ScandAsia China - October 2017

OCT 2017

Petra Sarja

a Finnish teacher in Hong Kong BUSINESS

DESIGN

EDUCATION

ROYALTY

Ulf Ohrling Honorary Member SwedCham Hong Kong

Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects

Kindergarten, preschool and pre-prep school theme

Crowne Prince of Denmark’s China visit

October 2017

ScandAsia Community

Mr. Ulf Ohrling

5

4 FinnCham Hong Kong Crayfish Party 2017 5 Finnish Business Council Beijing autumn kick-off 6 Swedish, Finnish book designers at Shanghai Book Fair

Appointed Honorary Member by SwedCham Hong Kong

10 Petra Sarja, Finnish teacher in Hong Kong

4

ScandAsia Business

16 Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 China joins Denmark

6

Mr. Joakim Ladeborn

5

Deputy Consul General Hong Kong

18 Ground breaking ceremonies in China Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects

19 China-Nordic Countries International Healthcare Summit Organised in Shanghai

6

8

The Crown Prince of Denmark

China-Denmark tourism year patron on China visit

Take an International Educational Programme at Stenhus Gymnasium International Programmes

Sports Colleges

The school offers the Pre-IB programme (year 11) as well as the highly recognized IB Diploma Programme (years 12 and 13).

Stenhus Gymnasium is recognized as an Elite Sports High School. We run Sports Colleges in the following sports: badminton, basketball, football, handball, and tennis.

Boarding School As an international student at Stenhus Gymnasium, you have unique access to our boarding school.

For further information, please see www.stenhus-gym.dk or contact our IB office at (+45) 59 40 09 46.

Stenhusvej 20 4300 HolbĂŚk Denmark

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October 2017 • ScandAsia.China 3

Community

FinnCham Hong Kong’s Annual Crayfish Party

F

innCham Annual Crayfish Party 2017 took place on 23 September at the Finnish favourite restaurant FINDS. Guests feasted on crayfish and other Finnish delicacies.

The Crayfish Party is the perfect opportunity to showcase Finnish culture and summer time traditions to your friends and colleagues. Guest enjoyed an evening full of crayfish, delicious food and drinks as well as singing to the tune of traditional songs whilst raising your snaps! And of course there was the traditional lucky draw with amazing prizes.

Source: Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong Photos: helmiphotography.com

17 OCT 20

Your FREE ScandAsia Magazine in China ScandAsia is the only magazine that covers all the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish residents in China. g ra SinaHroja ng Kon Petac her

h te a Finnis N

Hammers Schmidt itect Lassen Arch

rten Kinderga l and pre-prep preschoo e school them

LTY ROYA ce Prin Crowne k’s of Denmar China visit

Please sign up for your own FREE copy: www.scandasia.com ScandAsia.China • October 2017 ESS BUSIN Honorar y ling Ulf Ohr SwedCham Member g Hong Kon

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DESIG

ION EDUCAT ,

We also publish a ScandAsia magazine in Thailand, Singapore and the rest of South East Asia.

Publisher : 211 Soi Prasert Manukitch 29 Prasert Manukitch Road Chorakae Bua, Lad Prao Bangkok 10230, Thailand Tel. +66 2 943 7166-8, Fax: +66 2 943 7169 E-mail: news@scandasia.com Editor-in-Chief : Gregers A.W. Møller gregers@scandmedia.com Managing Editor: Joakim Persson Joakim@scandmedia.com

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Daily news and features here: www.scandasia.com

Finnish Business Council Beijing kicked off autumn

Community

T

he autumn got a fun kick-off with Finnish Business Council on Friday 15 September.

Almost 30 people joined the night of good food and good company at Moi restaurant and had the opportunity to meet with the new Finnish Ambassador to China, Jarno Syrjälä. A relaxed evening set the mood for the upcoming busy autumn, reports Finnish Business Council Beijing

Gitta Hägg-Lundvall new FinnCham Executive Director

O Ulf Ohrling appointed Honorary Member

by SwedCham Hong Kong

O

n 22 September the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong appointed Ulf Ohrling as an Honorary Member after his dedicated time as Chairman!

Ulf has been chairman for sic appreciated years and has now handed over the post to Kristian Odebjer.

Source: Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong

n 21 September Gitta Hägg-Lundvall started here new job as the Executive Director for FinnCham in Hong Kong.

A few years ago she was a trainee and now she has returned! Gitta is a sales and marketing professional with a strong background in luxury retail and experience also from the education and music sectors as well as PR. She has a M.A in Cultural Heritage Studies and is well versed into Asian business culture from her time living in Thailand and Hong Kong.

