On November 20, Fudan University conferred the title of Honorary Doctor of Philosophy upon H.E. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States (LAS).
JIN Li, President of Fudan University, announced the approval from the Academic Degrees Committee of the State Council of China, and presented the honorary doctorate certificate to Gheit.
Born in Cairo in June 1942, Gheit graduated from Ain Shams University in 1964 with a degree in commerce and began his diplomatic career in 1965. He served in Egypt’s embassies in Rome, Moscow, and New York, became Egypt’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in 1999, and was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2004 to 2011. Since assuming office as LAS Secretary-General in 2016—and being re-elected in 2021—he has earned high international esteem. Throughout his tenure, he has worked tirelessly to promote China-Arab friendship and advance bilateral cooperation, making significant contributions to deepening their relations.
Fudan University sought to honor his distinguished achievements in diplomacy and global governance, along with his exceptional support for innovative cooperation with the LAS Secretariat, by awarding him an honorary doctorate. The award was formally approved in July this year. To date, Fudan University has awarded honorary doctorates to 16 distinguished figures, including Yang Chen Ning, Lee Kuan Yew, Li Dak Sum, and now Ahmed Aboul Gheit.
Gheit remarked that the honor was not his alone, but also a recognition of the values of collective action long championed by the LAS, and a testament to the enduring friendship between the Arab world and China. It reflects a shared vision that the Arab–China partnership will remain open, constructive and bringing greater benefits to both sides.
In his keynote speech at the Third China–Arab Forum on Global Development and Governance, Gheit commended Fudan University for its continuous contributions in establishing the forum as a leading platform for higher education and research cooperation between China and the Arab world. He emphasized that education remains a cornerstone of national development: basic education shapes character and capabilities; higher education nurtures innovation and critical thinking; and scientific research provides forward-looking solutions to economic and social challenges. Exchanges among universities, he noted, build shared capacity to address global issues. Over just two years, LAS and Fudan University have achieved a series of substantive outcomes, reflecting both sides’ strong commitment and efficient collaboration.
During the ceremony, President JIN Li presented Gheit with the English edition of An Intellectual History of China by Fudan Distinguished Professor GE Zhaoguang. Gheit, in return, gifted his books Witness to War and Peace and Egypt’s Foreign Policy in Times of Crisis: My Testimony (2004–2011) (Chinese edition).
Following the conferral, Fudan University and the LAS Secretariat jointly announced the establishment of the Fudan–LAS Secretariat Centre for Global Leadership Development, and signed a memorandum of understanding.
The Center will operate in both Cairo and Shanghai, with Fudan University’s Institute for Global Public Policy (IGPP) overseeing daily operations on the university’s side. The Centre will serve as a high-level platform for dialogue, leadership development programs, cultural and academic exchange, and internship and training initiatives.
Since 2022, Fudan University has accelerated cooperation with Arab partners. In March 2023, Fudan and the Association of Arab Universities signed a strategic cooperation agreement, followed by another agreement in October 2023 to establish the Fudan–Arab Research Center for Global Development and Governance.
Fudan University and the LAS Secretariat have solidified their strategic partnership through the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement in October 2023 and a joint action plan in June 2024. These agreements pave the way for collaborative initiatives including the “China-Arab Forum on Global Development and Governance”, the “Academic Training Program for Officials of the League of Arab States”, the “LAS-Fudan Excellent Internship Program”, as well as degree education programs tailored for mid-career and young officials of the League of Arab States. The two parties have now established a comprehensive and robust strategic partnership.
Prior to the degree conferral ceremony, Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit visited the Institute for Global Public Policy at Fudan University.
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Writer: YANG Xinrui
Editor: WANG Mengqi, LI Yijie
