Last week swissnex China had the pleasure to welcome a delegation from the Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg.

In autumn 2012, Prof. Dr. Di Zhang, Director of the State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites at Shanghai Jiao Tong University contacted swissnex China in the aim to help them to create a partnership with the Adolphe Merkle Institute. During the winter, first contacts were established and the two institutions consequently decided to go a step further by organizing a face to face meeting.

Last Tuesday the Swiss delegation composed of Prof. Dr. Christoph Weder, AMI Director, Dr. Marc Pauchard, Associate Director, Prof. Dr. Alke Fink and Prof. Dr. Barbara Rothen-Rutishauser, Chairs of Bio-Nanomaterials, arrived in Shanghai for their first experience in China. The aim during their 3-day trip was to better understand the nano and materials research at Jiao Tong University, to strengthen their partnership and to discuss the possibility of a future student exchange program between both universities.

Despite a busy schedule, the delegation had time to do some sightseeing and enjoy the 360’ view of the famous Pearl Tower. They flew back to Switzerland with impressions of a dynamic country that is investing a lot in the field of research in order to become an important worldwide actor in the scientific area in the next years.

contributed by Mélanie Boillat