Tsinghua President Wang Xiqin met Ferruccio Resta, Rector of the Politecnico di Milano online on March 28, and signed an agreement on the presentation of Tsinghua's self-developed course "Winter Olympics and Winter Sports" to the Politecnico di Milano, a leading technical university based in Milan, Italy.

At the meeting, Wang said, "China has successfully delivered the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics with a 'green, inclusive, open and clean' approach. Tsinghua has fully utilized its academic strengths in the fulfillment of 18 tasks in seven key projects and effectively supported the planning and design of competition venues, low-carbon management, landscaping building, the incorporation of creative elements into special visual effect, the access to interactive experience and volunteering service, and the construction of barrier-free facilities for the Winter Olympics with its technological expertise, aesthetic taste and humanistic spirit."

Resta reviewed the history of the friendship with Tsinghua University and the achievements made during the past years. Both universities have made consistent efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation in exchanges between teachers and students, talent cultivation and online education.

As one of seven open online courses launched by Tsinghua for global students in the autumn semester of 2021, this course aims to present the origin and development of the Winter Olympics, the history and culture of China's winter sports, and the development of China's ice and snow sports industry driven by the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in an all-around, multi-perspective and three-dimensional manner through theory, case studies and Q&A sessions.

The online course also specifically reviews China's preparations for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and offers a detailed introduction and analysis of the designs of venues and post-Olympic utilization, aesthetic visual elements in the games, and innovative technology applications in winter sports.

Tsinghua and the Politecnico di Milano have built a strategic cooperative partnership in a wide range of fields since they signed a university-level cooperation agreement in 2010. Wang said their cooperation vividly reflects the positive development of China-Italy relations over the past decade.

Wang noted that Tsinghua is willing to share its practices and experiences with the Politecnico di Milano and make joint efforts in the exploration of the sustainable development of sports and the Olympic Games.

Wang hopes that the two universities should grasp opportunities to kick off long-term cooperation in the promotion of the sustainable development of the Winter Olympics and make great achievements in the joint sponsorship of three symposiums featuring the Winter Olympics.

Wang said educational cooperation and exchanges are an integral part of overall cultural cooperation and exchanges between China and Italy, and also between the people of both nations.

The China-Italy Design Innovation Hub launched by the two universities has brought about tangible results and become a key platform and bridge between both countries in their bilateral cooperation in innovation since its establishment in 2017.

Wang called on both universities to further consolidate and expand their cooperation, deepen bilateral relations in such sectors as talent cultivation, scientific research and innovation, the sharing of educational resources and discipline building, and achieve mutual complementarity, the sharing of resources and win-win cooperation.

The building of the China-Italy Design Innovation Hub has lifted cooperation between the two universities to a new height. Resta believes that it is a great honor for both his university and Milan to accommodate Tsinghua University's first European base for education and scientific research.

Resta stressed that the friendship between both universities has been further consolidated during their joint efforts to get the COVID-19 pandemic under control since its outbreak in early 2020.

In addition, Resta congratulated China on the splendid performance of its athletes during the just-concluded 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and Tsinghua University on its glorious contributions to the high-level international sports events.

Resta said that the presentation of the themed course by Tsinghua comes at a perfect time, as Italy will hold the Winter Olympics in 2026, representing the profound friendship between both universities.

Resta added that teachers and students at the Politecnico di Milano will spare no effort to learn from the positive experiences of Tsinghua and make great contributions to the success of the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics. Resta hopes both universities will further strengthen their cooperation and promote joint development in the future.

Wang and Resta signed an agreement on the presentation of the online course on behalf of their universities at the ceremony.

Yang Bin, Vice President and Provost of Tsinghua University, said that the university attaches great importance to its friendship with the Politecnico di Milano. He added that the course presentation is a new symbol of the joint efforts made by both universities to promote the development of the Olympic Games with unique wisdom and strength and that both universities will work together to prepare for Winter Olympics-related symposiums and promote their exchanges and cooperation in talent cultivation in arts design and architecture, the alignment of academic learning with market demand, and the expansion of the development of sports industry.

Giuliano Noci, Vice Rector of the Politecnico di Milano, said that the integration between cultural inheritance and technological development is an important part of cooperation between both universities, adding that he hopes they will take the 2026 Winter Olympics as an important opportunity to consolidate bilateral cooperation in architecture, arts, and design-driven technological innovation in the future.

Ilaria Valente, former Dean of the School of Architecture at the Politecnico di Milano, believes that Tsinghua's experience in Winter Olympics provides them with a valuable reference point. Zhang Li, Dean of the School of Architecture at Tsinghua University and instructor of the thematic course, expresses willingness to further cooperation with the university. Ma Sai, Party Secretary of the Academy of Arts & Design of Tsinghua University, hopes the two sides can strengthen cooperation based on the China-Italy Design Innovation Hub.

Li Jinliang, Dean of International Affairs of Tsinghua University, presided over the meeting.

Editors：John Olbrich, Li Han