A delegation led by Maria Mancini, vice-rector of the University of Parma, Italy, visited Zhengzhou University (ZZU) on May 18.
Zang Shuangquan, vice-president of ZZU, welcomed the delegation and introduced ZZU's history, disciplinary strengths, and international achievements. He noted that the University of Parma has notable advantages in food science, artificial intelligence, biomedicine, and chemistry — fields that align closely with ZZU's strategic priorities. He expressed hope for deeper practical cooperation in these areas.
Mancini shared the University of Parma's academic profile and international partnerships, emphasizing its strong research and industry collaboration record.
Both sides discussed the feasibility of jointly establishing a Confucius Institute, which they agreed would serve as a new platform for people-to-people and educational exchange. They also pledged to advance projects involving student and faculty exchange, joint research, and academic collaboration.
The University of Parma, founded in 962, is one of the world's oldest universities. It has over 30,000 students across 12 faculties. ZZU and the University of Parma signed a cooperation agreement in 2022 and have since engaged in mutual visits and academic seminars in their respective areas of strength.
Zang Shuangquan meets with Maria Mancini. [Photo/zzu.edu.cn]