swissnex China Annual Report 2011

China

swissnex 2011 瑞士联邦政府科技文化中心

Initiative of the State Secretariat for Education and Research SER Annex of the Consulate General of Switzerland Swiss Knowledge Network Outposts in Bangalore, Boston, San Francisco, Shanghai and Singapore

Annual Report 2011

swissnex China mission

推广 旨在构建和加强瑞士作为科技创新和文化先 进国家的形象，并且使人们了解中瑞合作的机会

连接 致力于为两国的学者建立长期稳固的合作网 络，为今后由下至上的合作奠定基础

协助 致力于协助中瑞合作的开展。我们可以度身 定制、开展各种活动，以取得最佳效应

Promote awareness of Swiss excellence in science, techno­logy, innovation and culture in China and of Chinese opportunities in Switzerland Connect a solid, long–lasting network of cooperation between scholars of both countries serving as a base for bottom–up initiatives in the future Facilitate Sino–Swiss cooperation, with tailor–made events to assure the most rewarding outcomes

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Introduction

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Delegations

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Continued Activities

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New Initiatives

35

Partners

39

Facts & Figures

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Outlook

7

Intro­– duction

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亲爱的读者， 2011是中国农历兔年，过去的十二个月如愿见证了瑞士联邦科政府科技文化中心与其合作伙伴间的相互信赖和 持久友谊。通过多样的活动，我们不仅建立了不少新的项目，也延续了以往合作中的默契与承诺。 这一年间，瑞士联邦政府内政部负责人、联邦委员Didier Burkhalter代表团访华是重中之重。Burkhalter先生和 中国科技部部长万刚先生签订了合作备忘录，巩固了两国的相互信任和扩大科技合作的意愿。 在年报中，我们希望给合作伙伴畅所欲言的空间，分享他们和我们、和合作者的合作经历和项目经验。无论作为 初次接触中国文化的新人还是中国的老朋友，他们都有着独特的故事，反映了合作过程中别具一格、甚至是令人吃惊 的方方面面。我们邀请您通过我们合作伙伴的角度来体会中瑞合作和交流。 最后，我们谨向那些不吝与我们分享见解的朋友们和合作伙伴们致以最真挚的谢意！同时，我们也希望能在中 国、在2012年这一农历龙年与你们再度相聚。 史凤雅， 医学博士 执行主任 副总领事

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Dr. Flavia Schlegel

Dear Reader 2011, the year of the Rabbit, kept its promise to be a year of trust and friendship for swiss­ nex China and its partners. Our activities were a good mix of several new initiatives and the conti­nuation of various well–established engagements, all of them based on a strong network and sound working relations.

One of the highlights was the visit of Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter, Head of Federal Department of Home Affairs, with his science delegation. Signing a joint statement together with the Chinese Minister of Science and Technology, Wan Gang, both countries confirmed their commitment to support and enlarge the Sino–Swiss scientific cooperation.

In this annual report we want to give space to our partners and let them talk about their experiences with swissnex China and their various partners and projects. Be it as a newcomer to the other culture or as an «old China hand», they all have their own, personal stories to tell — stories that show many different and sometimes surprising aspects of cooperation. Experience the Sino–Swiss exchange through the eyes of our partners.

We would like to thank them for sharing their insights with us and we hope to see all of you back in China in 2012.

Dr. Flavia Schlegel MD, MAS Executive Director, Vice Consul General

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Zhou Tiehai

Photo: Justin Jin

Zhou Tiehai «...‹Switzerland is a good place.› This was an advertising slogan for Radon in 1979. Now the slogan still remains fresh in our memory—a sign for the innovative and visionary spirit of the Swiss. Switzerland is a country of diversity, a country that integrates tradition and modernity.

Switzerland is world famous for its minimalism and creativeness, be it in culture or techno­ logy, in architecture or design...»

Excerpt from welcome speech by the Executive Director of the Minsheng Art Museum at the opening of the Swiss Room at Minsheng Art Museum in Shanghai (April 21, 2011).

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Delega– tions

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Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter1 with scientific delegation Visit of ministries, universities and industrial companies. Further en­­hance­ment of relations between go­­vern­ment and scientific and aca­ demic institutions, opening of Swiss Room at Minsheng Art Museum, signing of Joint Statement with Minister of Science and Technology of People’s Republic of China.

(April 2011)

Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter and Minister of Science and Technology of People’s Republic of China, Wan Gang

1) Federal Councillor Didier Burkhalter Head of Federal Department of Foreign Affairs since 01.2012 (Head of Federal Department of Home Affairs, 9.2009—12.2011) «Intelligent, cutting–edge, human, cosmopolitan, and serious»: these are the major qualities valued by users of the swissnex network. The Shanghai office that we had the pleasure of visiting in April is rooted in those values. The «scientific and cultural consulate» team, led by its director Flavia Schlegel, impressed us with its dynamism and creativity. Switzerland must main­ tain a good relationship with China. swissnex, within its area of expertise, helps build useful bridges between the two cultures.

There is a future in connecting the ta­lent of our two nations. We recognized this poten­ tial through discussions with Chinese scientists and researchers who come from different disciplines and work with colleagues living in Switzerland. In a diffe­ rent field that shares the same desire for openness, we discovered the Swiss artist Yves Netzhammer's exhibition, orga­n ized with the support of se­v eral Swiss organizations at Shanghai Minsheng Art Mu­ seum.

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Overall, I have an excellent memory of my trip to China. Naturally, there was not enough time to fully understand this massive country, its complex roots and astonishing perspectives. We were able, how­ ever, to meet the objectives established within the realms of education, research, innovation, health and culture.

