Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA State Secretariat for Education and Research SER International Affairs China - Annual Report 2011 - Fact sheet version

Highlights 2011

Delegations

Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter visited China together with a scientific delegation to further enhance the relations between Swiss and Chinese government, scientific and academic institutions. Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter and Minister of Science and Technology of People’s Republic of China Wan Gang, signed a Joint Statement to underline the mutual desire to further deepen the Sino-Swiss partnership, particularly in the context of the Sino-Swiss Science and Technology Cooperation Program (SSSTC). More about all other delegation visits in 2011 can be found on www.swissnexchina.org.

Continued Activities

Various universities such as EPF , and Lucerne University of Applied Sciences continued with their Summer Schools tradition and introduced their students to the academic and economic environment in China with support of swissnex China.

11 joint research projects, 33 exchange grants and 9 institutional projects were selected within the SSSTC Program. Continuing the mandate from Presence , swissnex China organized the framework Program E+ for the Einstein Exhibition on its China tour in Guangzhou and Hong Kong with several Nobel Prize Laureates as guest speakers. The Sino-swissnex Centre further expanded its activities in the Pearl River Delta to facilitate the knowledge exchange between scholars and business people from Switzerland and China.

New Initiatives

ETH Zurich and Tongji University were supported by swissnex China for the project Realize 2011: students from both universities further developed and produced a first batch of special omnidirectional wheels. Both sides want to continue with this collaboration into 2012. In order to enhance their internationalization, University of Zurich and University of Lausanne, Faculté des Hautes Etudes Commerciales founded their first China alumni Groups with support of swissnex China. Together with Swiss Business Hub and Swiss Biotech Association swissnex China started the “Mission 2011” in order to introduce Swiss Biotech companies to the Chinese market and look for new opportunities.

Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) Contact

In 2011 swissnex China and various Swiss UAS further Flavia Schlegel (replaced by Pascal Marmier from September expanded their collaboration: Bern University of Applied 2012) Sciences produced a book together with Tongji University on Executive Director, swissnex China Signaletik, a follow-up of various workshops taking place in 22F, Building A Far East Intl. Plaza, 319 Xian Xia Rd., China. Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne and University of Applied Shanghai 200051 Sciences of Eastern Switzerland joined swissnex China at the T +86 21 6235 1889 Education Expo in Shanghai. Lucerne University of Applied F +86 21 6270 0522 Sciences and Arts held its Summer School on Banking & [email protected] Finance in Shanghai. Together with swissnex China, www.swissnexchina.org University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Northwestern Switzerland organized workshops for a Sino-Swiss knowledge About swissnex exchange at the International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality. University of Applied Sciences Western swissnex is a network of knowledge hubs in Bangalore, Switzerland, University of Applied Sciences Southern Boston, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Singapore working Switzerland, Zurich University of Applied Sciences and closely with science and technology counsellors based in swissnex China organized the three weeks Master of Science Swiss embassies around the world. swissnex is an initiative of Engineering Summer School in China, offering the students the Swiss Government. Each swissnex promotes public- deep insight in China’s economy and culture. private ventures through its own example. Partners, donors and sponsors provide vital financial support. Testimonials

“...The scientific and cultural consulate team, led by Flavia Schlegel, impressed us with its dynamism and creativity. Switzerland must maintain a good relationship with China. swissnex, within its area of expertise, helps build useful bridges between the two cultures...”

Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter

“I would like to let you know how much I appreciate your important work that you are doing in Asia and I would like to thank you very much for the welcome, availability and help.”

Prof. Maia Wentland, Vice-dean External Affairs, HEC— University of Lausanne

“...In a nutshell my Sino-Swiss experience has really brought me much profit far beyond what I can express with plain text words. It has positively and obviously impacted on my research career and encouraged my social responsibility for the next step in Sino- Swiss collaboration for sure...”

Prof. Zhang Lun, Tongji University, School of Transportation Engineering

Project funds

Total SER contribution for projects: 130’000 CHF Total Third Parties contributions (cash and in kind for projects): 780’000 CHF

Complete Annual Report www.swissnexchina.org