On the afternoon of September 21, the China–Europe "Study Abroad" Program — the "Encountering Weifang" Italian University Students Study Tour in China, co-hosted by the World Skills Development Alliance (WSDA) and the European Talent International Exchange Center (UNISER), concluded successfully at Shandong Polytechnic University. Jointly delivered by the university's Department of International Exchange and Cooperation, Department of Economics and Management, and Department of Textile and Garment, the two-week program featured a diverse curriculum covering specialized courses, intangible cultural heritage (ICH) experiences, cultural studies, city exploration, and exchange seminars.
During the tour, the Italian students not only studied specialized courses but also immersed themselves in traditional Chinese culture, blending Italian artistic aesthetics with the creativity of Oriental craftsmanship. They independently completed tie-dye and leather-carving works, gaining a deep appreciation of the unique charm of China's intangible cultural heritage through hands-on practice. In their spare time, the group also wandered through the streets and lanes of Weifang, observing up close the urban landscape, cultural character, and vitality of social development in China's new era.
At the closing ceremony, Xu Xiaoyan, representing the university's leadership, delivered a speech on behalf of the school, congratulating the program on its successful conclusion. She noted that China and Italy are both ancient civilizations, and that the ancient Silk Road, stretching across millennia, has laid a profound foundation for friendly exchanges between the two countries. As a cultural symbol that spans mountains and seas, the Weifang kite embodies the spirit of openness, inclusiveness, and aspiration, making it an excellent vehicle for cultural exchange between Chinese and Italian youth. She expressed her hope that the Italian students would carry their memories of the Kite Capital and their insights into China back to their homeland, serving as messengers of Sino-Italian culture and youthful bridges of friendship between the two nations, and steadily deepening mutual learning between the two civilizations.
Student representatives from Italy shared their takeaways from the program. The students all said that the trip to the Kite Capital was rewarding and meaningful: not only did they come into close contact with vivid traditional Chinese culture, but they also genuinely felt China's warmth and vitality. From the craftsmanship heritage behind a single kite to the bustling vitality of a city, the experience completely upended their prior perceptions, giving them a brand-new, three-dimensional understanding of Chinese culture and the heritage of Qilu. They said they would continue to follow and love China in the future, and actively share the stories of the Kite Capital and of China with family and friends back home.
This event marked the university's first reception of a study tour group from Southern Europe. It not only further expanded the university's channels for international exchange and cooperation, but also signaled a new breakthrough in its people-to-people and cultural exchanges with foreign countries. The influence of the "Study at SDPU" brand has continued to grow, accumulating valuable experience and laying a solid foundation for the university's future efforts to recruit young international students from European countries and organize study tour programs.
