On October 26, Galileo Galilei Italian Institute (GGII) welcomed the former Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in the main Campus of Chongqing University. After a quick tour in our offices where Mr. Renzi met the GGII staff and had a look at the time gallery of our Institute, the Executive Director Anna Facchinetti presented the longstanding cooperation between Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies and Chongqing University, the activities carried on by the GGII, and especially the ongoing project “Sino-Italian Innovation Base Camp” as an opportunity for science and technology cooperation between Italy and Chongqing.

In a post on Facebook, Mr. Renzi said that “there are huge opportunities for expanding the cooperation between Italy and China and the main drivers could be tourism, academic cooperation and, of course, trade. We don’t have to fear the globalized world and, on the contrary, treasure mutual exchanges, the openness of our economy and Italy’s strongest assets: intelligence, heart, education.” GGII Director, Prof Di Minin, cherished the visit of our former Prime Minister and said that “Mr. Renzi highlighted a crucial aspect for the success of Sant’Anna School’s work in China: COMBINING Chinese investment with the support of Italian companies and institutions, as the most efficient way to promote the whole ‘Sistema Italia’.”