Results
Throughout its 22 months of implementation, the LEGO project advanced on a solid, continuous trajectory, meeting every established operational milestone. The results provided a concrete impetus to international mobility, teaching innovation, and institutional collaboration, reinforcing academic synergies between Italy and Asia.
In the area of physical mobility, a total of 555 international mobilities were carried out, involving 346 students and 209 faculty members, researchers, and staff members traveling between Italy and Asia. In parallel, the project promoted educational innovation through the implementation of four Advanced Skills initiatives, addressing the project’s three thematic areas: Science and Technology for Sustainability, Languages and Cultures, and Management and Economics for Society.
The project also provided strong momentum for internationalization and cooperation, leading to the signing of 7 new international agreements, the opening of 8 additional negotiations, and the identification of 18 potential new partners for future Double and Joint Degrees (DJD).
Furthermore, through a structured process of monitoring, evaluation, and peer learning, project partners transformed their shared experiences into five official project guidelines. Covering topics ranging from course catalogue management to grade conversion and inclusive mobility, these documents will serve as shared reference tools to guide academic cooperation beyond the completion of the project's activities.
Educational innovation: Advanced Skills activities
1) Smoking and sports performance
The first Advanced Skills activity was organized by the University of Catania in collaboration with Universitas Padjadjaran (UNPAD), Indonesia, during the second semester of the project. Entitled Smoking and Sports Performance, the initiative brought together expertise from both partner countries through the participation of Professor Riccardo Polosa (Italy) and Professor Amaliya Amaliya (Indonesia). The initiative, which involved professors, researchers, and students, represented an opportunity for in-depth scientific analysis of the link between smoking habits and athletic performance.
2) Law on the Silk Road: Romanistic tradition, language, economy
The Silk Road, which for thousands of years enabled the exchange of not only goods but also ideas between East and West, is the metaphor for the legal bridge between present-day China and Roman law, which constitutes the foundational reference model for the Chinese Civil Code in force since 2020. From 12 to 16 January 2026, the University of Milan organized the Winter School “Law Along the Silk Road: Roman Legal Tradition, Language, and Economics”. The programme brought together eight lecturers and researchers from Asian partner institutions participating in the LEGO project.
3) Training and professional development for teachers of Italian as a second language (L2)
Ca’ Foscari University of Venice implemented another edition of Advanced Skills activity with the focus on the professional development of teachers of Italian as a second language (L2). The first phase took place in October 2025 at Nanjing Normal University, where seven Italian language lecturers from partner universities in China, Vietnam, and Japan attended an intensive week-long training programme delivered by Dr. Silvia Scolaro.
The programme concluded in February 2026 with a mobility period in Venice, during which participants attended a second training session led by Professor Graziano Serragiotto and Dr. Silvia Scolaro.
4) Teaching and studying Japanese literature in a global context
The University of Bergamo hosted the fourth edition of the Advanced Skills programme, led by Professor Sugiyama Kin’ya from Kanazawa University of Japan. The activity consisted of four seminar sessions under the title “Teaching and Studying Japanese Literature in a Global Context”.
Designed for university lecturers, language teachers, doctoral candidates, and students enrolled in the Master’s programme in Japanese Language and Culture, the seminars encouraged critical reflection on contemporary approaches to Japanese literary studies and explored the role of Japanese literature within an increasingly interconnected global academic environment.
The presentations of the four advanced skills from the Final Project Conference (May 14, 2026) are available to watch on YouTube:
- Riccardo Polosa, Università di Catania - “‘Stronger Together for Better Health!’: International Mobility, Scientific Collaboration, and Shared Vision of CoEHAR/University of Catania, and Universitas Padjadjaran (Bandung, West Java) for Advancing the Harm Reduction Paradigm”
- Graziano Serragiotto e Silvia Scolaro, Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia - “Glottodidactic Horizons in East Asia: Analysis and Results of Training Seminars for University Teachers of Italian”
- Cristian Pallone, Università degli Studi di Bergamo - “Bergamo and East-Asia: Balance of the Activities of TNE Lego and the Future Perspectives”
- Iole Fargnoli, Università degli Studi di Milano - “The Law on The Silk Road”
Mobility and internationalization: key achievements
The LEGO project successfully exceeded its mobility targets, recording a total of 555 international physical mobilities, compared with an initial target of 511. These mobilities involved:
- 346 students: 240 outgoing students from Italy to Asia and 106 incoming students from Asia to Italy
- 209 academic, research, and administrative staff members: 114 outgoing participants and 95 incoming participants
These exchanges contributed significantly to the internationalization of partner institutions, enhancing academic cooperation, intercultural understanding, and the development of professional and transversal skills among participants.
Beyond mobility, the project generated a lasting impact on institutional cooperation. The establishment of 7 new mobility agreements, together with negotiations for 8 additional partnerships, expanded the network of opportunities available to students and staff. At the same time, activities related to Double and Joint (DJD) programmes enabled the identification of 18 prospective partner institutions, creating a strong foundation for future collaborative programmes and academic initiatives.
The achievements of the LEGO project demonstrate the value of international cooperation in higher education and highlight the project’s contribution to building sustainable partnerships, fostering innovation, and strengthening academic ties between Europe and Asia.
The following section presents testimonials from participating universities and mobility beneficiaries, illustrating the personal, academic, and institutional impact generated through the project’s activities.