The bilateral relationship between our two countries is good, and we must work together to reinforce it. It is in this spirit that we must interpret the Minister of Science and Technology, Mr. Wan Gang's signature on this joint statement. This document will finalize arrangements for Switzerland and China's collaboration on the Sino–Swiss Scientific and Technological Cooperation Program for 2012—2016.

In a few short years, swissnex China has established itself in an intensely competitive country.

I am convinced that the coming years will be fully utilized to further establish bridges between Switzerland and China.»

Zurich University of Ap­­plied Sciences delegation with Prof. Ursula Blosser2 Visit of universities and pri­vate companies in Shang­hai and Suzhou.

Strengthen current partnerships and check opportunities for future collabo­rations.

(January 2011) More about Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences

2) Prof. Dr. Ursula Blosser Head of International Affairs Portfolio and Director of School of Social Work, Zurich University of Applied Sciences «The memories of our visits to univer­ sities in Shanghai and the surrounding areas are imprin­ ted with awe for the energy, momentum and spirit dis­ played by our Chinese partners. I was impressed by their commitment to success and the tempo at which they press toward their goals. It may be that in Switzerland to­ day there is still more new development and invention, while China is successful in more rapid and cheaper pro­ duction. But the Chinese are very aware of their potential, their cultural heritage and their huge domestic market, and they confidently negotiate on equal footing.

A look at the social conditions showed discrepancies—for example between rich and poor and between China’s east and west—which would be politically unacceptable in Switzerland. Our demo­ cratically directed requirement for social balance and in­ tegration of all groups tolerates only a certain measure of inequality. It secures for us an everyday quality of life, which one again appreciates after returning home from such an enormous country where poverty and misery are

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Cocktail reception with representatives from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences

spreading just around the corner from the glittering sky­ scrapes. To the pressing question of how Chinese socie­ ty will build the stable internal cohesion that ensures a las­ting peaceful coexistence and hence prosperity, I have no answer. China will probably surprise us with strategies not practiced in the Old World. China has central control mechanisms that are foreign to us—especially in Switzer­ land’s mature federal system. China seems at times like an immensely large laboratory in which experiments are conducted in real time and without a dry run.

The Swiss are proud of their national rights and the subtle mechanisms that ultimately lead to viable solutions to difficult problems. The Chinese cannot do without patience and forbearance, but it seems that in China, one does not have to wait long for decisions and project realizations. It would be nice, for example, if uni­ versity politics in Switzerland moved at a pace a little more à la Chinoise. And yet, perhaps then we would miss important values, such as a certain social balance.

At certain points, I had the opportuni­ ty to see Europe and Switzerland through the eyes of the Chinese people—what a small speck on the map Switzer­land is, with its many independent regions! To en­ gage in such reflection sharpens the perception of our situation. I want to retain this perspective. We are pleased to cultivate our helpful partnership with swissnex for ta­ king the next steps—this keeps us up to date and stimu­ lates new areas for reflection and action.»

Basel Stadt health delegation 3 with State Councillor Dr. Carlo Conti Visit of Shanghai Children’s Medical Center. Exchange of expertise in epidemio­logy, hematology, onco­logy and orthopedics.

(May 2011)

3) Sabine Horvath Head of External Affairs and Marketing Department of Presidential Affairs of the Canton of Basel–Stadt «I consider it a privilege to take part in creating and developing the city partnership between Basel and Shanghai and to see it prosper. I have learned about the secret of good cooperation with China: respect, a careful selection of issues, and team spirit. Our partners in Shanghai always welcome us with great re­ spect and seriousness, and treat my team from External Affairs and Marketing as equal partners. Their level of professionalism is impressive and instructive at the same time. Take, for example, everyday communication: Everybody in Shanghai speaks English, some even Ger­ man. It was a matter of course that I started to learn Chi­ nese as a token of my respect.

Communicating in both languages may serve to illustrate the aim of our partnership: we want to meet on an equal footing. In Switzerland, people are still amazed at this. They think that Shanghai is too big to even consider a serious cooperation with Basel.

But if you set aside the blatant differences in size, and fo­ cus instead on the shared strengths of both cities, you will see how they both benefit from the partnership. For

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President of Children's Medical Center Liu Jinfen and State Councillor Dr. Carlo Conti

example, both cities are leading research locations in life sciences. Basel even has a slight edge over Shanghai in this field. Both are important trade fair centers, both fo­ cus on education and high–end medicine and both boast a very rich cultural life. All these provide interesting fields of cooperation for both partners. Personally, I am convin­ ced that we should continue on our very effective path to a successful partnership between Basel and Shanghai.

Let us not be blinded by differences in size. Find the areas of mutual benefit, focus on the shared strengths, and define our goals very clearly.

But there is another important issue, too: We must find the right partners in Basel and Shang­ hai and invite them to participate. In Basel, there are many different institutions and businesses convinced that a partnership with Shanghai is profitable. They have found a way of using this partnership to their advantage.

And last, but not least, I would like to mention how important team spirit is for a successful partner­ ship. If we manage to find the right people in both cities,— sparkling with new ideas, enthusiastic about new projects, willing to work toward a common goal—we will succeed.

I am honored to feel this spirit in Basel and Shanghai. In Basel, I enjoy working with our actors in marketing, cultural institutions, universities, businesses and interest groups. In Shanghai, it is a great pleasure to cooperate with the Swiss Consulate General, swissnex China and SwissCham Shanghai. They are en­ thusiastic about the partnership and contribute to our very sizeable Swiss team in Shanghai. I would like to thank all our partners in Basel and Shanghai for this wonder­ful team spirit.»

University of Fribourg4 delegation Yearly Francophone seminar week «Rendezvous in Shanghai.» Discus­ sion of current collaborations and future opportunities.

