Xi’an – A graduation ceremony was recently held for the first 57 Chinese students who completed the An-Lai School program in Cultural Heritage, a joint academic initiative launched in 2021 between the University of Salento and Northwest University in Xi’an. The program leads to a dual Italian-Chinese degree and is the first of its kind in both countries.
Diplomas were awarded in the presence of local academic authorities, with participation from Girolamo Fiorentino, Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage at UniSalento, and Grazia Semeraro, Scientific Coordinator of the UniSalento-NWU agreement and head of An-Lai School.
This groundbreaking academic track merges Italian and Chinese educational models to train future cultural heritage professionals capable of working in international settings. An-Lai School is a key pillar in the University of Salento’s internationalization strategy and currently enrolls 228 Chinese students.
The program offers students a deep dive into both Chinese and Mediterranean-European cultural traditions. Many of the graduates spent an entire academic year in Italy, studying a variety of disciplines and learning the Italian language. With a rigorous and enriching educational journey behind them, they are now well-equipped to take on the next steps in their academic or professional paths.