On the morning of 9 December 2025, Edilio Valentini, an economics professor and project leader of ECONOMIC AND FINANCE at Università G. d'Annunzio Chieti Pescara in Italy, visited the East Coast Campus of Shantou University Business School and held a discussion with representatives from the school. Attendees included Professor Liang Qiang, Dean of the School of Business, Associate Professor Chen Siyan from the Department of Applied Economics, Associate Professor Saul Desiderio, part-time teacher, and Mrs Jiang Jiamei from the Office of International Exchange and Cooperation.
In August this year, the two universities formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding and a student exchange agreement, moving their cooperation into a substantive phase. At the meeting, Dean Liang Qiang welcomed Professor Valentini and stated that the School is firmly committed to expanding its high-quality international cooperation network and building cross-cultural learning platforms for students. He stressed that this partnership represents another important step in enriching the School’ s collaboration framework with European universities, and will promote mutual learning and joint development in the fields of economics and finance. He expressed the hope that the solid implementation of the programme will benefit a wider number of students. During the meeting, the two sides had in-depth discussions on the specific implementation of the exchange student program, with a focus on the credit transfer mechanism, course integration, and the Italian side ’s plan to organize students to visit and study in Shantou. The cooperation framework and implementation path were further refined, laying a solid foundation for the smooth implementation of the project.
In the afternoon of that day, Professor Edilio Valentini held a special study abroad sharing session for students in the School at the East Coast campus, attracting many students to actively participate. During the session, Professor Valentini provided a detailed introduction to the teaching characteristics and research capabilities of Università G. d'Annunzio Chieti Pescara, with a particular focus on the fields of economics and finance. He showcased the campus environment, discipline architecture, and course models through images, text, and videos, with a particular emphasis on sharing the international academic platform provided by the university for students, including its cooperative network with many well-known European universities and institutions, joint research, and internship opportunities. He also explained how students can use the university as a gateway to the European higher education system and career development pathways. Professor Edilio Valentini warmly welcomes Shantou University students to Italy for exchange and study. He mentioned that the Italian side is fully prepared to receive exchange students from Shantou University and will provide comprehensive academic support and cultural integration assistance to ensure that exchange students have a rich and fulfilling learning experience in Italy. The session featured lively interaction, offering valuable planning references and a cross-cultural academic exchange perspective for students interested in pursuing further studies in Europe.
This visit and exchange activity is an important move for the School as it continues to advance its internationalisation strategy and expand its European cooperation network. By deepening its partnership with Italian universities, the School is dedicated to creating more diverse overseas study opportunities for students and to cultivating high-level talents with international perspectives and competitiveness. Looking ahead, the two universities will continue to explore mutual visits between teachers and students, academic cooperation, curriculum co construction, and jointly promote educational and cultural exchanges and development between China and Italy.
