On July 20, a delegation led by Professor Edilio Mazzoleni, Vice Rector for Global Engagement and International Education at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (also known as Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, UCSC) in Italy, visited West China Hospital, Sichuan University (WCH). Professor Wang Kunjie, Executive Vice Dean of West China School of Medicine, received the delegation in Conference Room 8 of the Shuita Building. Directors from relevant departments and divisions attended the meeting.

Professor Wang, on behalf of the school, extended a warm welcome to Vice Rector Mazzoleni and his delegation. He noted that since Vice Rector Mazzoleni's first visit in July 2024, when a cooperation initiative was signed jointly with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, exchanges between the two institutions have continued to expand in areas such as student exchange and joint research. Last July, Vice Rector Mazzoleni visited Chengdu to attend the Belt and Road Dean's Forum and delivered a keynote speech. This summer, nine students from the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart participated in the international summer program, setting a new record. He noted that the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, as a premier private university in Europe, has a strong reputation for integrating medical humanities with clinical research. He expressed the hope that today's exchange would further strengthen the partnership between the two sides.

Vice Rector Mazzoleni expressed his gratitude for the warm reception. He noted that just prior to the meeting, he had spoken with the Catholic University students participating in the summer program. The students gave extremely positive feedback, saying the experience had significantly broadened their international perspectives. He observed that although the formal partnership between the two institutions is relatively recent, a substantial amount of meaningful work has already been accomplished, with remarkable outcomes.

During the meeting, the Academic Affairs Department of WCSM delivered a presentation on the International Course Week and clinical medicine curricula. The two sides engaged in in-depth discussions on joint program mechanisms, sister department development, and overseas center establishment.