Dong Dejun, vice president of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music (ZJCM), led a delegation on exchange visits to Hungary and Russia from July 2 to 9, 2023 at the invitation of Hungary’s Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) and the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music as well as Russian St.Petersburg State Conservatory, Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, and Moscow Region State Pedagogical University. The purpose of their visits was to further enhance ZJCM’s cooperation with world-class conservatories and improve ZJCM’s educational standards and international competitiveness.

During the delegation’s visit to ELTE, Rector László Borhy and Vice Rector Imre Hamar, a renowned Sinologist, warmly welcomed the delegation. Dong Dejun expressed gratitude to ELTE for its sincere efforts in fostering cooperation between the two institutions. He emphasized the impressive academic foundation and strong education expertise of ELTE, underlining the significance of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two universities in facilitating in-depth educational cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. The post-graduate education program in music, jointly held by ZJCM and ELTE has received approval from the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. As ZJCM’s first Sino-foreign cooperative education project, it holds great importance in the history of exchange and cooperation between the two universities. ZJCM will take on the mission to foster a strong cooperative partnership with ELTE, accelerating mutually beneficial collaboration in high-quality educational resources and two-way talent exchanges, and promoting progress in talent cultivation, teacher exchanges, discipline co-development, cooperative scientific research, and more.

László Borhy expressed deep impressions from his visit to ZJCM in early May and expressed satisfaction with the implementation of the cooperative project between the two universities. He assured continued support from ELTE to expand the scope of cooperation and deepen the essence of collaboration with ZJCM. This commitment will contribute to fostering cultural and artistic exchanges between China and Hungary. Imre Hamar proposed the establishment and joint development of research institutions between the two parties. Given ZJCM President Wang Rui’s suggestion to establish a Chinese Musical Culture Center at ELTE, Imre Hamar proposed the establishment of a Kodály Music Culture Research Center at ZJCM, to promote the appreciation of excellent music cultures from both countries among teachers and students.

During the visit to Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music, Vice President Gyula Fekete warmly welcomed the delegation. The two sides first reviewed the successful programs in student exchange and cultivation, as well as academic exchanges for teachers since the establishment of the cooperative relationship between the two organizations in 2017. This year, in November, ZJCM will host the China-CEEC Forum of Music Academy Deans and Rectors, the China-CEEC Music and Dance Festival, and the International Chamber Music Festival. The Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music will actively dispatch professors for participation, thereby strengthening the foundation of cooperation between the two universities. Gyula Fekete led the delegation to visit the Liszt Ferenc Memorial Museum, concert halls, and other performance venues.

In Russia, the delegation engaged in cooperation talks with three renowned universities: St.Petersburg State Conservatory, Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, and Moscow Region State Pedagogical University. Denis Bystrov, vice-rector of St. Petersburg State Conservatory, Konstantin Zenkin, first vice-rector of Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, and the dean of the School of Arts at Moscow Region State Pedagogical University received Dong Dejun and the delegation, respectively. They had comprehensive discussions on strengthening cooperation in music education. Dong Dejun introduced ZJCM’s school-running and educational characteristics and expressed anticipation for collaboration and exchange in the new historical period. He suggested fostering mutual understanding and trust through academic exchanges among teachers and students, joint performances, and other projects, with the aim of deepening the scope of cooperation.

The delegation also visited the Chinese embassies in Hungary and Russia to report on the exchanges and cooperation between ZJCM and the respective countries to Chen Kun, education counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Hungary, and Feng Litao, minister-counselor for culture of the Chinese Embassy in Russia. During their visit to the China Cultural Center in Budapest, the delegation discussed ZJCM’s plans to participate in cultural exchanges between China and Hungary with Jin Hao, director of the Center.

With the assistance of the Cultural Office of the Chinese Embassy in Russia, the delegation traveled to a village, approximately 40 kilometers southwest of central Moscow, visiting the permanent exhibition hall on the site of the Sixth Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC). This visit allowed them to study Party history and retrace the revolutionary legacy on the site, a symbol of China-Russia friendship.