Politecnico di Torino and Tsinghua University celebrate a milestone in academic collaboration
The long-standing partnership between Politecnico di Torino and Tsinghua University has reached a key moment, with Lidia Preti becoming the first individual to complete both the Double Master’s Degree and Joint PhD program between the two institutions, successfully concluding her PhD dissertation “cum laude” on January 10, 2025.
The collaboration between the two academic institutions began almost two decades ago, with the first joint design studio launched in 2006. Over the past 15 years, the institutional partnership between the two universities has grown into a solid framework of joint projects and interdisciplinary research focusing on urbanization processes, contemporary urban space, and heritage in China. These collaborations also led to the creation of joint educational programs, including the Double Master Degree in Architecture and the Joint PhD Program, “Transnational Architectural Models in a Globalized World": considering the two programs, more than 60 students from the two universities have been involved to date.
Being currently Tsinghua n. 20 in the QS World University Ranking and n. 8 for the subject “Architecture and Building Environment”, the academic exchange has been developing into an high-level cooperation between teachers, phD candidates and students.
The story of Lidia Preti, as the first student completing both the Double Master Degree and the Joint PhD, is significant.
Lidia completed the third cycle of the Double Master’s Degree in Architecture between Politecnico di Torino and the School of Architecture of Tsinghua University in 2019. She then continued her academic journey by enrolling in 2020 in the Joint PhD Program, “Transnational Architectural Models in a Globalized World,” a collaboration between the Doctoral Program in Architecture, History, and Project at Politecnico di Torino and the Doctoral Programs in Architecture, Urban and Rural Planning, and Landscape Architecture at Tsinghua University, firstly introduced in 2018.
During her PhD she spent 17 months of research exchange in Beijing between February and December 2023 and July and December 2024. Her dissertation, titled “Countryside Architecture: A Study on the Academic-Education-Practice Integration Model of Contemporary Chinese Rural Architects” was supervised by professor Michele Bonino, Director of Department of Architecture and Design-DAD, and professor Martijn de Geus from Tsinghua University, The final defense committee included: professors Zhang Yue and Li Xiaodong from Tsinghua University, professor He Wei, Head of the School of Architecture of the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in Beijing, professor Stephan Peterman from the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA), and professor Gerardo Semprebon from Politecnico di Milano.
Highlighting the fruitful exchange between the two institutions, the Rector Stefano Corgnati, during his visit to China in November 2024, met with the wide community of doctoral students currently conducting research at Tsinghua University. Among the students he met from Politecnico di Torino: Giorgia Greco and Saurajeeta Bose Paul (XXXIX cycle), Valentina Labriola and Federico Madaro (XXXVIII cycle), Giulia Montanaro (XXXVII cycle) and Lidia Preti (XXXVI cycle). In previous years, the Joint PhD program with Tsinghua University was successfully completed by Camilla Forina (XXXV cycle) and Giorgia Cestaro (XXXIV cycle).
The completion of both the Double Master’s Degree and Joint PhD program by the same individual marks a significant milestone in the long-standing collaboration between Politecnico di Torino and Tsinghua University, underscoring their shared commitment to academic excellence and exchanges.