On December 21st, Frank Serrano, the Cultural Consul of the French Consulate General in Shanghai, along with Cultural Affairs Commissioner Chen Nan, visited Nanjing University of the Arts. They were received by Zhang Linghao, the President of NUA, Vice President Zhang Jie, and Li Tong. Representatives from the Department of International Exchanges and Cooperation and the International School for Museology also participated in the meeting.

Zhang Linghao warmly welcomed Frank Serrano and his delegation. He first introduced the  teaching achievements as well as relevant information about the International School for Museology and the International Forum of Museum Directors. He pointed out that Nanjing University of the Arts has established a good foundation for cooperation with French cultural institutions and universities, such as the cooperation with the Cite International des Arts,  as we ll as the cooperative research projects with the Museum Management Committee of the International Council of Museums and the Louvre Academy. He further introduced the planned key projects in the museum field between China and France in 2024: Light of Civilization - the Museum France-China International Expo, the release of the Global Museum Innovation Index, and the establishment of the Global Museum Innovation Achievement Exhibition Center. He emphasized that Nanjing University of the Arts attaches great importance to exchanges and cooperation with top-tier institutions in culture, art, and digital technology. Adhering to the educational philosophy of profound beauty and inclusiveness, NUA is committed to building a more open and inclusive art university that cultivates students capable of inheriting, creating, and disseminating beauty. Next year marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France. He proposed the collaboration of cultural activities, art exhibitions, and academic exchanges through the Art+ approach. This will help to continue the cooperation and promote the development of a high-level international exchange platform through high-quality cultural interactions. It will also drive the high-quality development of our university's education through openness to the outside world. Zhang Jie pointed out that the exchange and interaction between universities of different countries are important channels for promoting cultural exchanges between nations. Nanjing University of the Arts is willing to strengthen exchanges and communication with French universities, explore more possibilities in areas such as faculty and student exchange, joint training, and short-term project exchanges, expand the international resources of our university, and build a high-quality international talent training system.

 Frank Serrano expressed his gratitude for the warm reception at our university. After having a detailed understanding of our university's history, academic specialties, educational philosophy, and exchange and cooperation with France, he stated that this visit aims not only to deepen mutual understanding but also to explore more ways of future cooperation. He expressed his willingness to build bridges for cultural exchanges and construction between China and France in the regional context, actively promoting deepened exchanges and cooperation between Nanjing University of the Arts and French institutions in cultural promotion, academic exchanges, industry interconnection, and technological communication.

After the meeting, Li Tong and others accompanied Frank Serrano and his delegation to visit the Fine Art Museum and the International School for Museology, engaging in detailed discussions about the exchange and cooperation projects in the museum field planned for 2024.