(October 2011) Cocktail reception with representatives from Univer­ sity of Fribourg

4) Prof. Gilbert Casasus Professor of European Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Fribourg–Freiburg, Switzerland «I would first like to congratulate swissnex and its Shanghai agency for the excellent wel­ come it reserved for the «Autumn University» delegation, composed respectively of the French universities Paris I–La Sorbonne and Cergy–Pontoise, as well as our Swiss bilingual University of Fribourg–Freiburg.

If I could glean one sole lesson from this first experience in China, it would be summed up in a few words: while China has exhibited a technological le­ vel at least equal to that reached in Europe, and has also demonstrated remarkable economic growth, it would also be worthwhile to mention its relative lack of develop­ ment in the humanities and social sciences.

This remark is the result of conferen­ ces and discussions in which I participated during my stay at East China Normal University in Shanghai as well as at Nanjing University. Whether in history or political science, numerous Chinese academics, despite their dili­ gence and avid knowledge, exhibit myriad factual and methodological deficits. Thus, their analytical capacity and critical spirit—which, constrained by ideology, are

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less developed than those of their counterparts in Eu­ rope—suffer.

Numerous cultural and political con­ flicts will inevitably arise from this unfortunate dialectic between technological and economic progress coupled with intellectual backwardness. These conflicts will affect China itself as well as China’s relationships with its princi­ pal global partners, whether they are Asian, American or European.

Consequently, Europe in general, and Switzerland in particular, should recognize the impor­ tance of this particular situation in order to evaluate its futu­re relationships with the People’s Republic of China.

This evaluation is oriented toward a dynamic perspec­ tive, so that scientific and academic collaborations be­ tween China, Europe and Switzerland are not only marked by quantity, but by quality as well.

If my own coming to China has contri­ buted to further deepen a both critical and constructive approach, it would be with great pleasure that I invest even more in this scientific cooperation that I deem cru­ cial, not only for China, but for Europe and Switzerland as well.»

Other delegations in 2011 National Center of Competence in Research Challenges to Demo­ cracy in the 21st Century (NCCR Demo­cracy) delegation Prof. Dr. Hanspeter Kriesi et al.

(September 2011) Basel–Stadt delegation Department of Education together with University of Basel and University of Applied Sciences North­western Switzerland (October 2011) University of Bern delegation Institute for Information Systems, Prof. Dr. Knol­­­mayer et al.

(December 2011) More information about the visits of all the delegations in 2011 can be found on www.swissnexchina.org

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Prof. Frank Esser, Prof. Hanspeter Kriesi, Dr. Sandra Lavanex, Consul General of Switzerland in Shanghai Heinrich Schellenberg, Dr. Flavia Schlegel and Xiao Yin swissnex China

Continued Activities

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Art Science Society Lectures

Social Responsibility Art & Culture Social in Switzerland Responsibility Dr. Katja Gentinetta, author Mr. Daniel Kurjakovic, Sequel to 2010 Barbeque Lectures and consultant for social curator and head of series in cooperation with Shanghai and political issues, program of the Burger Minsheng Art Museum and Pro moderator Sternstunde Collection, Hong Kong, Hel­vetia. Topic 2011: Social Respon­ Philosohphie at Swiss and Mr. Leo Xu, curator and sibility. Discussions with Swiss and National TV writer based in Shanghai Chinese experts, offering interactive (May 2011) (July 2011) exchange between speakers and audience.

Corporate Social Special Event: Responsibility Film Afternoon—Social Dr. Stephan Rothlin, Responsibility in Your Secretary General of the Daily Life Center for International Le Miroir by Ramon & Business Ethnics (CIBE), Pedro, Tzirk by Riccardo Beijing, and Mr. Robert Bernasconi/Francesca Larsson, Head of ABB Reverdito, Familiensache 5) Dr. Peter Jenni Discrete Automation and

by Sarah Horst Motion Division, North Asia (August 2011) Former Spokesperson, ATLAS Collaboration, CERN and China (June 2011) «It was already in the mid 1990s that Chinese universities and laboratories joined the largest particle physics project at the energy frontier, the Large Hadron Collider LHC at the European Laboratory for Par­ ticle Physics CERN in Geneva. In my function as former ATLAS Spokesperson (project coordinator), I had the privilege to visit our Chinese partner institutes, as well as more than 100 others all over the world, quite a few times over the past 20 years. Nowhere have I witnessed such they are not yet spoiled with great resources to contri­ dramatic changes, so clearly visible even during my bute financially to research abroad. Negotiations with the usual­ly very brief visits! But the spectacular leap forward science authorities have been tough, but at the end into the next century has also accentuated differences, it workable solutions could be found to allow our Chinese seems to me, between various groups of populations. I colleagues to build their part of the project, once com­ remember, for example, a very lively «shock of centuries» mon trust was established. in the cities of Jinan and Weihai in 2003, where I was vis­ Many memories are linked to gene­ iting my colleagues at the modern Shandong University. rous hospitality that led to lasting friendships with Chi­ Western cars and luxury stores cohabited with ancient nese colleagues, often sealed around one of these legen­ horse chariots. dary Chinese banquets. For example, a memorable My physicist colleagues are usually stepping stone for our partnership in ATLAS was a dinner not among those who can afford much of the shiny mo­ in Nanjing in August 1997, where we celebrated the dern symbols of progress. And in spite of their new buil­ memory of the famous Chinese physicist Ms. C.S. Wu. It dings for their physics departments at the universities, was, by the way, the hottest August ever I remember,

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Prof. Liu Jianjun

Political Participation & Social Responsibility Prof. Hanspeter Kriesi, Department of Political Science at the University of Zurich and Director of NCCR Democracy research program, and Prof. Liu Jianjun, Vice Dean of School of International Relations and Public Affairs and Research Center of Marxism at Fudan University (September 2011)

Dr. Katja Gentinetta

Individual Social Responsibility Mr. Christopher Brantley, representative of The Library Project, Ms. Wang Yuhong, founder of Chivalrous Cantaloupe Commune, Artist and Mr. Yang Sanzhong, Honorary President of Hong Kong Charity Foundation for the Future Generation (October 2011)

beating easily very hot summer days in Dallas or Buenos Aires when visiting other collaborators!

