From November 4 to 13, 2024, the Academic Training Program for Officials of League of Arab States (Arab League) Secretariat (Training Camp) was successfully held at Fudan University. The event was organized by the Institute for Global Public Policy (IGPP) of Fudan University and the Fudan-Arab Research Centre for Global Development and Governance (Centre), with support from Fudan University's Office of International Cooperation and Exchange, Foreign Students Office, and Fudan Development Institute. Eight young and mid-level officials from Arab League participated in the program.
The opening ceremony of the Training Camp took place on the morning of November 5 in a conference room at Guanghua Building. Distinguished guests in attendance included Yijia Jing, Dean of IGPP; Li’an Lu, Director of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange; Kui Su, Director of the Foreign Students Office; Yi Zhang, Executive Deputy Director of the Fudan Development Institute, and Faisal Daw Swedan, Deputy Director of the Training Department of Arab League. Faculty representatives from IGPP included Ziteng Fan, Xin Ye, and Yunxiong Li. Jingyuan Xu, from IGPP, presided over the ceremony.
The Training Camp featured 14 specialized courses covering topics such as Chinese government and politics and China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The courses aimed to provide participants with theoretical insights and practical knowledge, enabling them to understand China’s policy practices and developmental experience while enhancing their expertise in global governance, cross-cultural collaboration, and international affairs.
In addition, the Training Camp organized several field visits, offering participants practical experiences and an in-depth understanding of China’s development achievements. The visits included iconic institutions and projects, and participants gained firsthand insights into China’s advancements and sustainable development.
On the afternoon of November 7, participants engaged in a special dialogue titled “China-Arab Youth Dialogue: Opportunities and Challenges for Youth Development in China and Arab Countries”. Co-hosted by IGPP, Fudan Development Research Institute, and the Youth League Committee of Fudan University, the dialogue explored critical topics, providing a platform for meaningful exchanges and mutual understanding between Chinese and Arab youth.
On November 9, participants attended the 2nd China-Arab Global Development and Governance Forum's Youth Summit. Hosted by IGPP, the Centre, and the China-Arab Network for Public Policy and Administration, the summit brought together 16 youth representatives from China and Arab countries to discuss pressing issues in global development and governance, striving for collaborative efforts toward sustainable development.
The closing ceremony of the Training Camp was held on the morning of November 12 at IGPP. Dean Yijia Jing, along with faculty representatives Haoqi Qian, Jingyuan Xu, Xin Ye, and Yunxiong Li, attended the event. Dean Jing extended his warm congratulations to the participants for their successful completion of the program and praised their active engagement and commitment. He emphasized that the Training Camp provided participants with an opportunity to delve into China’s development experiences and policies and laid a solid foundation for fostering China-Arab cultural exchanges and cooperation. Jing also underscored the vast potential for China-Arab collaboration and the pivotal role participants would play in advancing bilateral cooperation.
Faisal Daw Swedan expressed heartfelt gratitude to the IGPP for its warm hospitality and commended the value of the training opportunity. He highlighted the immense potential for China-Arab collaboration and shared optimism for the future.
On behalf of the participants, Noha Sobhy Aiad from the Department of Cultural and Civilizational Dialogue of Arab League expressed her deep gratitude to Fudan University. Reflecting on the past ten days, she noted how the program allowed participants to study China’s policies, economic and social development experiences, and explore the vast potential for collaboration in global governance, technological innovation, and cultural exchange.
Dean Jing presented commemorative gifts and graduation certificates to the participants. With that, the Arab League Secretariat’s Academic Training Camp for Young and Mid-level Officials successfully came to a close.