Her goal as the new Executive Director of FinnCham is to encourage and support Finnish companies to internationalize thus increasing the number of Finnish companies located in Hong Kong and China. She also wishes to contribute to making Finland and Finnish culture more known in Asia and in this way create an atmosphere conducive to commercial and industr ial cooperation.

Source: Finnish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong

October 2017 • ScandAsia.China 5

News Brief

Finnish university students attended Seeds for the Future, Beijing

T

he hua party at hua in Beijing was held at the opening of the Seeds for the fFuture programme (by Huawei). This is the second time that global seeds for the future include 10 Finnish University students from six different universities (Aalto University, University of Helsinki, Tampere University of technology, Jyväskylä University, University of Oulu) University of Vaasa).

During two weeks of study, students will be able to explore Chinese language and culture in Beijing and to learn from the ICT sector at hua headquar ters in Shenzhen, together with the Cameroon and Romanian students. The programme allows hua to encourage students to boldly go forward in their studies and create direct networking opportunities in a global enterprise.

Finnish students were in China from 20 August until 3 September 2017.

Swedish, Finnish book designers at Shanghai Book Fair

‘B

est Book Design from Sweden and Finland’ exhibition took place at the Shanghai Book Fair 2017.

On Wednesday, August 16, Consul General of Finland to Shanghai Mr. Jan Wahlberg attended the opening ceremony and expressed his support for the exhibition. Elina Warsta, Finnish designer and illustrator whose work is displayed at the exhibition, also attended the event. Shanghai Book Fair is attended by over 200,000 people annually.

Source: Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai

Joakim Ladeborn new Deputy Consul General Hong Kong

T

he Consulate General of Sweden in Hong Kong and Macau bid farewell to the Deputy Consul General, Ms Wictoria Amandustin Weinstock and welcomed her successor the Deputy Consul General, Mr Joakim Ladeborn.

The Swede was previously also the Deputy Head Of Misson at Embassy of Sweden in Kuala Lumpur.

Source: Consulate General of Sweden in Hong Kong and Macau 6 ScandAsia.China • October 2017

The program offered: A week Mandarin language & culture training at a famous university in Beijing, Huawei Training on ICT Technologies & Solutions, First-hand work experience at Huawei’s Shenzen headquar ter, and Discover Chinese culture and historical landmarks.

Source: Embassy of Finland in Beijing

Kindergarten, Preschool, Pre-prep School Theme

Newest IB Diploma School in Denmark experiences an overwhelming interest from Danish and international students

I

n December 2016 Stenhus Gymnasium in Holbaek became the latest High School in Denmark to be approved by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to offer the highly recognized IB Diploma Program.

Since their approval as an IB World School, the school has experienced an overwhelming interest in the Pre-IB programme (aimed at 15-16 year olds) as well as the IB Diploma Programme itself (aimed at 16-19 year olds). Consequently, the school was able to set up two Pre-IB classes of 48 students, in addition to an IB class of 41 students.

“We already knew that there was an interest in an international education in our local area, but we have been ver y positively surprised by the level of interest from Danish students looking to return to Denmark, as well as from international students from all over the world”, says IB Coordinator, Paul Bjergfelt.

By interviewing the incoming students and their parents, the school has been able to identify a clear pattern, “There is no doubt that the combination of the IB Diploma and the school’s elite Sport Colleges in badminton, basketball, handball, football, and tennis has proven to be ver y attractive – and, of course, the fact that we can offer incoming Danish and international school access to a boarding school at the school next door”.

The school next door is “Stenhus Kostskole”, an academically minded lower secondary school for students in the 5th to 10th grade. In actual fact, Stenhus Kostskole is the original school from 1906. The schools only separated into two independent institutions in the early 1980s, when the new high school was built.

Twenty-two nationalities are represented among the 89 Pre-IB/IB students currently at the school. “It has been such a great start, but now our intention is to build and grow ”, says Paul Bjergfelt.

October 2017 • ScandAsia.China 7

Business

Crown Prince

of Denmark’s China visit

D

enmark is in focus as a knowledge nation as His Royal Highness The Crown Prince Frederik André Henrik Christian is visiting the Chinese capital Beijing and the southern Chinese city Guangzhou during 23-26 September.

When Denmark entered into a partnership agreement with China in 2008 on research, innovation and education, it was the largest Danish undertaking in education and research outside of the country’s borders. And when Denmark, as the first EU country to do so, entered into cooperation with China earlier this year on a joint tourism year during 2017, The Crown Prince said “yes” to serving as patron.

Therefore knowledge and tourism is in focus during The Crown Prince’s China visit. The Prince of Denmark is accompanied by higher education and science minister Søren Pind during the visit. The four-day-long programme deals with the education, research and innovation collaboration between Denmark and China, 8 ScandAsia.China • October 2017

Danish environmental solutions, tourism and culture.