It was a great pleasure to come back to China this May and June to amazingly busy Hong Kong and Shanghai, following the swissnex invitation to talk at the «Cosmology since Einstein» conference at HK University of Science and Technology and at the Shang­ hai «Particle Physics and Cosmology» symposium at Jiao Tong University. I was very proud to report on the first ex­ citing LHC results obtained together with our Chinese partner institutes, but particularly proud to do so not only as a CERN representative, but also as a Swiss scientist under the most friendly and competent swissnex China umbrella.»

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swissnex China Lectures Swiss experts sharing their visions and ideas on current issues in science, economy and politics.

Cleantech Dr. Uwe Krueger, President of Cleantech Switzerland (May 2011) Cosmology—Dark Matter, Dark Energy and LHC Physics Dr. Peter Jenni,5 Former Spokesperson ATLAS Collaboration, CERN (June 2011) Urban Planning— Economy, Culture and Quality of Life Dr. Hans–Peter Wessels, State Councillor, Head of Department of Public Works and Transport, Basel Stadt (October 2011)

25 Photo: J端rg Neuenschwander

Einstein Exhibition in Hong Kong, E+Program In cooperation with Presence Switzer­land and the Historisches Museum Bern, organization of framework program E+ for «Einstein Exhibition» in China.

(Guangzhou November 2010— February 2011 and Hong Kong April—August 2011)

6) Karen Sit Einstein Exhibition

Curator, Hong Kong Science Museum «Ninety years after Albert Einstein first visited the city for a one–day trip, people in Hong Kong were able to meet with this great scientist and revisit his scientific achievements and the world in which he lived, thanks to our Swiss partners who brought the splendid exhibition «Albert Einstein (1879–1955)» to the Hong Kong Science Museum for a four–month run.

The exhibition proved to be a very memorable project for us as we shared wonderful mo­ ments collaborating with our partners and demonstrated impeccable teamwork. Despite the fact that this was the first time we worked together, the operation was very smooth as we fully understood the requirements of the mission. We were most grateful to the effort and assis­ tance our partners rendered in coordinating various tasks for the exhibition and the «Einstein in Hong Kong» cam­ paign. We were particularly impressed by their dedication to promote worldwide awareness of the scientific and technological achievements of their home country.

The exhibition was very well received since its opening on April 18, 2011. It attracted nearly 260,000 visitors and was one of the most popular exhi­

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bitions presented at the Hong Kong Science Museum.

Not only was the exhibition rich in content and an aes­ thetically designed, it also put Einstein’s biography in the context of world history and explained his intricate phys­ ics concepts in a comprehensible manner. We were sur­ prised but glad to see that visitors focused intensively on the text panels on his life and watched attentively the computer animations on his theories. The spark chamber was one of the attractive exhibits that visitors gathered around to understand the proof of Einstein’s theory of rela­tivity. It was encouraging and reassuring to know that it was possible to integrate science and history in an exhi­bition that appeals to a new spectrum of visitors. The exhibition was successful in arousing the interest of the people of Hong Kong to explore the wonderful world of science and to appreciate how Switzerland has nurtured one of the greatest scientists of the century. We look for­ ward to more cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Switzerland in the years to come.»

Program Guangzhou

Utopia and Reality The International Lan­ guage Esperanto in Times of Globalization Prof. Werner Breitung, Sun Yat–sen University, School of Geography & Planning

Particle Physics Learning about the fundamental building blocks of matter in Switzerland and China.

Prof. Niklaus Berger, Institute of High Energy Program Hong Kong6 Physics, Chinese Academy of Science Our Responsibility in View of a Beneficial From Einstein to NMR Global Future with Men and Molecules Prof. Richard R. Ernst, Prof. Kurt Wüthrich, Nobel Nobel Laureate in Laureate in Chemistry, Chemistry, 1991 2002 Einstein’s Year in Talking About Switzerland and Beyond Special Relativity Prof. Hans Rudolf Ott, Liao Shihong, Department ETH Zurich of Physics, Sun Yat–sen University Albert Einstein and Creativity in Science Where Does Einstein’s Prof. Fang Zaiqing, Institute Creativity Come From? for the History of Natural Prof. Fang Zaiqing, Institute Science, Chinese for the History of Natural Academy of Science Science, Chinese Academy of Science International Conference on «Cosmology since The Perception of Einstein» Einstein in China Institute of Advanced 100 Years of Changing Studies, Hong Kong University of Science and Views Prof. Li Zhibing, School of Technology Dr. Camille Bonvin, Physics and Engineering, Sun Yat–sen University, and University of Geneva, Dr. Peter Jenni, CERN, Prof. Paul Erdös, EPF European Organization for Lau­sanne Nuclear Research, Geneva, Prof . Ruth Durrer, University of Geneva, Prof. Uros Seljak,

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ETH Zurich, Prof. Mikhail Shaposhni­kov, EPF Lausanne, Prof. Norbert Straumann, ETH Zurich, Prof. Adam Amara, ETH Zurich «Letters to Einstein / Writing Competition Einstein» Participants, in the categories junior, senior and open, wrote personal letters to Einstein, selected and awarded by a jury «Einstein in Love: A Scientific Romance» Dialoge with Mr. Dennis Overbye, autor and science correspondent The Intimacy of Creativity – The Bright Sheng Partnership Composers Meet Performers in Hong Kong

Sino–Swiss Science and Technology Cooperation Program (SSSTC)7+8 Calls for:

Joint Research Projects 11 joint research projects selected, Chinese Academy of Sciences and various Chinese uni­­­­versities.

