From Aug 27 to Sept 4, Zhang Donggang, Party secretary of RUC, led a delegation on a visit to Hungary, Germany and Switzerland. The delegation visited Corvinus University of Budapest, Eötvös Loránd University, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich), and the University of Geneva, as well as the Chinese Embassy in Hungary, Bank of China Limited Hungarian Branch, the China Cultural Center in Budapest and the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The visit aimed to expand RUC’s network of partnerships with leading European universities, support the development of emerging science and engineering disciplines, strengthen the development of Confucius Institutes and RUC’s research centers for exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and advance research and cooperation on mutual learning among civilizations.

On Aug 28, the delegation visited Corvinus University of Budapest and met with Rector Bruno van Pottelsberghe to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation. Zhang noted that since the two universities established a partnership in 2007, they have achieved fruitful results in student exchanges and faculty visits. He expressed hope that the two sides would upgrade their cooperation agreement, deepen Central and Eastern European studies, expand interdisciplinary cooperation between the humanities and sciences, and explore innovative talent development programs in AI, the digital economy and sustainable development. Van Pottelsberghe stated that Corvinus University of Budapest hopes to leverage platforms to strengthen faculty and student exchanges with RUC, offer joint courses, and bring bilateral cooperation to a new level.

On the same day, the delegation visited Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) and met with Rector Lénárd Darázs. The two sides agreed to strengthen the China-Hungary Research Center for Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations, jointly established by the two universities. Zhang noted that the center had developed a working model integrating joint research, forums, teaching, translation and talent development. He said the two universities could further leverage their strengths in law and AI, with AI as an important area for deepening strategic cooperation. The two sides agreed to deepen their strategic cooperation, conduct joint research on legal ethics of AI and digital economy rules, and launch a China-Europe AI youth track under the Global AI Innovation, Governance and Security Competition. 

On Aug 29, Zhang attended the launch of the China-Europe Report on the Development of Trade in Services and Digital Trade and the China-CEEC Civilization Forum (2026) in Budapest. Participants included Chinese Ambassador to Hungary Gong Tao, Eötvös Loránd University Rector Lénárd Darázs, Hungarian Academy of Sciences member Imre Hamar, and Counsellor Yang Xiuhua from the Chinese Embassy in Hungary, among others. Zhang stated that this year marks the 77th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Hungary, and that since the bilateral relationship was elevated to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era, cooperation in various fields has yielded remarkable results. The China-Hungary Research Center for Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations has gradually developed into an important platform for dialogue and exchange between China and Hungary, and indeed between China and Central and Eastern Europe. He said that universities should serve as think tanks for economic and trade cooperation, bridges for youth development and windows for mutual learning between civilizations, contributing to deeper China-Europe exchanges and practical cooperation.

On Sept 2, the Symposium on the Research Network for Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations was held in Geneva. It marked the university's first overseas gathering of leaders from its overseas research centers for exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and jointly established Confucius Institutes. Experts and institutional representatives from partner platforms participated both in person and online to discuss network building, resource sharing, and collaborative research. Zhang and Chinese Ambassador to Switzerland Qian Minjian attended the symposium.

RUC also released Seeking Wisdom Across Civilizations, Finding Answers Through Mutual Learning, a collection showcasing the university's practical achievements in promoting global civilizational exchange. In addition, the university officially launched its China-Foreign Joint Research Projects under the Global Cooperative Research Program on Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilizations (2026-2027), inviting scholars worldwide to collaborate on research addressing shared global challenges.

On Aug 31, the delegation visited Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and met with President Joachim Hornegger. Zhang said RUC hopes to establish a practical and effective partnership with the university, including student exchange programs, joint master’s and doctoral degree programs, and visiting programs for doctoral students. The two sides also discussed jointly developing a research platform on Digital China, expanding cooperation in applied mathematics, artificial intelligence and medical engineering, and conducting innovative joint research on global frontier issues. Hornegger said both universities attach great importance to interdisciplinary development and look forward to deepening cooperation in faculty and student exchanges, talent development and collaborative research.

On Sept 1, the delegation visited LMU Munich and met with President Matthias H. Tschöp. Zhang said the two universities have established a long-term partnership, with student exchanges and joint seed-fund programs running smoothly. He highlighted LMU’s Cluster of Excellence “Cross-Cultural Philology” and expressed hope for deeper practical cooperation, including joint research on mutual learning between Chinese and European civilizations, the application of AI to the humanities and social sciences, the establishment of a joint research platform on population health and chronic disease prevention, and the upgrading of joint dual-degree programs. Tschöp said LMU’s commitment to being a comprehensive university and its diverse academic strengths closely align with RUC’s educational philosophy. He expressed hope to leverage LMU’s Center for International Health for academic exchanges and explore new areas of cooperation in “AI + humanities and social sciences”.

On Sept 2, the delegation visited the University of Geneva and met with Vice-Rector Martine Collart. Zhang noted that the two universities established a partnership in 2011 and jointly established the Confucius Institute at the University of Geneva, with cooperation spanning Chinese language education, academic research and talent development. He added that in response to the industrial revolution and technological transformation driven by artificial intelligence, RUC has fully implemented its “AI+” initiative and proactively established new teaching and research institutions, including the Gaoling School of Artificial Intelligence and the RUC Institute for AI Governance. He expressed hope that the two sides would deepen cooperation in AI governance and digital law, strengthen joint training of talent for international organizations, encourage faculty and students to conduct short-term field research, expert interviews and case studies, jointly develop multilingual thematic databases and digital exhibitions, and further enhance the Confucius Institute. Collart expressed strong support for RUC’s proposals in academic development, talent cultivation and research, and looked forward to advancing cooperation in areas including AI and cultural heritage preservation.

The delegation also met with representatives of the Chinese Embassy in Hungary, Bank of China, and the China Cultural Center in Budapest to discuss cooperation on higher education, overseas internships, commissioned research, policy studies and cultural exchange.

RUC places great importance on exchanges and cooperation with European universities and research institutions. Moving forward, the university will continue to innovate cooperation mechanisms, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, strengthen its overseas institutions and research networks, and deepen cooperation on global issues and talent development for global governance.