugang Ma of Fudan University. The event was attended by notable guests including Chunhua Yan, Vice President of the China Association of Higher Education; Zhixin Jiao, Director of the 3rd Bureau of the International Liaison Department of the CPC Central Committee; Zhiming Chen, Vice President of Fudan University; Hossam Zaki, Assistant Secretary-General of the LAS and Director of the Secretary-General’s Office; Ahmed Mustafa, Director of the LAS’s Representative Office in China; Mohamed Raslan, Consul General of Egypt in Shanghai; and Muhannad Alnaqbi, Consul General of the UAE in Shanghai. The ceremony was hosted by Yan Chen, Assistant President and Executive Vice Dean of Fudan Graduate School.

Fudan University and the LAS Secretariat announced the establishment of the General Secretariat of LAS-Fudan Centre for Global Leadership Development, signing a MOU.

Following the honorary degree conferment, the center will operate jointly at the LAS and Fudan University. Institute of Global Public Policy (IGPP) will manage the day-to-day operations at Fudan. The center aims to create a high-level dialogue platform, host senior forums and global leadership programs, and promote multidimensional exchanges in culture, academics, internships, and practical experiences.

At the event, Fudan University student choir and Arab international students performed You and Me and Jasmine Flower together.

Since 2022, Fudan University has accelerated cooperation with Arab partners. In March 2023, it signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the AARU to promote educational and research collaboration. In October of the same year, the two sides signed another agreement to jointly establish the Fudan–Arab Research Centre for Global Development and Governance.

Since 2022, Fudan University has accelerated cooperation with Arab partners. In March 2023, it signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the AARU to promote educational and research collaboration. In October of the same year, the two sides signed another agreement to jointly establish the Fudan–Arab Research Centre for Global Development and Governance.

Prior to the conferment ceremony, Secretary-General Gheit visited IGPP.