On Saturday, in Beijing The Crown Prince watched the kick-off final of the football tournament Sino-Nordic Cup. The Sino-Nordic Cup is an annually recurring Nordic-Chinese football tournament arranged by the Chinese foreign ministry. The tournament has the goal of strengthening the contact and cooperation between China and the Nordic countries including Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark.

The opening of the exhibition ‘A Royal Modern Household’ followed on that, at The Danish Cultural Center in Beijing’s 798 Ar ts District. With the help of pictures, the exhibition tells about the restoration of Fredrik VIII’s Palace, which is the Crown Prince Couple’s home.

The Crown Prince then took par t in a tour of the Beijing Design Week area. Beijing’s international 798 Arts District is each year the setting for Beijing Design Week’s main events.

In the evening H.E. Ambassador A. Carsten

Damsgaard hosted a dinner for Danish companies, organizations and the Danish community in China at the ambassador’s residence in Beijing.

On Sunday 24 September The Crown Prince opened a Danish-Chinese seminar at Tsinghua University, titled ‘Educating the Leaders of Tomorrow – Play, Creativity and Social Values’, which focused on innovation, creativity and lifelong learning.

From the Chinese side, representatives of public authorities and research groups took par t, while from the Danish side there were representatives of the LEGO Foundation, sharing their experience and research in the area of children’s learning and creativity.

During his visit at Tsinghua University, The Crown Prince was also shown the research project and the laboratory Tsinghua Life Long Learning Lab (TULLL), which was designed for research into children’s creativity and lifelong learning. The lab was developed in cooperation with the LEGO Foundation and, among other things, examines how children can work out

specific tasks through various learning methods.

In the afternoon The Crown Prince took part in a kick-start event for Copenhagen as a guest city at Beijing Design Week 2018. At the event, The Crown Prince got the opportunity to visit an exhibition that focuses on ‘Danish Living’ and green solutions in large Danish cities.

The day ended with dinner at the Danish restaurant The George arranged by the Danish Industr y Foundation and the City of Copenhagen.

The programme for Monday star ts with the opening of the Danish Industry Foundation House, which will be the home of the SinoDanish Center for Research and Education. Here, The Crown Prince will, among other things, be shown the new building with a focus on its functionality and architecture. Afterwards, The Crown Prince takes part in the opening ceremony in the building’s open common area.

HM The Queen broke the first ground for the Danish Industr y Foundation House at a ceremony in 2014. The Sino-Danish Center for

Research and Education is a collaborative effort between the eight Danish universities and the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

In the afternoon The Crown Prince takes part in the Sino-Danish Center’s ‘SDC Inauguration Great Wall Run – Joining Forces for a Healthy Future’ on the Great Wall of China. Together with current students from the centre, The Crown Prince will run with the goal of focusing on the health of children and young people in China.The run is arranged in cooperation between, among others, the Danish Center for Research and Education and Novo Nordisk.

In the evening The Crown Prince participates in the official banquet arranged by UCAS on the occasion of the opening the Danish Industry Foundation House at Yangihu University.

On Tuesday the Royal visit to China continued to Guangzhou, where The Crown Prince payed a visit to the historical area Changzhou Island, which among other things houses a historic graveyard for Danish sailors and merchants. HRH laid flowers at three named Danish gravesites and

got a guided tour focusing on Danish-Chinese maritime history.

Changzhou Island was once known as ‘Danes Island’ and functioned as a base for Danes in connection with the trade in China. Today, the island is a symbol of how Denmark was a seafaring nation with strong ties to China.

In the late afternoon The Crown Prince took part in the event ‘Denmark Days - Adventures of Denmark’, which is one of the activities taking place in China as part of the Danish-Chinese Tourism Year. At the event, The Crown Prince, among other things, also named the winner of ECCO’s Walkathon and launched a H.C. Andersen signature route together with Visit Danmark. The event took place in the historic Guangzhou city centre, where Danish tourism companies are currently promoting Danish destinations to Chinese tourists.

As a conclusion to the visit,The Crown Prince presented at networking event at Hotel White Swan, where Danish companies, tour operators and others participated.

October 2017 • ScandAsia.China 9

Business

Petra Sarja

a Finnish teacher in Hong Kong.

Moving to Hong Kong in 2014, Petra Sarja quickly established links with the Finnish community to offer her services as a teacher.

Petra is now one of two teachers working at the school which is located South Island School on Hong Kong Island

By Colin Rampton

T

he fir st thing I noticed about Petra Sarja when I inter viewed her recently was her enthusiasm.

Our conversation ranged from her Finnish roots to her young family; to the work she does at the Finnish school to Hong Kong life generally. In all areas, Petra came across as an animated, ver y positive person with a ready smile and easy manner.

For nearly two hours we chatted pleasantly in a crowded Central coffee shop. The conversation flowed easily and her sunny nature was always apparent.

