From June 23rd to 30th, President Wang Rui led a delegation to visit Hungary and Switzerland, invited by Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Liszt Academy of Music, Hungarian Dance Academy (MTE), Zürcher Hochschule der Künste (ZHdK), and Haute École de Musique de Genève (HEM).

Enhancing International Cultural and Educational Cooperation

Boosting China-Hungarian People-to-People Exchanges

During the visit to ELTE, the "Chinese Music and Culture Center" jointly established by the two universities was officially unveiled. Over 80 people, including Chinese Ambassador to Hungary Gong Tao, ELTE President László Borhy, Vice President Imre Hamar, Counselor Sun Jie from the Embassy, and Hungarian friends, attended the ceremony. The ELTE Choir and teachers and students from Zhejiang Conservatory of Music (ZJCM) presented wonderful artistic performances for the guests.

President Wang Rui expressed that ZJCM attaches great importance to exchanges and cooperation with ELTE. Through the joint master's degree program in music and regular student exchanges, a profound friendship has been established between the two institutions. With the establishment of the Chinese Music and Culture Center, ZJCM will select outstanding teachers on a regular basis to collaborate with Hungarian exchange students and the Confucius Institute at ELTE, jointly carrying out teaching, exhibitions, and exchange activities related to Chinese music and culture. He added that the center's establishment will undoubtedly elevate the level of educational cooperation between the two universities, further promote the dissemination and promotion of Chinese music and culture, facilitate a deeper understanding among Chinese and Hungarian youth, and enhance mutual understanding between the two peoples.

Ambassador Gong Tao noted that President Xi Jinping has proposed the Global Civilization Initiative, encouraging exchanges and mutual recognition among different civilizations to jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind. A month ago, President Xi paid a state visit to Hungary, during which the two leaders agreed to expand China-Hungarian people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. The establishment of the "Chinese Music and Culture Center" by ZJCM and ELTE is a concrete action to implement the outcomes of this visit.

László Borhy also stated that as the first university in Hungary to offer Chinese language and culture courses, ELTE attaches great importance to its relationship with ZJCM. Last November, the Kodály International Music and Culture Center was established at ZJCM. The successful unveiling of the Chinese Music and Culture Center lays a solid foundation for both sides to continue strengthening teaching cooperation and academic exchanges and cultivating more outstanding music professionals in the future.

ZJCM delegation also visited the prestigious public music conservatory with a rich tradition, the Liszt Academy of Music, where they met with Executive Dean Csaba Kutnyánszky and Vice Dean Gyula Fekete. They summarized the successful experiences of regular student exchange programs, faculty academic visits, and joint concerts held between the two institutions over recent years, negotiated further deepening cooperation, and renewed the student exchange and training agreement. Following the negotiations, President Wang and his delegation visited the Liszt Museum.

At the Hungarian Dance Academy (MTE), the pinnacle of dance education in Hungary, President Wang met with President Márta Fodor-Molnár, Vice President Szilárd Macher, and other officials. They watched a special performance by ballet graduates. President Wang expressed gratitude for the warm reception and detailed introduction, noting the similarities in dance program offerings and complementary training methods between the two universities. He proposed initiating student and faculty exchange programs, fostering deeper understanding, and establishing a long-term friendly cooperation mechanism.

During their stay in Hungary, President Wang also visited the Chinese Embassy in Hungary and the Budapest China Cultural Center, engaging in in-depth discussions on educational cooperation and cultural exchanges between ZJCM and Hungarian institutions.

Expanding Exchanges with World-Class Art Academies

Promoting China-Swiss Music Cooperation

While in Switzerland, ZJCM delegation visited Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), the largest art academy in the country. The Acting Dean Xavier Dayer, accompanied by the administrative team and professor representatives, warmly welcomed the delegation, introduced ZHdK's history and academic programs, and expressed eagerness to initiate cooperation and exchange programs between the two institutions. Afterward, the delegation toured the university's concert hall, jazz studio, music engineering workshops, recording studios, and other teaching facilities.

The delegation also visited the Haute École de Musique de Genève (HEM), engaging in friendly talks with Dean Béatrice Zawodnik, former President of the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC) Didier Schnorhk, and Xavier Bouvier, a member of the Administrative Council. Béatrice and President Wang respectively introduced their institutions' academic offerings, curricular strengths, specialized programs, music festival brands, and international exchange activities. Both sides expressed their desire to deepen their partnership through academic exchanges. The delegation also gained insights into HEM's rich history of cultural exchanges with China, as an institution with over 80% international students and a high degree of internationalization. They visited the "Chinese International Library," established during the Republic of China era, and admired the creative manuscripts and precious artifacts of renowned modern Chinese musicians such as Wang Guangqi and Xiao Shuxian.

This fruitful visit, undertaken by President Wang and his delegation on behalf of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, not only deepened existing relationships with world-class music academies but also expanded collaborations with a new batch of renowned international art academies. It holds significant importance in advancing the internationalization of the conservatory's education and enhancing its international competitiveness.