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DELEGATION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CHINESE ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES (UCASS) VISITED THE NATIONAL AND KAPODISTRIAN UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS - OCTOBER 1ST, 2018

 Delegation from the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (UCASS) visited the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens - October 1st, 2018

On Monday, October 1st, 2018 α five-member delegation from the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (UCASS) visited the central building of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) and, subsequently, the School of Philosophy. The delegation consisted of the following professors and members of their academic personnel:

  • Professor Zhang Zhengwen, Executive President
  • Professor Zhang Xian, Director of School of Humanities
  • Professor Wu Bolong, Director of School of International Relations
  • Mr Zhu Kongjing, Director of General Administration Office
  • Mr Zeng Maofu, Deputy Director of International Cooperation Office.

The delegation was welcomed by the Rector of the NKUA, Professor M.-A. Dimopoulos, the Vice Rector, Professor N.Maravegias and the former Vice-Rector and current Rectorate's consultant for International Relations issues, Professor K.Buraselis. Subsequently, the delegation of UCASS departed for the premises of the School of Philosophy, where they met with the Dean, Professor E. Karamalengou.

The Rector of the NKUA briefly presented the University achievements, as well as the fields of studies offered. Professor M.-A Dimopoulos also mentioned that the NKUA has signed international bilateral agreements with 8 Chinese Universities and then notified the delegation that at the Foreign Languages Teaching Center of the NKUA, 341 students have attended Chinese language courses during the last 5 years.

The Vice Rector referred to the English-language postgraduate programs offered by the NKUA as well as the possibility of organizing special study programs for Chinese students in fields of the Philosophy, Economics, as well as in European and International studies.

Both sides emphasized that ancient Greek and ancient Chinese cultures are considered, respectively, the origins of the cultures of the Western and Eastern countries and they have strongly influenced the rest of the world's civilizations. Professor Bourazelis explained that fields such as ancient and modern Greek history, archaeology, literature and culture are the main subjects that attract foreign students' interest and can also be a valuable contribution to UCASS students' education.

The Executive President of UCASS, Professor Zhang Zhengwen presented the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), which is a national research center on humanities and social sciences, located in Beijing. It is the main consultative body of the Government of China in policy-making and on issues of economic development, international relations and tourism and is supervised by the State Council. CASS has more than 4.000 researchers divided in its 40 research institutes, it publishes approximately 90 highly rated academic journals and it administrated a Graduate School. In 2017, CASS founded CASS University (UCASS) based on the renowned Graduate School. Professor Zhang Zhengwen then presented the CASS University and expressed his desire to cooperate with the NKUA, both at the level of a bilateral agreement between the two Universities for the exchange of professors, researchers and students, as well as for the organization of a Summer School for UCASS students at the NKUA. He also expressed the intention of his University to organize an "Academic Week" at UCASS in 2019 with the participation of invited faculty members of the NKUA to give lectures on topics of philosophy, literature, history, archeology, arts, etc.
Both sides expressed their willingness for such cooperation activities between the two Universities.

Further details of such collaboration were discussed later on at the meeting with Dean of the School of Philosophy, Professor E.Karamalengou at the premises of the Faculty of Philosophy.

Professor Karamalengou gave an overview of the faculty and the study programs offered. She also mentioned that the last three years new international cooperation agreements with Universities of China have been signed and also, in September, she leaded a delegation of members of the School of Philosophy at Shandong University of Technology in the framework of the co-organization of an international conference. In addition, under special cooperation agreements the School of Philosophy organized and hosted successfully undergraduate students from Beijing Foreign Studies University and Guangdong University of Foreign Studies.

Professors Zhang Zhengwen, Zhang Xian and Wu Bolong presented the major achievements of their University and, in particular, these of the School of Humanities and the School of International Relations in representative fields such as philosophy, history, economic science, literature, culture and the arts. Of particular interest was the discussion about the lectures given by President Zhang Zhengwen to students of UCASS on Greek philosophy and ancient Greek culture.
          It was finally decided to proceed with signing a bilateral co-operation agreement between the two Universities. Furthermore, efforts will be made by the School of Philosophy of the University of Athens to organize a 3-week summer school for UCASS students preferably in July 2019 and, UCASS, will organizing an "Academic Week" in 2019 on topics of philosophy, literature, history and arts, with the invitation of professors from the School of Philosophy of the University of Athens.