A new collaboration between NCSR Demokritos and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) brings science and culture into dialogue through the newly launched Joint Laboratory for Cultural Heritage. The Joint Lab marks the beginning of long-term scientific and cultural collaboration between Greece and China, following the 2024 Memorandum of Understanding. Its goal is to advance interdisciplinary research, linking science and innovation with cultural inquiry and heritage studies.

The Institute of Nuclear and Particle Physics (INPP), under the direction of Dr. Christos Markou, plays a central role in heritage science and advanced materials characterisation. Dr. Andreas Karydas, Research Director and Head of the XRF Laboratory, leads Demokritos’ contribution, continuing the Institute’s pioneering work in non-destructive techniques for the study and preservation of cultural artifacts.

The Institute of Informatics & Telecommunications (IIT) extends this vision through projects in digital culture and the development of innovative cultural applications. Dr. Lida Arnellou and her team lead initiatives that merge cultural expression with digital technology, such as AiTHERION.

At SJTU, the School of Humanities, led by Prof. Qi Hong, anchors the collaboration. As Prof. Qi remarked during the ceremony, “China and Greece, as the cradles of two ancient civilizations, share cultural heritages that belong not only to our nations but to humanity as a whole.”

Dr. Vangelis Karkaletsis, Director of the Institute of Informatics & Telecommunications and Chairman of the Board of NCSR Demokritos, outlined the partnership’s broader scope: joint research in AI, robotics, big data, bioinformatics, and digital humanities; joint postgraduate programs; and new digital exhibitions exploring the dialogue between ancient Greek and Chinese philosophy.

The opening ceremony gathered delegates from both countries, including Prof. Liu Weidong, Vice Rector of SJTU; Prof. Wei Yadi; Mr. Lai Bo, Chargé d’Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Greece; Dr. Tasos Gaitanis, General Secretary for Research and Innovation; and Ms. Maria Mertzani, Head of the Directorate for the Conservation of Ancient and Modern Monuments at the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports.

From Athens to Shanghai, a dialogue between knowledge and creativity has just begun.

Read the Chinese version here → https://news.sjtu.edu.cn/jdyw/20251102/216085.html