7) Wang Xueqi Associate Professor, Kidney Institute of PLA Shanghai Department of Nephrology. Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University. Visiting Professor, Division of Nephrology, University Hospital Zurich.

«My major research project is Auto­ somal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD).

ADPKD is the most frequent hereditary renal disease, af­ fecting approximately 13.5 million patients worldwide.

My institute in Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, the Kid­ ney Institute of PLA Shanghai, Second Military Medical University, under the leadership of Prof. Changlin Mei, is the biggest medical center for ADPKD diagnosis and treatment in China. We have the largest ADPKD cohort in China. The division of Nephrology, University Hospital Zurich, is the biggest center for ADPKD in Switzerland.

Prof. Rudolf Wüthrich and Andreas Serra designed and initiated the Swiss ADPKD Study, which is the first and the largest randomized controlled clinical trial worldwide to assess efficacy, safety and tolerability of sirolimus for ADPKD. In 2009, Dr. Ming Wu, who was a PhD student in Prof. Wüthrich’s group, came up with a genius idea of combing the biggest ADPKD centers in China and Swiss

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Exchange Grants and Institutional Partnerships 33 Exchange Grant projects and 9 Institutional Projects selected.

Total bilateral funding of the projects is estimated: CHF 5,000,000 (Swiss side CHF 2,500,000).

«Joint NanoTera–SSSTC Pilot Grant» Financially supported by nanotera.ch and Science and Tech­­­no­logy Commission of Shanghai Municipality. Budget: Total estimated funding about CHF 1,000,000 (Swiss funding close to CHF 600,000).

together. Just like two persons who have finally found each other, the Shanghai and Zurich institutes soon established a power–power combinative collaboration.

Later on, with the help from swissnex China and ETH Zurich, we got financial support from SSSTC FE and IP program. As the principle investigator from the China part, I got the chance to pursue a collaborative research project of ADPKD in Switzerland. I still remembered the day I arrived at Zurich on May 26, 2010. It was a sunny day, the air was fresh, the sky was blue, and my dormito­ ry was big and clean. Everything was very satisfying, im­ plying a bright future for my project. Now I have stayed in Zurich for about one and half years. I am very happy with both my research and my life in Zurich. I am impressed by the open access of all the fancy facilities in University Zurich. I just need to book in advance and I can use them. Most of the colleagues I work with are very nice, professional and willing to help. All these help my project go quite smoothly and be fruitful. My position has allowed me to get in contact with many top level persons in different research fields. The discussions with them opened up new visions of my research and gave me chances to set up further collaboration projects. The whole society is very well organized. I am really impressed by the accuracy and convenience of the pub­ lic transport system, not to mention the beautiful scenic spots everywhere. I believe my experiences in beautiful Switzerland will definitely be a special memory for the rest of my life.»

Shanghai International Science & Art Exhibition In 2011 swissnex China participated in the Shanghai International Science & Art Exhibition with architectural and product design by the architects Arturo Vittori and Andreas Vogler from the studio Architecture and Opening Shanghai International Science & Art Exhibi­ Vision. The designs inspired by tion 2011 nature, science and technology, served as good examples of interdis­ ciplinary ap­­proaches and innovation, a key strength of Swiss research.

For the third time in a row swissnex China and its exhibition partners were awarded with the Innovation Award of Science and Technology.

8) Prof. Zhang Lun Tongji University, School of Transportation Engineering «As a Visiting Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), I have been working with Prof. Kay W. Axhausen for years within the research context of Macro Agent–based Trans­ port Simulation, abbreviated as MATSim. Through this collaboration, my career has been linked to Switzerland.

Sponsored by SSSTC, I obtained an opportunity in 2011 to send my students as well as myself to Zurich again to work with the world class re­ search group in the field of Transport Engineering. After­ wards, Prof. Axhausen visited Shanghai in order to give seminars, share experience, and help to launch a research group in my faculty, which aims to work simul­ taneously with Zurich associates on MATSim. Thus, we are able to run the realistic data using that platform in order to simulate and solve the transport problems in Chinese mega­cities. Therefore, due to our previous ef­ forts, an institutio­nal partnership between ETH Zurich and Tongji University, also sponsored by SSSTC, was fa­ cilitated in order to enhance the academic links and ex­ change staff and students from both sides. Furthermore, inspired by these joint works, I have been lucky to have

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been awar­ded project funding with respect to our Sino– Swiss collabo­ration and to have published papers in re­ cent years.

By the way, when I was working in Switzerland, we had a habit of holding biweekly group meetings at lunch time with food and drinks, so–called brown–bag lunches, supplied. After I came back to Shanghai to continue my career in 2009, the first thing I did was transplant brown–bag meetings into my re­ search group. In that way, we enjoyed and achieved a lot by mixing our discussions and seminars with lunch. To be honest, that is also one of my greatest harvests in terms of my Sino–Swiss experience.

In a nutshell, my Sino–Swiss expe­ rience has really brought me much profit far beyond what I can express with plain words. It has positively and obvi­ ously impacted on my research career and encou­raged my social responsibility for the next step in Sino–Swiss collaboration. Therefore, I look forward to shuttling back and forth between China and Switzerland for collabora­ tions in the future.»

Chinese students and scholars in Switzerland swissnex China believes that Chinese students and scholars in Switzerland are the most convincing ambassadors to promote Swiss excellence in science and techno­ logy.

