From October 5 to 10, at the invitation of Accademia della Moda, Florence International Culture and Art Association, Accademia Italiana di Arte, Moda e Design, Florence Academy of Art (FAA), Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, CGS ORIS GmbH and Hochschule der Medien, Zhang Xin, Party Secretary of Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication (BIGC), led a delegation to visit Italy and Germany, attended the 78th Frankfurt Book Fair, had in-depth exchanges with multiple universities, institutions and enterprises, and signed a number of memoranda of cooperation.
Zhang Xin and the delegation visited Accademia della Moda
During the visit to Accademia della Moda, Zhang Xin and the delegation held a discussion with Massimo Cipolloni, Dean of the School of International Exchanges. The two sides reached consensus on cross-cultural and interdisciplinary exchanges, international communication of Chinese culture, joint research in art and design, international cultivation of postgraduate students, and two-way student exchanges.
Visit to Accademia Italiana di Arte, Moda e Design
During the visit to Accademia Italiana di Arte, Moda e Design, Zhang Xin and the delegation held a discussion with President Filippo Pernisco, conducted in-depth discussions on studio teaching for art majors, joint design exhibitions, industry-university-research collaboration between schools and enterprises, mutual visits of teachers and students as well as joint cultivation, and signed an MOU.
Visit to Florence International Culture and Art Association and FAA
During the visit to Florence International Culture and Art Association and FAA, Zhang Xin met respectively with Lynn Guo, founder of the Association, and Linda Paoli, Head of FAA. BIGC signed an MOU with the Association, and conducted discussions on topics such as cross-cultural art innovation, collaborative research projects for teachers, short-term visiting programs as well as joint creation and tour exhibitions of works by Chinese and Italian teachers and students. BIGC also reached preliminary consensus with FAA on cultivation of international art talent, integrated master-doctor joint cultivation, sharing of academic achievements, and co-construction of international creative workshops.
BIGC made its appearance at the 78th Frankfurt Book Fair
During the 78th Frankfurt Book Fair, as the only exhibiting university in the China Pavilion, BIGC made its appearance in collaboration with the Alliance of International Publishing Education (AIPE). Taking "Book · Painting · New Voice — Echo of Civilizations" as the main line, BIGC showcased achievements in publishing aesthetics, academic publishing, traditional bookbinding techniques and youth innovative design. BIGC hosted the academic salon "Innovation and Continuity in International Publishing Education" and the Launch Ceremony of International Publishing Education Blue Book (2026). Zhang Xin had in-depth dialogues with the international publishing education community, and participated in the release of the second batch of classic mutual translation bibliographies between China and Tajikistan.
BIGC held business talks with overseas publishing institutions and presses
BIGC's booth attracted many overseas publishing institutions, which engaged in discussions regarding copyright cooperation, joint book planning and other matters.
Visit to Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
During the visit to Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG, Zhang Xin and the delegation held a discussion with Bernhard Nahm, Head of Technology and Customer Training, Petra Fath, Business Consultant, and Ansley Price, Commercial Consultant. The two sides exchanged views on intelligent printing equipment, green printing and packaging materials, carbon emissions of printed matter as well as school-enterprise cooperation in the transformation and upgrading of the printing and packaging industry, laying a foundation for subsequent cooperation.
Visit to CGS ORIS GmbH
During the visit to CGS ORIS GmbH, the delegation exchanged views with Christoph Thommessen and Chief Operating Officer Kunio Muraji on innovation of talent cultivation modes, joint tackling of key cutting-edge technologies, and application of color management technology. The two sides signed a memorandum on industry-university-research cooperation base, which provided guarantee for establishing a long-term cooperation mechanism.
Visit to Hochschule der Medien
During the visit to Hochschule der Medien, Zhang Xin and the delegation held a discussion with President Boris Alexander Kühnle and Vice President Katrin Hassenstein, exchanged views on the implementation of the 2024 MOU between the two universities as well as discipline construction, talent cultivation, scientific research and international school running. The delegation also visited laboratories of product design, printing materials and equipment, publishing and advertising media, etc.
Geng Rui, Dean of the School of Journalism and Communication, and Mo Lixin, Vice Dean of the School of Printing and Packaging Engineering, jointly hosted the academic salon "Exploration on the Transformation and Upgrading of Talent Cultivation in Printing, Packaging, Publishing and Communication under the Background of Artificial Intelligence" with Burkhard Fritz, Head of the Integrated Product Design (IP7) Program, Nicole Lindenmann, Deputy Head of the Undergraduate Program in Print Media and Packaging Technology, Bettina Tabel, Head of the Master Program in Digital Design, and Helmut Wittenzellner, Professor of the Undergraduate Program in Media Management and Engineering, reaching broad consensus on further deepening bilateral cooperation.
This overseas visit is an important practice for BIGC to deeply cultivate the European cooperation layout and accelerate international school running. BIGC conducted in-depth consultations with multiple universities, industry associations and enterprises in Italy and Germany in the fields of art design, publishing and communication as well as printing and packaging, reached a series of consensus and signed a number of memoranda of cooperation, further expanded cooperation channels with European universities and professional institutions, and injected new impetus into expanding BIGC's international influence and empowering the international construction of publishing and media majors.
