On the afternoon of July 6, the opening ceremony of the Eighth China–Italy Advanced Manufacturing Joint Laboratory (CILAM) Summer School was held in Conference Room 3-103 of the West Main Building at Tsinghua University. The two-week program was organized by the Department of Electrical Engineering and Applied Electronic Technology at Tsinghua University, with the University of Naples Federico II, the University of Bergamo, Capital Normal University, Beijing University of Technology, and Shanghai Dianji University jointly participating in its organization. More than 70 Chinese and Italian faculty members and students gathered on the Tsinghua campus for an academic event dedicated to advanced manufacturing. The opening ceremony was hosted by Sun Kai, Deputy Dean of the Department of Electrical Engineering at Tsinghua University.

Opening ceremony in progress

At the beginning of the event, Sun Kai extended a warm welcome to the Italian faculty members and students who had traveled from afar, as well as guests from the partner universities. He noted that the summer school focuses on cutting-edge developments in advanced manufacturing and provides a cross-cultural, cross-border platform for academic dialogue among young people. He expressed the hope that young scholars from China and Italy would learn from one another through classroom discussions, industrial visits, and cultural activities, and forge lasting international friendships through their shared professional interests.

Sun Kai presiding over the ceremony

Xiao Xi, Deputy Dean of the Graduate School of Tsinghua University, delivered a welcome address. He reviewed the summer school’s long-standing development and noted that the program has grown into an influential academic exchange platform for young scholars in the field of advanced manufacturing in China and Italy, providing a high-level, specialized bridge for academic exchange between young scholars from the two countries. He encouraged the participating students to cherish this valuable opportunity for in-person exchange, engage in intellectual dialogue, and broaden their international academic horizons.

Xiao Xi delivering a speech

Wang Jian, founder of the China Science and Technology Automation Alliance, shared his reflections as a representative of industry. He reviewed the summer school’s development from its inception to its continued growth in scale and increasingly diverse content, and offered advice to the young participants from the perspective of industry: move beyond textbook theory, take the initiative to engage with companies on the front lines, and explore pathways for translating technologies into practical applications in real-world industrial settings. He also sincerely called on more young people to pursue careers in the promising field of advanced manufacturing and wished all participants a rewarding and insightful two-week experience.

Wang Jian delivering a speech

Representatives of universities from China and Italy then delivered remarks, expressing their strong expectations for continued cooperation between the two countries. Professor Gianluca D'Urso of the University of Bergamo said that China–Italy cooperation had reached new levels in both breadth and depth. He emphasized that the summer school is more than a short-term educational program; it is also a valuable platform for long-term joint research, providing faculty members and students from both countries with a rare opportunity for mutual visits. He encouraged participants to make the most of the two weeks to deepen their professional expertise and forge lasting friendships. Professor Stefania Zinno of the University of Naples Federico II noted that the gathering offered young researchers a rare opportunity for both academic and cultural enrichment, allowing them to experience firsthand the distinctive technological and cultural appeal of the two countries. Dong Lu, Secretary of the CPC Committee of the School of Information Engineering at Capital Normal University, introduced the program for this year’s summer school, which centers on three core themes: AI-enabled advanced manufacturing, sustainable industrial development, and intelligent power systems. The program features a diverse range of activities, including cutting-edge lectures, industrial site visits, and cultural exchange between China and other countries. Chen Zhijie of the School of Integrated Circuits at Beijing University of Technology expressed appreciation for the organizers’ meticulous preparations. He proposed leveraging the joint laboratory in the future to upgrade the broader research ecosystem, accelerate the internationalization of academic projects, and support the development of young talent. He also wished the summer school every success and expressed the hope that the tree of inter-university cooperation would continue to flourish. Associate Professor Li Zhisong of the School of Mechanical Engineering at Shanghai Dianji University introduced the schedule for the Shanghai segment of the summer school. Preparations for all activities are proceeding smoothly. Every effort will be made to ensure the orderly implementation of the Shanghai program and to contribute to the success of this China–Italy academic exchange initiative.

Student representatives from both China and Italy also shared their expectations and reflections. Italian student representatives Laura Antonini from the University of Bergamo and Francesco Lucignano from the University of Naples Federico II expressed their sincere appreciation for the organizers’ thoughtful and meticulous preparations. They looked forward to bringing young people from China and Italy closer together through professional discussions, company visits, and cultural exchanges, and to building lasting international friendships. Chinese student representatives Li Jingxin from Capital Normal University and Li Yang from Tsinghua University extended a warm welcome to the Italian faculty members and students. They shared their strong anticipation for the cutting-edge professional courses, hands-on laboratory activities, and industrial field visits, and expressed the hope of learning from the advanced manufacturing experience of both countries and exchanging innovative ideas through the program.

During the summer school, participants will take part in cutting-edge lectures, laboratory visits, corporate research visits, cultural exchanges, and other activities. The program will further deepen the integration of industry, academia, and research between China and Italy, build a bridge for two-way exchange among young professionals in advanced manufacturing, and help cultivate a new generation of smart manufacturing talent equipped with both a global outlook and strong technical capabilities.

Group photo at the opening ceremony

The China–Italy Joint Laboratory on Advanced Manufacturing (CI-LAM) is one of the earliest collaborative institutions established between China and Italy in the fields of smart manufacturing, smart factories, and the digitalization of manufacturing. CI-LAM is dedicated to promoting and strengthening cooperation between the two countries in talent development and cutting-edge technology research and development, including technology transfer and startup incubation. Its vision is to become the most effective and successful bridge for cooperation between China and Italy in the fields of advanced manufacturing and intelligent robotics. The China–Italy Summer School on Advanced Manufacturing is one of the major student exchange programs organized by CI-LAM. The inaugural China–Italy Summer School was held in Naples, Italy, in 2019. In 2020, CI-LAM was approved by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology to be established as the China–Italy Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Advanced Manufacturing, becoming a national-level joint laboratory. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the three editions of the China–Italy Summer School held from 2020 to 2022 were conducted entirely through online lectures and academic exchanges. The fifth China–Italy Summer School was held in Bergamo and Naples, Italy, in 2023; the sixth was held at Tsinghua University in 2024; and the seventh was held in Milan, Bergamo, and Naples in 2025. In 2026, the eighth China–Italy Summer School adopted a dual-city format linking Beijing and Shanghai, further expanding the scope of exchanges between young people from China and Italy.