Following the meetings in 2009 and 2010, swissnex China, together with Zurich and Lausanne Association of Chinese Students and Scholars in Switzerland, organized a reunion in November 2011 at the Museum der Kulturen Basel. About 40 students and scholars were joined by Mr. Liu Yuebin, 2nd Secretary at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Switzerland, and Mr. Rudolf Schaffner, Executive VP of the Swiss–Chinese Association, to visit the exhibition «On Stage» about Peking Opera.

Yearly summer schools EPFL Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne MoT EMBA students in Management of Technology (June 2011) EPFL Asian Minor Summer School students (September 2011) University of Zurich Executive MBA program students (October 2011) 30

Chinese students and scholars at the Museum der Kulturen Basel

New Initiatives

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ETH Zurich—Tongji University project «Realize 2011» To further develop the design and production of so–called omni wheels of a ballbot robot, swissnex China supported ETH Zurich in finding a suitable project partner in China. In September 2011 the project was kicked off by two ETH Zurich stu­ dents working for six months with Prof. Zhou Aigou9 and his students from Tongji University in Shanghai.

The project aimed at further develo­ ping the design of the wheels,

Shanghai project team «Realize 2011»: Zhang Jin Mei, Prof. Zhou Aiguo, Zhang Si Yang, Michael Neu­ nert, Hong Jia, Fabio Diem, Pan Bin (from left to right)

reducing production costs and building first steps for further collabo­ ration between the two universities.

9) Prof. Zhou Aigou Tongji University, Mechanical Engineering «In the hot summer of 2011, under the introduction of the Vice President of Tongji Universi­ ty, Dong Qi, Director of the College of Electronics and Information Engineering, Prof. Chen Qijun, and the Director of the College of Mechanical Engineering, Prof.

Li Liguang, I had the great honor to have the chance to cooperate with Vice President of ETH Zurich, Prof.

Siegwart and to witness the academic exchange be­ tween Tongji and ETH. Prof. Siegwart and two students, Michael Neunert and Fabio Diem, came to Tongji Uni­ versity in September. In the meantime I arranged four master students Zhang Jin Mei, Hong Jia, Pan Bin and Zhang Siyang to cooperate with the visitors from ETH Zurich. The six students started their academic and project exchange in Room B411, Mechanical Engineer­ ing Building, Jiading Campus, Tongji University. Togeth­ er they finished the analysis, design and three–dimen­ sional mould of the ETH robot project. In addition, they success­fully researched Vantage Company, who was the provider of the mechani­cal part for omni wheel. Dur­ ing the process, the six students joined hand in hand, and had a wonderful coope­ra­tion and exchange in the

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project development as well as in daily life. They often kept on working till nine o’clock in the evening, for which I felt gratitude. I didn’t treat students from the two universities differently. The students’ performances were so harmonious, which makes me feel that no mat­ ter which parts of the world we come from, we have a common world.

Prof. Siegwart’s determination in technology and experience in teaching benefited me a lot. Besides the ETH management, Siegwart also pro­ posed good suggestions for students in the design and processing of the omni wheel and gave constructive ad­ vice for the further improvement of the project. In addi­ tion, the former Vice Secretary of the Party Committee, Prof. Lu Minxun, also came to the students’ office to lis­ ten to students’ feedback. Therefore, I deeply felt that both Chinese and Swiss values affected the project and I anticipate the future of the youth.

Here I would like to especially acknowledge Dr. Flavia Schlegel, Executive Director of swissnex China. When the two students from ETH came

Master of Science in Enginee­r­ ing (MSE) Summer School In August 2011 the MSE China Summer School took place for the third time. For the 2011 cycle the University of Applied Sciences Southern Switzerland joined hands for the first time with the University of Applied Sciences Western Switzer­ land and Zurich University of Applied Sciences, offering a three–week pro­ gram. Lectures included topics such as total productive maintenance, setting up successful quality manu­ facturing in China, sustainable inno­ vation and innovation for sustaina­ bility, Chinese culture and water treatment. These were followed by

to Tongji University, Dr. Schlegel came to the students’ office to exchange ideas with them. Students from both universities were extraordinarily excited. All the students and teachers (including me, of course) were very grateful that Dr. Schlegel was so amiable and easy to approach.

Especially when we shared a working lunch in the office, the one–Euro lunch let me feel the simplicity of Swiss people. To be honest, I believe that in their heart’s people think that officers like her are the real officers.

During the project, we had a lot of moving scenes that were very beneficial. In exchanging opinions with Prof. Siegwart, and in students exchanging techniques between their universities, I experienced the common goal of the development. With the communica­ tion with Dr. Schlegel from swissnex China, I also experi­ enced that both governments think highly of the peoples’ nongovernmental exchange. Please allow me here to ac­ knowledge all the friends, both those we have met and those we did not, who contributed to the project.»

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various industrial visits.

The MSE China Summer School aims at fostering internationalization, a cornerstone of the development strategy of the universities of applied sciences in Switzerland, and at intro­ ducing Chinese culture and markets to the students. China has become the largest export market for Swiss industries, and more than 50% of all exports to China are in the area of precision technology and manufac­ turing.

More about the Sino-swissnex Center in Guangdong

University of Zurich Alumni Group By sending a representative to Shanghai to set up the first University of Zurich International Alumni Group in China, the university is attempting to enlarge its international network and presence. swissnex China offered work space and access to its network.