Childhood in Imatra

Petra was born and spent the first nineteen years of her life in the pleasant small Eastern Finnish town of Imatra, where her parents still live. The family home is just 3 kilometers from the Russian border. She had a happy, outdoor childhood with a younger brother. She enjoyed being with children, and found their learning processes and the working environment of schools fascinating. The logical step for her was to study Education to become a teacher. After graduating High School, Petra moved nor th, to the city of Joensuu to attend the University there. Petra has a gift for languages and, as well as Finnish, she can speak English, Swedish and German. While at University she spent six months as an exchange student in the German city of Hildesheim.

10 ScandAsia.China • October 2017

Teaching in Finland

After completing her Master s’ Degree in Education, Petra began her teaching career in a primary school in Lahti, and while living there she met her husband Ville. He was working in Helsinki and, in order for the young couple to be together, Petra relocated to the capital and found a job in nearby Espoo. After a few years working as a classroom teacher, Petra’s ability was recognized and she was promoted to Principal. For five years before moving to Hong Kong in 2014, Petra worked as the Principal of the Niipperi School in Espoo. Petra and Ville have two children, both born in Helsinki. Patrik is now six years old and his sister Verna is four.

Coming to Hong Kong

The family were surprised in the summer of 2014, when Ville was offered expatriate terms in Hong Kong to help the establishment of the Asia Pacific office for Fiskars – the branded consumer goods company. Petra’s positive outlook enabled her to greet the challenge with enthusiasm. I asked her if she had any misgivings about leaving Finland. She was concerned about missing friends and family, but saw the move as an adventure, one which would benefit the whole family - even though she had only a month to prepare!

Ville came earlier than the rest of the family and found a flat in Discover y Bay on Lantau Island. This, by Hong Kong standards, is a very quiet area where there are playgrounds, gardens, swimming pools and no traffic. Indeed

the Discover y Bay development is in many ways ideal for young children, providing more of a neighborhood community than most other areas. Expatriates from many nations live there as well as some local families. Petra and her young family found it easy to make friends. Ville commutes to his office in Central on the hover ferry each day.

Schooling for the children

Patrik attends the primary section of Discovery College - an English Schools Foundation (ESF) school. Unlike other International School children, the students at Discovery College do not have long distances to travel. Verna is at an English speaking pre-school. Both children are bi-lingual and can flit easily between communicating in Finnish and English.

The Finnish School of Hong Kong

Espoo’s loss became Hong Kong’s gain as far as Petra’s teaching skills are concerned, and she quickly established links with the Finnish community to offer her services as a teacher. The Finnish School has been established for ten years and it meets on alternate Saturday mornings for two hours. The venue has recently changed from Tai Koo and Discovery College to South Island School on Hong Kong Island. In the past there were up to 25 students aged from 4 to 16 but the numbers have dropped recently, partly because financial constraints mean fewer families are relocating to Hong Kong. Petra is one of two

Petra Sarja and her husband Ville were pleasantly surprised, when Ville in the summer of 2014 was offered expatriate terms in Hong Kong to help the establishment of the Asia Pacific office for Fiskars – the branded consumer goods company.

teachers working at the school. The two meet regularly to plan activities in order to make the learning activities suitable for all students. Each teacher receives a small stipend. Parents pay a modest fee and the other expenses of the school are met by the Finnish Government.The school is also supported by the ESF which permits the free use of classrooms.

I asked Petra about the curriculum and she told me that the Finnish language is taught as well as aspects of the country’s culture, and its history and geography. Some of the children have lived in Finland, but others were born in Asia and rarely visit the home country. The criteria for entry is that a least one parent must be a Finnish national. The children are encouraged to bring artifacts from home and special events are commemorated. Finnish Independence Day is celebrated each year and there are special Christmas events. The school is well supported and publicized by the Finnish Consulate.

Differing Education Systems

Our conversation moved on to comparing education provision. In Hong Kong, many schools are rigid in outlook, and children are often enrolled as young as the age of four. It is not uncommon for children to be put under pressure to compete and to shine academically, to the detriment of play.

Finland’s system is very different. Children there do not start formal education until seven but the state provides lots of free opportunities for all small children to be creative, to learn through

play, and to develop socially. Finland’s system is very successful and children regularly succeed educationally. The country often heads league tables in comparison studies. Finland’s population of course, is somewhat less than the seven and a half million people who live in close proximity to each other in Hong Kong.

Petra’s children study in English at International Schools which are less regimented than HK state schools, but still fall short of the Finnish system.

She is well aware of the need to balance play and outdoor pursuits with academic success.

