XIV China-Italy Science and Technology Week: a bridge of collaboration for a sustainable future”

"The contribution of the CNR and IRBIM"

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The National Research Council (CNR) participated in and sponsored the XIV Edition of the China-Italy Science, Technology and Innovation Week, an internationally recognized event that took place from November 13 to 15, 2025, in the cities of Beijing and Hangzhou. The event confirmed its status as a consolidated model for boosting innovation and building a sustainable future together between the two countries. This edition held particular significance, falling in the year of the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and China, an occasion that underscores their cooperation founded on shared growth and cultural exchange. The centrality of institutional dialogue was further reinforced by the Action Plan for Strengthening the Italy-China Global Strategic Partnership 2024–2027, with the aim of boosting relations between the research and innovation systems to enhance national excellence. The event, promoted in Italy by the Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and coordinated by the IDIS Foundation-Città della Scienza, was organized by the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission and the Administrative Commission of Zhongguancun Science Park, in collaboration with the International Technology Transfer Network. he Week was inaugurated on Thursday, November 13, in Beijing with an Institutional Ceremony attended by the Italian Minister of University and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, and the Minister of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China, Yin Hejun. This official moment culminated in the signing of Cooperation Agreements between institutions, universities, research bodies, and companies from the two countries, designed to launch new joint projects. Subsequently, the day continued with thematic sessions focused on Advanced Manufacturing, Ethics and Law of Artificial Intelligence, and Life and Health Sciences, followed by One-to-One meetings and visits to Research Centers and Laboratories. The activities moved to Hangzhou for the day of Friday, November 14, where the focus shifted to key themes such as Cultural Heritage Preservation and Artificial Intelligence, Tropical Agriculture, and, particularly, Marine and Polar Sciences, which include biodiversity and climate change. The forum dedicated to Marine and Polar Sciences represented a significant moment for the Italian research system, with the participation of prominent figures from various institutions. Among the Italian speakers present, Roberto Bassi, President of the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station, presented “Italian Research in Marine Biology.” The CNR contributed with a presentation by Gian Marco Luna, Director of the Institute of Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies, on the “Frontiers and challenges of marine biological research in the 21st century,” and with an intervention by Luca Bolognini on experiences related to the “Value of Biodiversity and Health of Marine Ecosystems” for the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC). The polar dimension was addressed by the Director of the National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics, Fausto Ferraccioli, who updated participants on “Recent Italian contributions to polar research.” The XIV China-Italy Week concluded on Saturday, November 15, with visits and experiences dedicated to traditional Chinese craftsmanship and intangible cultural heritage, thus consolidating the link between scientific innovation and cultural enhancement.