Other new university initiatives

Founding of Alumni Group University of Lausanne, Faculté des Hautes Etudes Commerciales first alumni gathering (March 2011) Banking & Finance Summer School Institute for Financial Services, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences (August 2011)

swissnex China Cleantech Exchange Grant To follow up the Future Cities confer­ ence week at the World Expo 2010, swissnex China called for the swiss­ nex China Cleantech Exchange Grant. This grant offered financial support to promising collaborations between Swiss and Chinese partners that are involved in clean technology projects. The following two projects were selected: «Urban Sanitation» • Eawag The Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology • RCEES Research Center for Eco–Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences • The Swiss Federal Office for the Environment «Renewable Energies and Environmental Engi­ neering in Shanghai» • The National Engineering Research Centre for Urban Pollution Control, Tongji University • Swiss private company Holinger AG Detailed information on the projects can be found on www.swissnexchina.org

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Biotech Focus

Tour de swissnex 2011

In cooperation with the Swiss Busi­ ness Hub and the Swiss Biotech Association, swissnex China started the project «Mission 2011.» The tar­ get of this project is the organization of China visits for a group of Swiss companies active in the biotech sec­ tor in order to familiarize them with the Chinese business environment and developments in China of the biotech sector and to provide them with contacts of relevant Chinese authorities and companies.

For the first time traveling together, the 5 swissnex directors from Banga­ lore, Boston, Shanghai, San Fran­ cisco and Singapore, went on a «Tour de swissnex» through Switzerland.

They met with old and new partners to discuss existing projects, new ideas and future cooperations, to gain insight on the universities’ cur­ rent international strategies and research programs and to brain­ storm about promotion activities for Swiss R+D hubs. This trip proved to be a very efficient way to communi­ cate with the Swiss partners.

Swiss Learning Desk Shanghai In October 2011 Swiss Learning, a group of Swiss boarding schools, opened its Shanghai desk at swissnex China. swissnex China is offering the group work space and access to its network.

Swatch Art Peace Hotel— Artists in Residence Since April 2011 selected artists are being hosted by the Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai. swissnex China supports the artists with its expertise and connects them with players within academia, art & design and education in Shanghai.

Partners

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Mandates & Agreements Also in 2011 swissnex China counted on its existing mandates and sponsors and at the same time gained new partners. We would like to thank all of them for their trust.

Commission for Technology & Innovation (CTI) Support for start–up companies, information on Chinese R&D and academia networks ETH Zurich Work space for sabbaticals from ETH Zurich Presence Switzer­land Organize the scientific program E+, the framework program for the Einstein Exhibition in China Pro Helvetia Work space for Pro Helvetia office in Shanghai and cooperation on projects exploring the interaction between science and art Swatch Art Peace Hotel Consulting services for the «Artists in Residence» at the Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai Swiss Learning Work space for the Swiss Learning Desk Shanghai University Hospital of Basel Organization of trips to China University of Lausanne Work space for interns from the Faculté des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC) and access to academia and business University of Zurich Work space for students and PhD students from the University of Zurich and access to academia and business Zurich University of Applied Sciences Organization of delegation's trip to China

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Partners & Sponsors ABB • Biopôle SA • Association of Chinese Students and Scholars in Zurich • Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs • Basel–Stadt • China Association for Science and Techno­logy • Chinese Academy of Sciences • Chinese Students and Scholars Association Lausanne • Center for International Business Ethics • Commission for Technology and Innovation • Consulate General of Switzerland in Guangzhou • Consulate General of Switzerland in Hong Kong • Consulate General of Switzerland in Shanghai • Cleantech Switzerland • East China Normal University • eawag • Embassy of Switzerland in China • EPF Lausanne (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne) • ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich) • Fudan University • Gebert Rüf Stiftung • Historisches Museum Bern • Hong Kong Science Museum • Kurjakovic Daniel, Curator • Jiao Tong University • Logitech • Minsheng Art Museum • Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China • National Center of Competence in Research Challenges to Democracy in the 21st Century • Nespresso • Pro Helvetia • Presence Switzerland • Shanghai Association for Science and Technology • State Secretariat for Education and Research • Steiner Julia, Artist • Swatch Group • Swiss Biotech Association • Swiss Business Hub • Swiss Films • Swiss International Air Lines • Swiss National Science Foundation • Swiss–Chinese Chamber of Commerce • Swiss Learning • Switzerland Tourism • Three on the Bund, Art Gallery • Tongji University • University Hospital of Basel • University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland • University of Applied Sciences of Northwestern Switzerland • University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland • University of Art and Design Lausanne • University of Basel • University of Fribourg • University of Lausanne • University of Zurich • USM Modular Furniture • Victorinox Swiss Army • Vogler Andreas, Architect • Xu Leo, Curator • Zurich University of Applied Sciences A special thanks to Biopôle SA Lausanne for improving our IT infrastructure

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Facts & Figures 39

Finance Due to its public–private partnership model, swissnex China is required by the State Secretariat for Education and Research (SER) to finance two–thirds of its project costs through third party contributions. swissnex China managed to exceed this goal again in 2011, thanks to its partners and sponsors.

10% 2011 Budget SER Operating SER Projects General Third Party Mandates 2011 Budget Total

RMB 3,736,155 861,781 5,511,018 1,158,997

49%

33%

11,267,951 8% 84%

2011 Projects RMB SER 13% 861,781 Third Party cash 3% 176,193 Third Party in Kind 84% 5,334,825 2011 Project Total

6,372,799

RMB = renminbi (official currency of China)

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13% 3%

Media & Publications Throughout the year Swiss and Chinese media followed swissnex China’s activities.

Reports, case studies, interviews and articles in a wide range of different daily newspapers, science magazines and other publications helped spread knowledge about Swiss excellence in science, technology and innovation. swissnex China made a first plunge into Chinese social media, planning to completely immerse itself into social media in 2012.