Pros and Cons of Hong Kong life

I asked Petra about the advantages of living in Hong Kong and there are many. She feels very safe travelling around the territory and the public transpor t network is quick and efficient. She loves the fact that all members of the family have made friends with people from all over the world.

She also appreciates Hong Kong’s proximity to exciting destinations. Already the family have visited Malaysia, Taiwan, The Philippines, Vietnam and New Zealand.

As for disadvantages, well she misses family and friends of course and the beautiful Finnish countr yside, but she travels back with her children for five or six weeks each Summer.

When she first arrived in the territory, Petra was shocked at the intensity of the heat and humidity.The family did land during the month of August and this is perhaps the least comfortable month of Hong Kong’s year, when days of 32

degrees Celsius and 90% humidity are the norm.

Fortunately the climate becomes more pleasant at other times.

Overall Petra feels that the move to Hong Kong was a good one. She is not sure how long the family will stay, but she knows that Finland will always be there to return to. She is determined to enjoy her Far East experiences and she has some advice for others who are considering relocating overseas.

“If you have the opportunity to live abroad you should not be afraid to take it,” she says.

“Sure there is a risk involved, but if you are friendly and positive you are sure to enjoy it, and who knows what the future will bring wherever you are?”

I asked her for a final quote about her views on teaching; “Teaching is an excellent profession, it is so rewarding to work with children. They are openminded, sensitive learners. Each day at school something new is happening, and I love building a relationship with my pupils.”

When we parted I felt that Petra’s joie de vivre and pure enthusiasm must rub off on her students when she is teaching. I am certain they absolutely adore her.

For fur ther information about the Finnish School in Hong Kong please email suomi-koulu@ hksuomalaisyhdistys.com.

October 2017 • ScandAsia.China 11

select the best kindergarten, preschool or pre-prep school?

They may be young, but for the “below 5’s” there’s still a great deal of educational considerations to do.

F

inding a good kindergarten, preschool or pre-prep school begins with knowing what you would like your child to gain from this experience. No two institutions will offer the exact same things, so it is important to check out 2-3 places before deciding on one. This gives you the chance to see many different settings, curriculums, and classrooms.

If you have moved to Asia recently, it’s a good idea in the first instance to contact your local embassy and ask if they can help you contact you local national association or similar social institution. They should be able to provide you with lists of all the services in your area, that other expats of your nationality is using.

12 ScandAsia.China • October 2017

We all know, that children will benefit greatly from a good pre-school education.

Through creative and physical play, they’ll gradually learn new skills and experience, plus learn how to interact socially with their peers.

Do basic research

When you’re assessing your options, you’re likely to have a lot of questions and queries about how each nursery, kindergarten or preschool or preprep school operates and how children learn. That’s good and it’s certainly a positive thing to have questions. Gaining answers to your queries should help you reach a decision about where it is best for your child, or what place you would prefer to avoid.

Before you call and request a tour of the kindergarten or preschool or pre-prep school, you should do some basic research based on what is important and what would work for your family.

• Where is the school located? Close to work or close home?

• Is it part-time or full-time program?

• Are they licensed or in other ways meet safety requirements and provides adequate staffing?

• What are the fees? Is there a registration fee?

Some of the questions you might like to ask include: • What time do sessions start and finish?

• Do the children have a scheduled rest during the day?

• How many children do they have attending?

• What sort of activities do the children do?

• How long have they been operating?

• Do they have outdoor and indoor areas for children to play and learn?

• What resources and equipment do they have to support children’s learning?

• Do they provide any additional help and support to under 5s with special education needs?

You may not find answers to all these questions from your internet research so keep them for your personal visit. A good early learning centre will be happy for you to visit them. You should be able to have a good look around the premises, so you can see how clean they are and what the learning environment is like, and you should be able to gain insight into how the teachers or staff interact with the children. It’s also useful to see how safe and happy the children seem and whether they’re playing happily together, or all off doing their own thing.

October 2017 • ScandAsia.China 13

Kindergarten, Preschool, Pre-prep School Theme

Visit the Boss

Now, it is time to meet the director. Here’s a quick checklist of things you’ll want to talk to the director about when you visit.

• What’s the school’s discipline policy? How do they punish bad behavior?

• What are the safety procedures for dropping off and picking up children?

• What are the payment options and procedures?

• How will the kindergarten or preschool communicate with you? (Newsletters, emails, apps, conferences?)

Remember, choosing a preschool does not have to be an overwhelming or stressful task. Finding the perfect fit is easier when you go into the process prepared and ready to ask questions.

What the preschool may want to ask you

During the visit, things to look for

You have by now narrowed down the possible kindergarten, preschool or pre-prep school and now you are ready to tour the places! You go to the school, but what do you look for? Here are some ideas.

Is the facility safe and clean? Where is the first-aid kit and do they know how to use it?

• Are there age-appropriate books and toys?

