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MEALC Academic Erasmus+ ICM mobility at Shandong University in China

Prof. Dennis Mizzi, from the Department of Middle Eastern and Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Malta, has recently delivered a series of lectures at the Centre for Judaic and Inter-Religious Studies at Shandong University in China.

The visit was carried out within the framework of the Erasmus+ ICM teaching mobility programme, which aims to strengthen international academic cooperation.

Prof. Mizzi’s lectures centred on three main areas. In a postgraduate course on critical approaches to biblical studies, he highlighted the importance of the Dead Sea Scrolls for understanding the transmission of biblical texts and the socio-cultural landscape from which Christianity emerged.

Addressing undergraduate students, he emphasised the critical role that archaeology plays in the study of ancient Israel, Judaism, and Christianity. In this context, Prof. Mizzi explored the visual vocabulary of ancient synagogues and churches, demonstrating how these monumental structures visually articulate theological beliefs and offer fresh perspectives on ancient Jewish-Christian relations.

A further series of lectures focused on biblical archaeology, illustrating how material culture and biblical narratives can be critically integrated to produce a more nuanced understanding of ancient Israel. During his visit, Prof. Mizzi also delivered two public lectures detailing his ongoing archaeological field projects in Israel.

The Erasmus+ ICM teaching mobility provided a unique platform for Prof. Mizzi to engage with students and scholars of biblical and Jewish studies in China. This experience opened up new perspectives on how these disciplines are practised beyond the traditional centres of knowledge in Europe, the USA, and Israel. Importantly, this academic exchange has laid the groundwork for a continued partnership and future collaboration between the University of Malta and Shandong University.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or [name of the granting authority]. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.