Publication highlights in 2011

20 minutes • 24 heures • Basler Zeitung • Bulletin Swiss–Chinese Chamber of Commerce • Chinahightech.com • China Daily • China Daily Hong Kong Edition • Chinanews. com • CH Revue News • Daydoo.com • Elle Magazine • Insight China 2011 • Jie Fang Daily • HKUST Video Channel • Hong Kong Economic Journal • Life of Guan­gzhou • Mask9 • Nan Dou Daily • Nano–tera.ch • Oriental Daily • Place Branding–Public Diplomacy • Radio Svizzera Italiana • Science and Technology Daily • Sing Tao Daily • South China Morning Post • South China Morning Post Youth Post • South China Morning Post Art Channel • Shanghai Essential • Shanghai Science & Technology News • Ta Kong Pao • The Bridge • Topwaycn • Wen Wei Po

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About Us In 2011 swissnex China welcomed Swiss and Chinese interns and sabbaticals10 from a wide range of scientific fields. swissnex China offers the opportunity to work in an international and intercultural environment, to get started or to get new input for professional life. swissnex China highly appreciates the specific knowledge the interns and sabbaticals bring along. This success story will continue in 2012. We would like to thank all our interns and sabbaticals for their work in 2011.

10) Dr. Annemarie Kallen Coordinator, Department of Materials, ETH Zurich Sabbatical May—August 2011 «Thanks to a generous employer and a very hospitable swissnex China team, I spent the sum­ mer of 2011 in Shanghai on a sabbatical leave from ETH Zurich. It was my first time in China and my first time in Asia as well. So I tried to be open–minded and not to expect or to dread anything in advance. Before leaving for Shanghai I had been talking to a number of people who knew the city very well. Their unanimous prediction: You're going to love it! And they were right—I really did enjoy my time in Shanghai. I firmly believe that the best way to really get familiar with a new country and culture is to stay with local people. My decision to live with a Chi­ nese family in Shanghai turned out to be a very rewarding experience. They took me with them wherever they went and fully let me take part in their daily life including, of course, Chinese food.

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Through my family I had contact with a number of Chinese people—their friends and acquain­ tances—whom I would never have met otherwise. Their daughter, fluent in English and eager to practice, was an invaluable interpreter both for the language and for the cultural aspects. I stayed with her grandparents, a lovely octogenarian couple who only spoke the local dialect.

We communicated using our hands or feet, funny facial expressions, pencil and paper or whatever else it took to get our thoughts across. I had arrived in Shanghai shortly before the Dragon Boat Festival and was immediately taught how to prepare zongzi, the ubiquitous rice dump­ lings served to mark the occasion. Some weeks later we prepared Zürcher Geschnetzeltes mit Rösti in return— wok style, of course. Our joint effort and success in mas­ tering the cross–cultural cooking challenges despite the language barrier nicely represent and sum up my experi­ ences in China. «Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I'll understand.»

Interns & Sabbatical 2011 Shen Jiamin Fudan University (10.2010—2.2011) Joachim Epper University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (12.2010—6.2011) Olivier Jacot University of St. Gallen (1.2011—6.2011) Andrea Keller University of Basel (1.2011—2.2011) Séverine Saas University of Geneva (1.2011—3.2011) Maël Schnegg University of Lausanne (2.2011—9.2011) Fabiano Di Tomaso University of Fribourg (3.2011—7.2011) Susann Taeschler University of Basel (3.2011—7.2011) Yu Xue Fudan University (4.2011—6.2011) Annemarie Kallen10 ETH Zurich, Sabbatical (6.2011—8.2011) Virginie Marcet University of Geneva (7.2011—12.2011) Yang Ying Shanghai International Studies University (7.2011—9.2011) Zhang Ting University of Lausanne (8.2011—2.2012) Loan Vuong University of Zurich (10.2011—4.2012) Li Ran University of Warwick (10.2011—1.2012) Domingo Valero University of Zurich (11.2011—4.2012) André Freiermuth University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (12.2011—4.2012)

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Team Christine Cappi Einstein Program Officer (until 03. 2011) Chen Webber Manager Swiss Learning Desk Shanghai (since 09.2011) Claudio Boër Director R&D and Professional Education, Consul Ingrid Fischer–Schreiber Director Einstein Program (until 03.2011) Fu Yun Project Officer, Pro Helvetia Isabel Götz Director Einstein Program (since 03.2011) Viviane Gut Communications & Entrepreneurship Hu Jingting Assistant to Executive Director Richard Kurz Financial Officer Flavia Schlegel Executive Director, Vice Consul General Shi Bodong Manager Sino–swissnex Center Guangzhou Shi Yue Office Messenger Sun Yiwen Interdisciplinary Projects Xiao Yin Director Academic Relations Xu Lihua Head of Pro Helvetia Office Shanghai Mehmet Yildirimli Head of Staff, Director PR & Events Lan Zuo Gillet Director SSSTC, Consul (until 12.2011)

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Outlook

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Outlook—Year of the Dragon 玉兔辞旧岁，祥龙迎新春 The Chinese saying 玉兔辞旧岁，祥龙迎新春 —Ring out the year of fair rabbit and embrace the year of golden dragon—is just one of many Chinese sayings to describe the high expectations for this special year. In Chinese culture the dragon plays an important role, symbol­ izing power, strength, success and luck. The year of the dragon is an auspicious year for great deeds, innovative ideas and big projects.

While we’re counting on the dragon’s support, we also stick with this: What you sow today, you will reap tomorrow! In this sense we look forward to discovering more of Sino–Swiss sci­ ence, innovation and higher education together with you.

Your swissnex China team

December 2011

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china

swissnex China 22F, Building A, Far East International Plaza 319 Xian Xia Road, Shanghai 200051, China T 0086 21 6235 1889, F 0086 21 6235 1365 www.swissnexchina.org