• Is there a safe outdoor play area with adequate shade?

• Does the classroom provide a variety of activities or “centers”?

• Is the atmosphere fun and inviting?

• Is student art work displayed?

• Do the children seem happy?

• Am I comfortable here? Trust your gut!

Meeting the teacher is one of the most important aspects of choosing a preschool. If he or she answers your questions warmly and attentively, and you are happy with the feeling the teacher gives you, then it’s safe to say you found a good fit.

Teachers love knowing that you are ready to partner with them in your child’s education, so ask as many questions as you can. Most importantly, make sure the school and teacher make you and your child feel warm and welcome. When you find the right preschool, get ready to embrace your child’s greatest adventure!

14 ScandAsia.China • October 2017

What most parents forget is, that the preschool may also have questions to you.

One of the usual requirements by all types of pre-schools, is that children should be successfully toilet trained by the time they attend pre-school, so this is one area which you may need to work on to get your child ready. All children grow and develop at different rates, so whilst some children may fly through toilet training with ease, others may take a while longer.

If your child is still having toilet training problems when the time for preschool is getting nearer, then have a chat to the teachers who’ll be running the pre-school. It may be nothing to worry about and some children take to it soon after going to pre-school, especially when they see the example set by other children.

Can your child be left with others without their parents staying?

Separation anxiety is normal, but the preschool may want to know this in advance. You can work on this in advance and make sure your child is relatively comfortable about this. It is a big challenge for some children.

How well does your child communicate verbally? This is especially important if they’re not feeling well or are having any problems, so they can communicate the issue to the responsible teacher. If the child is able to communicate well with the other children it can also help them develop friendships.

Although some reading and writing will be worked on at pre-school, it certainly helps if your child has a basic understanding of reading and writing.

Again, this is a skill that you can work on at home with your child and help them be prepared and ready to face life at pre-school.

Finally, discipline is an important issue. Children do need to have a degree of discipline to be able to respond well to instructions from a pre-school teacher. Is your child prone to throwing tantrums about the smallest of issues?

How do you at home scold your child if he or she behaves badly? The school may want to discuss this with you, too.

Handling Separation Anxiety Separation anxiety is a natural part of a child’s development and shows that they are advancing normally. It should not be treated as a behavioral problem.

S

eparation Anxiety is when children star t crying when Mom or Dad are about to leave. It often starts when the child is as young as a year old, but it can become more apparent when a child first starts preschool or nursery.

The child is trying to understand the situation, when they are being separated from their parent or carer, and when they cannot, their feelings turn to fear.

The fear is that the adult is not going to return and that the child is being abandoned.

Of course, it can be extremely distressing, not just for the child, but for the adult too, when the separation anxiety shows itself, particularly as tears and clinging behaviour.

It may seem little consolation to know that the child will naturally grow out of this fear, but you can help to lessen its severity until the child learns to understand the reality of the

situation, and know that the separation is only temporary and will be over at the end of the school day.

Symptoms of Separation Anxiety

Strangely enough, children show separation anxiety in a number of ways, and not necessarily by crying at the moment of separation. Many children, of course, will be tearful and distressed when they are being left by their parent or guardian at the star t of the school day. This is a situation that teachers are extremely experienced in dealing with, and often encourage parents to make the separation as quickly as possible, and not delay their leaving in the hope that their child will calm down.

Children’s tears often last for a very short time once they are inside the class, being cared for by the teacher s. Unlike the parent, they are probably tear-free within a few minutes of your leaving!

Other children appear to show no signs of separation anxiety at the moment of separation, but are extremely distressed when they are reunited with you. This is more a sense of relief that you have come back for them at the end of the day, but is still related to their fear of separation.

Reassure Your Child

However the separation anxiety manifests itself, it is important to reassure your child that the separation is only temporary. You will see your child at the end of the school day, and are not going to leave them for good. That may sound a little drastic, but it is often the main fear that a child has. If possible, you should have trial periods of separation from your child before they actually start school or nursery.These needn’t be long, but allow your child to start to get used to the idea that you need not always be around, but still love them and will be there later.

Friends and family can help by looking after your child while you, for example, go shopping or attend appointments. Talk to your child about what is going to happen, in a matter of fact way, and then go through with what you have told them. Saying quick ‘goodbye’s’ is often hard to begin with, particularly if the child is visibly upset, but is often the best course of action.

Of course, when you return to pick your child up, you can then be excited to see them and keen to talk about what you have both done while you have been apart.

This period in your child’s development will pass, and it won’t be long before they can’t wait for you to drop them off and leave them with their friends!

October 2017 • ScandAsia.China 15

Business

China, Vietnam, Indonesia

joins Denmark in new climate alliance

T

he Denmark-inspired ‘Par tnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030’ (P4G), a new global climate alliance aiming to become a new engine to drive green growth, was launched on 20 September in the UN Headquarters.