Project results: TNE LEGO dialogues
Videos of the project results are available on YouTube:
- Ilaria Valente, Politecnico di Milano - “Integrating Teaching and Research in Architecture, Engineering and Design: A Comparative Approach”
- Angelo Maggi, Università IUAV di Venezia - “WAVE and TNE Lego: a Model of Academic Cooperation between Italy and the Far East”
- Lidia Preti, Politecnico di Torino - “Redefining the Distance: Politecnico di Torino in East-Asia” (this video is not available yet)
- Gabriele Freni, Università degli Studi di Enna “Kore” - “Sino-Italian Cooperation on Climate Change and Water Resources Management” (this video is not available yet)
- Pietro Masina, Università di Napoli L’Orientale - “The Experience of Università degli Studi di Napoli Orientale with TNE Lego Project”
- Cristian Pallone, Università degli Studi di Bergamo - “Bergamo and East-Asia: Balance of the Activities of TNE Lego and the Future Perspectives”
- Santi Daniele La Rosa, Università di Catania - “Nature-based solutions and digital cultural heritage in urban contexts - Building capacities and research networks in central and south-east Asia”
- Sun Ao, Dalian University of Foreign Languages - “Beyond Language Barriers: DUFL Model at the Heart of Italian-Chinese Cultural Exchange”
Testimonials from incoming exchange lecturers at the Politecnico di Milano
Within the framework of the TNE-LEGO project, Politecnico di Milano interviewed four incoming professors:
- Prof. Yasushi Ikeda, from the University of Tokyo (Japan)
- Prof. Hiroto Kobayashi, from Keio University (Japan)
- Prof. Xiaodi Zheng, from Tsinghua University (China)
- Prof. Yosuke Komiyama, from Kyoto University (Japan)
The professors' testimonies can be viewed on Youtube.
Italy-East Asia transnational dialogues on teaching and research
Gaming and learning
The presentations on Gaming and learning can be viewed on YouTube:
- Andrea Pontiggia, Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia - “Learning Models and Advanced Teaching: The Applications of Gaming and Learning”
- Tiziano Vescovi, Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia - “Game based learning experience: An Application to Cross-Cultural Marketing”
Language and cultures
The presentations on Language and cultures can be viewed on YouTube:
- Graziano Serragiotto e Silvia Scolaro, Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia - “The training of teachers of Italian as a foreign language in East Asia”
- Alessandra Ghisalberti, Università di Bergamo - “Linguistic Landscapes, Cultural Heritage, and Moving Communities: Academic Experiences between Bergamo and Asian Areas”
- Antonia Soriente e Noemi Lanna, Università di Napoli L’Orientale - “Beyond the 'Sound' of Synergy: The LEGO Project's Impact on the Community, the Università L’Orientale Academic Body, and Cooperation with East Asian Universities”
- Alessandro Tosco, Università Kore di Enna - “Between the Mediterranean and China: Knowledge Exchanges, Representations of the Other, and Collaboration Prospects in the TNE-LEGO Project”
Architecture, design, and engineering for sustainability
The presentations on Architecture, design, and engineering for sustainability can be viewed on YouTube:
- Francesco Pittau, Politecnico di Milano - “Teaching Innovation for Sustainable and Regenerative Architecture”
- Marco Gribaudo, Politecnico di Milano with Tuan Phung-Duc “University of Tsukuba Workload characterization and Performance evaluation of widely distributed systems using Mean Field and Markovian Agents”
- Francesco Defilippis, Politecnico di Bari - “Rethinking the Chinese Megacity. Interpretations and Visions for Harmonic and Sustainable Urban Development”
- Yosuke Komiyama, Kyoto University - “Japan and Italy have different approaches in teaching, the experience of Wood Innovation” (this video is not available yet)
- Lidia Preti, Politecnico di Torino - “Rural Revitalization along Ancient Trails: A Sino-Italian Perspective” (this video is not available yet)
- Alessandro Biamonti, Politecnico di Milano - “Kansei Design: a way to connect a traditional concept with contemporary societal application” (this video is not available yet)
Publications
During the whole project duration, the following publications and literature have been finalised:
- Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, in collaboration with Edizioni Ca’ Foscari, has produced an open-access digital scientific publication titled Gaming and Learning: a manifesto and some applications. Developed by Prof. Andrea Pontiggia, the publication focuses on the development of advanced Game-Based Learning models and interactive strategic simulations applied to International Human Resource Management and Cross-Cultural Marketing.
- In connection with its Advanced Skills initiative, the Università degli Studi di Milano published Il diritto sulla Via della Seta [ITA] (The Law on The Silk Road), edited by Prof. Iole Fargnoli.
- At Università di Catania, LEGO led to the publication of Gender Equity and Inclusion in Lifelong Learning Policies and Opportunities in the Workplace for Professional Advancement: The Cases of Italy and the Philippines by Prof. Roberta Piazza in collaboration with the Philippine Normal University.
- Four studies were published by Prof. Riccardo Polosa from Università di Catania, in collaboration with Universitas Padjadjaran (Indonesia):
- Effect of Electronic Cigarette Aerosols on Cisplatin Resistance in Head and Neck Cancer Cells (BMC Cancer, 2026)
- Toxicological Evaluation of Vanillin Flavor in E‐Liquid Aerosols on Endothelial Cell Function (Cardiovascular Toxicology, 2026)
- The SMILE Study Cohort (Journal of Dentistry, 2026)
- Oral Adverse Event Reporting in Smoking Cessation Trials Using Non‐Combustible Nicotine Products (Journal of Dentistry, 2025).
- In collaboration with Chinese co‐authors, the following two articles were published by Prof. Giuseppe Musumeci from Università di Catania:
- Whole‐body Vibration as an Effective Sports Competition Warm-up (Frontiers in Physiology, 2026)
- Exploring Body Composition and Somatotype Profiles among Youth Professional Soccer Players (Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2024).
- Prof. Santi Daniele La Rosa from Università di Catania in collaboration with Malaysian and Mongolian partners, published “Fluid-Structure Interaction Analysis on Drag Force for Semi-submersible Structures.