【International Cooperation】 The "Sino-French Digital Culture and Heritage Research Center" Unveiled

On the morning of April 13th, Jean-Yves Roux, Consul General of France in Wuhan, and Nicolas Pillerel, Minister Counselor of Culture, Education, and Science Affairs of the French Embassy in China, visited Wuhan University. Party Secretary Huang Taiyan and Vice President Tang Qizhu of Wuhan University met with them. Both parties signed a letter of intent for cooperation with the "Sino-French Digital Culture and Heritage Research Center" and unveiled the center. The unveiling ceremony was presided over by Li Xiaoshu, head of the Office of International Affairs at Wuhan University.

In his speech, Huang Taiyan reviewed the fruitful achievements of Wuhan University's cooperation with France over the past 40 years in the fields of talent cultivation, scientific research, and cultural exchange. He stated that both China and France jointly announced the resumption of cultural exchanges, and the two side emphasized the strengthening of bilateral cooperation in the protection, restoration, and development of cultural heritage. Wuhan University will leverage its advantages in the field of information management, gather scientific research resources from cultural heritage intelligent computing laboratories, and jointly establish the "Sino-French Digital Culture and Heritage Research Center" with the National Charter College, an elite French university. This will undoubtedly become a new opportunity to promote the school's resumption of comprehensive cooperation with France, it will also make new contributions to the educational and cultural exchanges between China and France.

Professor Michelle Bubenicek, President of the French National Charter College, delivered a speech through video. Bubenicek emphasized that under the cooperation framework of the "Sino French Digital Culture and Heritage Research Center", the National Charter College will continue to deepen cooperation with the School of Information Management and the Philosophy and Social Sciences Laboratory of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage Education to promote the research and utilization of Sino French digital cultural heritage.

Hu Jianyi pointed out that Wuhan University and the French National Charter College established the Sino French Center on the basis of diverse, practical and effective cooperation in the early stage, opening a new path of cooperation. This will not only further strengthen cooperation and trust between the two sides, but also greatly promote the resumption of scientific and educational cooperation between the two countries.

Pei Guoliang said that Wuhan University's "Sino French Digital Culture and Heritage Research Center" is one of the first batch of six Sino French centers in China. The center has a distinct theme,whichfocuses on culture and heritage, and integrates with the cutting-edge digital technology. With close cooperation between the two sides, it will definitely achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.

Wang Yujue, the head of the "Sino French Digital Culture and Heritage Research Center" and a professor from the School of Information Management, introduced the background of the construction of the Sino French Center and stated that the center will focus on "appreciation, exchange, and mutual learning",indoingso, we can"appreciate the culture/values of others as do to one's own, and the world will become a harmonious whole".

Tang Qizhu and Pei Guoliang signed a letter of intent on cooperation on behalf of both sides to establish the "Sino French Digital Culture and Heritage Research Center"; Huang Taiyan and Hu Jianyi jointly unveiled the "Sino French Digital Culture and Heritage Research Center".

After the unveiling ceremony, the French delegation also visited the Philosophy and Social Sciences Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Intelligent Computing of Cultural Heritage.

Representatives from the School of Information Management, the School of Foreign Languages and Literature, the Philosophy and Social Sciences Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Cultural Heritage Intelligent Computing, the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the Office of International Affairs attended this event.

It is learnt that in order to further promote cultural and educational exchanges and cooperation between China and France, the French Embassy in China launched the "Centre Franco chinois" project in May 2022. Our university, in collaboration with the French National Charter Institute, successfully stood out from the 18 national application projects and was selected as one of the first Sino French Centers in China.

(Photographer: Jin Xin Intern Editor: Chen Yuyan Editor: Zhang Liping)