Leaders from government, business and civil society launched P4G to drive inclusive, equitable and sustainable economic growth. P4G will create a space for innovative partnerships with businesses, national and city leaders, financiers, and community development advocates to develop and deploy powerful solutions in suppor t of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change.

“To acceler ate progress and deliver concrete results on the SDGs, it is paramount that governments and cities join hands with the private sector through innovative publicprivate partnerships. Sustainable development is a universal task that requires action from all of us in concert,” said Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Denmark.

Countries that have signed on to lead P4G 16 ScandAsia.China • October 2017

include: Chile, Denmark, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, Korea, Mexico and Vietnam. The alliance will take an inclusive approach to engage partners across borders and sectors, creating a global economy that works for everyone.

Drawing on lessons learned from past successes, P4G will identify and scale the most effective solutions, inspiring action for an expanding network while ushering in new models of economic development.

The potential is huge: Moving down this pathway could create at least $12 trillion worth of business in a few sectors alone, according to the Business and Sustainable Development Commission. It could create 380 million jobs by 2030, with almost 90 percent in developing countries. P4G will focus on energy, water, ecosystems restoration, sustainable land use, food systems, sustainable cities and a circular economy.

Bob Collymore, CEO of Safaricom, said, “Delivering on the SDGs will need concerted efforts from all actors of our society. The Global Goals have enormous potential for everyone – for the environment, for growth, for jobs, for business.”

P4G will rely on three key elements to ensure progress: (1) breakthrough partnerships, (2) inspiring summits, and (3) rigorous evidence and accountability. Partners will regularly engage with sub-national, national and international leaders, including through biennial summits, offering inspiration, technical suppor t, and financial assistance to amplify transformative sustainable and green growth ideas. A “State of Art of Green Growth” report, coinciding with the P4G Summits, will highlight and showcase successful P4G solutions and, at the same time, provide the evidence base to trigger new crosssector collaboration.

Examples of the types of partnership P4G will aim to support include:

• The repor t Better Business - Better World documents increasing demand for sustainable and affordable housing in mega-cities in developing and emerging economies. An idea for a partnership could be to bring together city governments, planners, building owners and developers, water and energy ser vice companies, suppliers of building materials, financiers

Business and residents to design a new collaborative business models for future housing solutions. The key word is livable cities.

Within this partnership idea more relevant topics could be addressed. As for example health-related challenges or opportunities in promoting circular economy initiatives.

The partnership addresses SDG 11, SDG 12 and SDG 17.

• About a third of urban water is wasted through water leakages in many cities around the word. Moreover, high energy consumption in the water sector is par t of the challenge. Measures that save energy can also reduce leakages.

And it is possible to improve energy efficiency of water facilities while meeting the remaining energy demand with energy recovered from waste water; i.e. production of biogas from sludge. An idea for a partnership is to develop a solution reducing water leakages, relying on low energy consumptions combined with a financing model of blended financing between public and private investments.

The partnership addresses SDG 6, SDG 7, SDG 11 and SDG 17.

Advisory and facilitation support will be available for partnerships working under the P4G umbrella through the P4G Hub in Washington, DC. A fund of $4 million (U.S.) a year will be made available by the Danish Government for financial support to incubate and scale strategies of P4G partnerships.

Moreover, P4G partnerships can expect support from a variety of funds collaborating with the P4G on the sustainable growth agenda. One such fund is the innovative SDG Investment Fund that will be established on January 1, 2018 by the Danish Government to contribute to SDG-related partnerships and ensure up to approximately $5 billion (U.S.) in total investments by working as a public-private cooperation. Others funds, such as the Investment Fund for Developing Countries (IFU), have also been identified early on as obvious collaborators.

“It is profoundly encouraging to see this group of leading nations and companies driving forward new economic models that will benefit the economy, citizens and the environment,” said

Andrew Steer, president and CEO of World Resources Institute. “P4G can be a catalyst for dynamic collaborations that will speed, scale and track this progress toward a more inclusive and robust form of global development.”

Success for the new initiative is to promote progress on the Global Goals in the selected areas of work. This will include concrete outputs such as more bankable projects for the private sector to invest in; presentation of new solutions – technical and systemic – and speed and scale of known solutions.

Thematically, the focus will be on key economic systems that, if transformed, will drive the green economic transition. Key economic systems have been identified where opportunities and impacts are greatest such as agriculture, energy, cities, water and circular economy. Systems that will drive global economic growth and that are critical to connecting leaders around concrete commitments to create the enabling conditions that drive the green transition.

Finnish design firms in Shanghai relocated

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wo visionary and internationally recognised companies of Finnish design and architecture, PES-Architects and Avarte Shanghai Showroom have relocated to a joint studio space in Shanghai’s Yangpu District.

