From January 12 to 23, 2025, the inaugural “Fudan-Arab League Excellence Internship Program,” jointly organized by Fudan University and the Secretariat of the Arab League, was successfully held in Cairo, Egypt. The program was co-hosted by the Institute for Global Public Policy (IGPP) at Fudan University and the Training Department of the Arab League, with support from the Fudan-Arab Research Centre for Global Development and Governance and the China-Arab Network for School of Public Policy and Administration (CANSPPA). 12 students from diverse academic institutions and backgrounds participated in this two-week internship program. Through internship experience in various departments of the Arab League, academic lectures, and cultural visits, interns gained an in-depth understanding of the organization and operational mechanisms of the Arab League, as well as history and culture of Egypt and the broader Arab region. Additionally, they gained insights into the latest developments in China-Arab relations under the Belt and Road Initiative, thereby comprehensively advancing their global leadership.

Opening Ceremony

Under the meticulous coordination of the Arab League Secretariat, the interns were assigned to various departments, where they conducted research on a wide range of topics. Each intern was paired with a senior official as a mentor, offering hands-on guidance and training. Throughout the program, Arab League officials provided comprehensive professional guidance and unwavering support to the interns. During their internship, Ambassador Khalil Al-Thawadi, Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League, made a special visit to meet and encourage the students.

A group photo of Assistant Secretary-General Al-Thawadi (second from the right in the front row) and the interns

To deepen the understanding of the main work of the Arab League, seven lectures were organized for the interns. The first lecture was given by Hala Gad, Director of the Department of Documents and Information, on the topic of “The Founding and Structure of the Arab League." The second lecture, presented by Maha Gad, Director of the Department of Cultural and Civilizational Dialogue, explored “Cultural Authenticity and China-Arab Cultural Relations.” The third lecture was delivered by Moatasem El Shawa from the Department of Palestinian Affairs on “The History and Current Situation of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” The fourth lecture, by Mohamed Ben Sedik, Director of the Department of Asian, Australian, and Arab-Asian Cooperation, focused on “The China-Arab Cooperation Forum: Glorious Experiences and Bright Prospects.” The fifth lecture was presented by Nada El Agizy, Director of the Department of Sustainable Development and International Cooperation, on “Sustainable Development: Goals and Vision for Sustainable Development in the Arab Region.” The sixth lecture, by Lobna Azzam from the Department of Refugees, Expatriates, and Migration Affairs, introduced “Key Work and Efforts of the Arab League in Migration and Refugee Affairs.” The seventh lecture, delivered by Dr. Marian Kaldas, Executive Director of the Egyptian Center for Non-Banking Financial Dispute Arbitration and Resolution, was on the topic “The Fight Against Corruption: A Continual Journey.” These lectures provided the interns with an Arab perspective on topics, broadening their horizons and enriching their internship experience.

Series of Lectures Organized by the Arab League

During the internship, the interns visited the Chinese Embassy in Egypt and were warmly welcomed by Counselor Jie Li. Counselor Li expressed her heartfelt welcome and noted that this was the first time the Arab League Secretariat had opened an internship program to non-Arab students, marking a new development in the field of higher education and cultural exchange between China and the Arab League. She hoped the interns would make contributions to deepening China-Arab relations and advancing global governance. Through the discussions at the embassy, the interns gained an in-depth understanding of the development and current state of China-Arab relations, as well as the cutting-edge areas of cooperation between China and the Arab world. Xiaohan Pan, the 2nd Secretary of the Embassy, moderated the seminar.

Interns Visit the Chinese Embassy in Egypt

The internship program offered a rich variety of cultural visits. Through visits to the Pyramids of Egypt and the Grand Egyptian Museum, the interns had the opportunity to experience the glorious achievements of ancient Egyptian civilization firsthand. In Alexandria, at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport, the interns held discussions with Vice President Professor Mustafa Rashid and Professor Adel Samy El Menshawy, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the academy's history and its key role in advancing educational development in the Arab and African regions.

Cultural Visits

On January 23, the closing ceremony of the inaugural “Fudan-Arab League Excellence Internship Program" was held at the Arab League Secretariat conference hall. The event was attended by Hemoud Almajid, Director of the Training Department, Faisal Swedan, Deputy Director, and other officials. After inviting all the interns to share experiences and takeaways, Director Almajid expressed great satisfaction in seeing that each intern had gained a deep understanding of the Arab League and Arab culture during the program. He also noted that the new ideas, perspectives, and attitudes of interns had provided inspiration to the officers. Deputy Director Swedan expressed a warm welcome for the interns to return to the Arab region and Cairo, looking forward to meeting them again at the Arab League. Shulin Liu, a master's student from IGPP, and Yuxiu Guo, an undergraduate from Beijing Normal University, represented the interns and expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the Arab League Secretariat and IGPP for providing the valuable internship opportunity. They also mentioned that they would share the insights and experiences during the internship and contribute to promoting cooperation and friendship between China and Egypt, as well as between China and the Arab world.

Closing Ceremony and Exchange Activities

At the end of the closing ceremony, Director Almajid presented certificates of completion to each of the interns and took group photos with them. The inaugural “Fudan- Arab League Excellence Internship Program” came to a successful conclusion.

Certificate Distribution Ceremony

This internship activity is organized and implemented by IGPP at Fudan University as the Chinese partner. As the leading institution for the China-Arab 10+10 University Cooperation Program in the field of public policy, IGPP has been actively fostering cooperation with the Arab world. Notable achievements include the joint establishment of the Fudan-Arab Research Centre for Global Development and Governance and the signing of strategic cooperation agreements with the Arab League Secretariat. IGPP also initiated the CANSPPA and organizes the annual “China-Arab Global Development and Governance Forum.” Additionally, the International Master of Public Administration (IMPA) program in IGPP enrolls mid-career officials from the Arab League annually. On November 9, 2024, the 2nd “China-Arab Global Development and Governance Forum” was held at Fudan University. During this event, both sides formally launched the “Fudan-Arab League Excellence Internship Program” to deepen the implementation of the “Eight Major Common Actions” for China-Arab cooperation, focusing on the action of “Young People Should Act Together.”