From November 13 to 22, 2025, the 2nd Academic Training Program for Officials of the League of Arab States (LAS) Secretariat was successfully held at Fudan University. The program was jointly organized by the Institute for Global Public Policy (IGPP) and the Fudan–Arab Research Centre for Global Development and Governance, with support from the Fudan Office of Global Partnerships, the Fudan International Students Office, and the Fudan Development Institute. Ten young officials from the LAS and the Association of Arab Universities (AARU) participated, engaging in in-depth learning and discussions on cutting-edge topics in AI and global governance, while gaining a comprehensive understanding of the latest developments in China–Arab civilization exchange and cooperation.

The opening ceremony was held on the morning of November 14. Distinguished guests included Dean Yijia Jing of IGPP; Director Li’an Lu of the Fudan Office of Global Partnerships; Kui Su, Director of the Fudan International Students Office; and Founding Dean Nora Colton of the Global Health Business School at University College London. They delivered brief remarks, warmly welcoming the young officials from the LAS and AARU, and encouraged participants to use the training as an opportunity to deepen their understanding of Chinese governance practices and digital development, while fostering exchanges between Chinese and Arab youth. The ceremony was hosted by Assistant Professor Jingyuan Xu of IGPP.

During the ten-day program, participants attended a series of specialized courses under the theme “AI and Global Governance,” including topics such as the digital economy. Through interactive classroom discussions, they developed a deeper understanding of the diverse applications of AI in global governance and gained an insightful grasp of China’s institutional innovations and policy tools in digital governance.

The program also featured several field visits. Participants visited sites such as the China Art Palace and Microsoft China to learn about Chinese companies’ latest achievements in AI, large-scale model development, and smart city construction, as well as to explore Shanghai’s cutting-edge initiatives in industrial openness, technological innovation, and urban governance.

On November 19, IGPP hosted the event “Approaching the League of Arab States,” where LAS youth officials delivered presentations on the organization’s structure and the China–Arab strategic partnership. They also shared insights on their departments’ work in areas such as conflict mediation, and engaged in discussions with Fudan faculty and students on regional governance challenges, youth development, and cultural exchange. The event served to strengthen communication and understanding between young scholars and Arab youth officials.

On November 21, the seminar “China–Arab Civilizational Dialogue: Tradition, Opportunities, and Innovation” further advanced academic exchanges. Participants included Dean Jing; Secretary-General Amr Ezzat Salama of AARU; Professor Hamid Ali of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies; Professor Guangda Wang of Shanghai International Studies University; Professor Walid Salameh of AARU; and Associate Professor Chuchu Zhang of Fudan University. They explored historical interactions between Chinese and Arab civilizations and discussed opportunities for contemporary cooperation. Scholars generally agreed that China–Arab civilizational dialogue plays a vital role in promoting mutual understanding among civilizations and supporting the development of a diverse global governance system.

During the training program, participants also took part in the 3rd China–Arab Global Development and Governance Forum and the 2nd China–Arab Youth Summit. At the Youth Summit, Chinese and Arab youth representatives shared outcomes in areas such as global governance, China–Arab relations, the Digital Silk Road, and youth development. They also jointly read the “Joint Declaration of the China–Arab Youth Summit,” calling for strengthened youth-level partnerships to collaboratively address global challenges.

The training program concluded with a closing ceremony at Fudan University on November 22, attended by IGPP faculty representatives Assistant Dean Haoqi Qian and Assistant Professor Jingyuan Xu. Participants expressed their gratitude for Fudan University and IGPP, noting that the program was content-rich, diverse in format, and highly rewarding.

Following the awarding of certificates and a group photo, the 2nd Academic Training Program for Officials of the LAS Secretariat successfully came to a close.