To celebrate the opening of the new studio, and in the spirit of the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Finland, Founding Partner of PESArchitects, Professor Pekka Salminen and Founding Partner of Avarte, Professor Yrjö Kukkapuro together with Consul General of Finland in Shanghai, Mr. Jan Wahlberg, joined the studio opening ceremony last Friday, 22nd of September.

The evening’s program consisted of lectures by Professors Salminen and Kukkapuro followed by a lively gathering of Finnish design and architecture. Consul General of Finland to Shanghai Mr. Jan Wahlberg gave the event’s opening speech.

Source: Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai

October 2017 • ScandAsia.China 17

Business

Ground breaking ceremonies held in China for Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects projects CaoHeJing Guigu Creative Headquarters, Shanghai

Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects’ design for the new CaoHeJing Guigu Creative Headquarters in Shanghai broke ground on Monday 18th September. Developed by government-backed CaoHeJing Hi-Tech Park, the project is aimed as CaoHeJing’s platform for innovation. The new Centre will support and nurture high-tech firms, and connect local and overseas university graduates and enterprises and act as an accelerator for new technology in China.

The project sits on the edge of Shanghai Caohejing Hi-Tech Park, a state level economic and technological development zone covering an area of 14.5 km2 east of downtown Shanghai, and home to some 1200 domestic and overseas hi-tech companies.

The project is the Danish architect firm’s third collaboration with CaoHeJing and is expected to complete in 2020.

The new Shanghai East Library breaks ground

Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects has also revealed the latest visuals for the new Shanghai East Library marking the project ground breaking. Back in 2016, they won a three-stage international competition to design the new public library that will sit adjacent to Century Park in the east part of the city. The project officially broke ground on Wednesday 27 September. The 115,000m² library, located in Pudong District – the area of the city known for its iconic skyline, will sit immediately next to Century Park -the largest park in the city spread over 140 hectares.

“Creating a building of this size is an enormous challenge,” said Partner Chris Hardie. “The complexity of program spaces required in a new modern library such as this goes far beyond being simply a container for physical books. As we always believe a new modern library should be, we envisage this will become a “living room” for Shanghai’s citizens bringing them new learning and cultural experiences binding them closer to their own city and the world.”

The completed library is expected to be open to the public by the end of 2020.

The project is conceived as a singular monolithic object floating above the tree canopy within the park. The main library volume floats above two pavilions that will house a 1200 seat performance venue, exhibition and events space and a dedicated children’s library, that will all open up towards a series of landscaped courtyards and gardens.

About Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects

With 30 years of experience, Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects is one of Scandinavia’s most recognized and award-winning architectural practices.

Working out of studios located in Copenhagen, Aarhus and Shanghai, they provide skilled architectural services all over the world, with a distinguished track record as designers of international high-profile architecture. They are deeply committed to the Nordic architectural traditions based on democracy, welfare, aesthetics, light, sustainability and social responsibility.

18 ScandAsia.China • October 2017

Business

Finland food safety speech held in Hong Kong

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r Jaana Husu-Kallio, Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Forestr y, Finland gave a keynote speech at international conference on food safety in Hong Kong in early September 2017. She presented practices on how Finland has managed to create a sustainable antibiotics-free food production chain from farm to fork. Finland is a global forerunner in applying the so called ‘One Health’ concept in practice.

At the Consulate General’s residence Dr. Husu-Kallio exchanged views with Juha Yrjönen (left), General Manager (Asia) of food company HKScan on the wider market access of Finnish food products to Hong Kong.

Source: Consulate General of Finland in Hong Kong and Macau

Swedish Hong Kong CSR Centre reception

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n 22 September Acting Consul General Joakim Ladeborn attended a reception on sustainable development which was organized by the Consulate General of Sweden in Hong Kong, the CSR Centre of the Embassy of Sweden in Beijing and the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.

The reception provided an opportunity for Swedish companies and the Efficiency Unit in

China – Nordic Countries International Healthcare Summit

Hong Kong to learn more about the CSR Centre in Beijing and the Swedish strategy on sustainable business and human rights.

The reception was organized in advance of today’s Shared Value Forum 2017 organized by the HKSAR Government where a breakout session will discuss the Swedish Model.

Source: Consulate General of Sweden in Hong Kong

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he China – Nordic Countries International Healthcare Summit was organized in Shanghai in mid September 2017.

Healthcare professionals gathered to speak for example about the Nordic Countries healthcare system, doctor training and health education.

There were also people from Finland visiting as Lasse Lehtonen from University of Helsinki and Suvi Sillanpää from SuomiHealth were among the speakers.

Source: Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai

October 2017 • ScandAsia.China 19

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