On the afternoon of January 12, 2023, the 2022 Annual Meeting of the Joint Management Committee of the NWU-Salento School of Cultural Heritage and Arts (An-Lai School) was successfully held via video conference between Chang’an Campus of Northwest University (NWU) and the University of Salento (UniSalento), Italy. Participants included President GUO Lihong of NWU, President Fabio Pollice and Vice President Gennaro Scarselli of the UniSalento, as well as members of the Joint Management Committee and the management team of An-Lai School.

President GUO Lihong, speaking on behalf of NWU, extended a warm welcome to President Pollice and the UniSalento members attending the meeting. He emphasized that the two universities, as pioneers of Sino-foreign cooperation in the field of cultural heritage, had faced shared challenges such as the pandemic, yet continued to advance together with resilience and innovation. He highlighted the progress achieved in the areas of institutional governance, teaching reform, and student development, commending the schools’ joint efforts in exploring a distinctive “An-Lai Model” for cultivating high-level international talents. President Guo stressed that international partnerships are a vital foundation for Northwest University’s open education strategy. The friendship between NWU and the UniSalento, he said, “has no endpoint—only new beginnings.” Looking ahead to 2023, he proposed further strengthening faculty and student exchanges, curriculum cooperation, and resource sharing to ensure the efficient operation of An-Lai School and to address the key concerns of both faculty and students.

In his address, President Fabio Pollice stated that the challenges and hardships shared by both universities have given their cooperation profound meaning. He noted that the establishment of An-Lai School, the development of its team, the deepening friendship, and the successful enrollment of two cohorts of students embarking on their exchange journey to UniSalento all embody the spirit of “Audaces fortuna juvat — Fortune favors the brave.” He described both universities as partners of courage, action, and vision, emphasizing that An-Lai School has become a jewel of UniSalento’s international collaboration and a model of Sino-Italian cultural exchange from which more people will benefit in the future.

Dean WEN Rui, on behalf of the management team, presented a detailed report on the school’s 2022 operations and future plans. The report outlined efforts to refine the school’s educational philosophy, strengthen its academic profile, and advance continuous innovation in its cooperative education system. Looking ahead, the school will adhere to the guiding principle of “meeting national needs and serving national strategies”, and continue to enhance its academic level, deepen Sino-Italian collaboration, and build a sustainable and high-standard model for international talent cultivation.

The meeting also reviewed and approved topics including adjustments to committee membership and curriculum modifications in the talent cultivation. Both sides further discussed arrangements for UniSalento faculty teaching in China, student exchanges to Italy, and future cooperation and visits between the two universities.