The opening ceremony of the online summer camp organized by the School of Humanities of the University of Palermo in Italy for the Italian students of the College of Foreign Languages of Nankai University was held on the afternoon of July 5th. The goal was to implement the “Framework Agreement on Cooperation between the College of Foreign Languages of Nankai University and the School of Humanities of the University of Palermo” and promote innovative talents and foreign experts exchange project in the “One Belt One Road” of the “2020 Foreign Cultural and Educational Experts Employment Plan for Universities Directly Under the Ministry of Education” -- The Sino-Italian Joint Research Project of ‘Languages of Nations’ (Italian Volume) under the background of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Italy. What’s more, the camp could improve the level of Italian education in our college and deepen academic exchanges and cooperation between the two parties.
Professor Yan Guodong, Dean of the College of Foreign Languages, Nankai University, Associate Professor Yang Lin, Dean of the Italian Department, Professor Francesca Piazza, Dean of the School of Humanities, University of Palermo, and Professor Mari D’Agostino, Director of the Italian School for Foreigners delivered speeches respectively. Letizia Vallini and Ni Yang from the Italian Department of the College of Foreign Languages from Nankai University served as interpreters. Many teachers and students from the two colleges participated in the opening ceremony.
Professor Yan Guodong, Dean of the College of Foreign Languages of Nankai University, reviewed the friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two universities. In November 2019, Dean Yan Guodong led a delegation from the College of Foreign Languages of Nankai University to visit the University of Palermo, meeting with Fabrizio Micari, President of Palermo University, Laura Auteri, Vice President, Professor Francesca Piazza and Mari D’Agostino. Dean Yan Guodong signed the “Framework Agreement on Cooperation between the College of Foreign Languages of Nankai University and the School of Humanities of the University of Palermo” with Dean Francesca Piazza. Since the signing of the agreement, the two parties have carried out close cooperation.
Dean Yan introduced the background of organizing this summer camp. The summer camp activities are supported by the Foreign Experts Introducing Project of the Ministry of Education of China. The teaching team consists of 1 professor, 4 associate professors and several professional teachers from the University of Palermo. Dean Yan emphasized that the Italian expert team of the project is numerous and strong, and encouraged students to cherish this rare learning opportunity. Dean Yan also introduced the high-level development of the Italian major of the College of Foreign Languages of Nankai University since its establishment 4 years ago, and affirmed the importance of the project for the further development of the profession. In the end, Dean Yan expressed the mutual expectation and for the in-depth cooperation between the two parties in the future.
Yang Lin, Dean of the Italian Department, reviewed the in-depth academic, cultural, and teaching exchanges between her and Palermo University over the past 10 years. Francesca Piazza, Dean of the School of Humanities, University of Palermo in Italy, and Professor Mari D’Agostino, Director of the Italian School for Foreigners, introduced the teaching characteristics of the language and culture courses at the University of Palermo and attached importance to the cultivation of the Italian language ability of foreign students and the shaping of the multicultural perspective. They were grateful for the successful exchanges between the two parties and wished the summer camp a complete success.
Yang Lin, Dean of the Italian Department, presided over the application for innovative talents and foreign experts exchange project in the “One Belt One Road” of the “2020 Foreign Cultural and Educational Experts Employment Plan for Universities Directly Under the Ministry of Education” -- The Sino-Italian Joint Research Project of “Languages of Nations” (Italian Volume) under the background of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Italy. Through this project, teachers from the two colleges carried out joint scientific research and teaching activities. This online summer camp is one of the activities carried out with the support of this project.
The instructors of the summer camp are a number of linguistics and literary experts from the School of Humanities of the University of Palermo, including Professor Mari D’Agostino and Associate Professor Giuseppe Paternostro, Associate Professor Luisa Amenta, Associate Professor Matteo Di Gesù, Associate Professor Roberto Sottile, Dr. Vincenzo Pinello, Director of the China Cooperation Program at the University of Palermo. In addition, there are professional teachers in Italian schools for foreigners. The theme of the two-week summer camp is “Contemporary Italian Language and Text”, which is divided into junior and intermediate courses and intermediate and advanced courses. By participating in summer camp activities, students of all grades of Italian majors will further improve their language skills and deepen their understanding of the Italian language and culture.
