RUFA arrives in China: the first international Fine Arts Institute is established

Rome and Hainan are closer than they may seem. On 24 September, the International Fine Arts Institute was officially inaugurated at the Guilinyang Campus of Hainan Normal University, as the result of a collaboration with RUFA – Rome University of Fine Arts. It is the first institution of its kind on the island.

The red ribbon was cut to the applause of students, faculty members and guests. Alongside RUFA Director Fabio Mongelli and Andrea Tosi, Head of the International Office at PLENA Education, the group RUFA belongs to, were Hainan Normal University President Nie Qingbin and Vice President Zhang Yin, who also heads the School of Fine Arts. A simple gesture, yet one filled with meaning: a new milestone in the dialogue between Italy and China through art and education.

In his speech, President Nie Qingbin described the new Institute as an important step towards the university’s internationalisation and as a concrete contribution to the development of Hainan, which aims to become an international hub for education and design. Above all, he presented it as a living example of cultural exchange between two ancient civilisations. The goal is to bring together the best of Italian and Chinese arts education in order to nurture a new generation of artists and designers with deep roots in Eastern culture and an open, international outlook.

“There is a strong bond between RUFA and Hainan Normal University, and today we are opening a chapter with great potential,” said RUFA Director Fabio Mongelli. “With the International Fine Arts Institute, we are taking our collaboration to postgraduate level and sharing educational resources, teaching methods and academic platforms, so that each institution can enrich the other. Together, we want to educate designers with an international and forward-looking vision, capable of moving beyond conventional approaches and continuing to grow through the encounter between Chinese and Western art.” He concluded his speech with an invitation: “I hope to see you again soon in Rome!”

During his visit, Director Mongelli also met Xie Jing, Vice Governor of Hainan Province. He recalled that Italy and China share a long history and an extraordinary artistic heritage, connected by centuries of academic and cultural exchange. He also thanked the provincial government for the strong support that made it possible to launch the project. “This collaboration strengthens the academic ties between our two countries,” he emphasised. RUFA will contribute Italian excellence in art, design and creativity, working side by side with Hainan Normal University. The aim is to respond to the needs of the island’s cultural industries and jointly develop a unique model of Sino-Italian arts education with a strong local identity.

The Consul General of Italy in Guangzhou, Carlo Sanfilippo, also sent his greetings in a video message, expressing the full support of the Italian diplomatic mission. The Consulate will act as a bridge between the two universities and support collaboration in a wide range of areas, including faculty exchanges, joint course development, collaborative exhibitions, research, and student and staff mobility.

Vice President Zhang Yin then presented the Institute in greater detail, outlining its educational model, organisation and faculty. The International Fine Arts Institute offers three programmes: Painting, Visual and Innovation Design, and Set Design.

The Master’s degree programmes in art and design involve dual enrolment and follow a “2+1” model: two years of study in China and one year in Italy, in Rome, at RUFA. The aim is to educate professionals with strong technical expertise, a deep connection to their own culture and the ability to engage with different cultural perspectives.

There is one detail that is particularly meaningful to us: the International Fine Arts Institute builds on a joint Bachelor’s degree programme in Design based on a “3+1” model, launched in 2023, and the first group of students from Hainan Normal University has already arrived in Rome this September and begun their studies in RUFA classrooms.

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