Café des Sciences: Qubits and Entanglement

By Percy Chen, Junior Project Manager Art-Science

On 16 April 2020, we hosted our webinar titled Café des Sciences: Qubits and Entanglement. Two renowned Swiss quantum field experts Prof. Dr. Richard J. Warburton, Director of NCCR SPIN Project and Professor of Experimental Physics at University of Basel provided us with a technical introduction to quantum computing, while Mr. Franck Franchin, President of Swiss Quantum Hub, illustrated for us the support for Swiss quantum startups. This edition of Café des Sciences was organized in collaboration with the Section of Science, Technology and Education at the Embassy of Switzerland in China.

Prof. Dr. Richard J. Warburton (left) and Moderator Dr. Gaetan Messin, Attaché for Science and Technology, Consulate General of France in Shanghai (right).

Despite some technical issues, we trust that everyone has acquired informative insights on the topic. Due to the time constraint, we could only present a limited number of questions. If you have further questions for our speakers regarding quantum computing, please email us at cafedessciences@swissnexchina.org. We will try our best to forward them to the speakers.

The edited webinar recording is available to view here (until May 15, 2020).

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Here are some key takeaways that we would like to share with you. 

From Prof. Dr. Richard J. Warburton’s speech:

• A bit is a basic unit of information. In information theory, one bit is typically defined as the information entropy of a binary random variable that is 0 or 1 with equal probability. Normally, it is like a classic switch - either on or off. A quantum qubit is different in the sense that it can be on and off simultaneously. And this ability of a quantum system to be in multiple states at the same time is called Superposition.

• Quantum Entanglement comes into play when we attach another pair of switches to qubits. Both switches can be on or off at the same time. The quantum state of each switch of the pair cannot be described independently of the state of the others, even when the particles are separated by a large distance. Vice versa, when one switch is measured, its paired switch is immediately determined.

• So now why is quantum computing so difficult to understand? This is because it is very hard to separate quantum systems from the environment, which is the rest of our world. One significant problem is that things turn to decay. If you put a quantum qubit in the “on” state, it will gradually lose energy and turn to the “off” state. In other words, maintaining a phrase of a quantum state is very difficult.

• The goal of this century is to make quantum physics useful.

• The no-cloning theorem states that it is impossible to create an identical copy of an arbitrary unknown quantum state.

• Quantum Computer: most powerful computer allowed by the laws of physics. It is capable of solving hard problems in chemistry, material science, physics, micro-biology, and more.

• Quantum computer uses qubtis - superpositions of 0 and - and its computational power comes from entanglement between qubits.

• The current status is that few qubit devices exist and although quantum supremacy is close, a completed quantum computer is not. This is because we are never able to fully separate a quantum system from its environment. We would need 100 million physical qubits if we want to simulate the behavior of a complex molecule. This scalability problem is extremely challenging.

• In traditional computer, the scaliability problem has been solved. Silicon transistors now have FinFET technology with less than 10 nano meters of element.

• The NCCR SPIN aims to make a major contribution to research and the development of quantum computers and create the basis for a new information-processing technology. The NCCR’s objective is to develop small, fast, scalable silicon-based qubits. It will also generate important findings on software and algorithm development, error correction and the architecture of future quantum computers.

• Professor Richard J. Warburton and his team are pinning their hopes on silicon, a semiconductor that has been a proven material in the industry for decades. They are convinced that silicon technology is highly promising in enabling the on-chip integration of billions of components, leading to a particularly strong quantum computer.

From Mr. Franck Franchin’s presentation:

• Swiss Quantum Hub is a non-profit think tank with the mission to help quantum startups accelerate and scale up. The community has around 5,000 members in Switzerland, France, Germany and U.S. Right now, there are four services - Swiss Quantum Academy (SQA), Swiss Quantum Garage (SQG), Swiss Quantum Investor Club (SQIC), and Swiss Quantum MarketPlace (SQMP). Its strategic partnerships include Quantonation, Atos, Amazon AWS, and BNP Paribas.

• There are 5 big sectors for the quantum industry: Deep Physics, Quantum Sensing, Quantum Computing, and Quantum Cybersecurity.

• Quantum computers are not faster than conventional computers at all tasks.

• Constructing a quantum computer which is capable of outperforming classical computers is a formidable task. One of the most important issues is error correction: we need thousands of physical qubits to achieve one logical fault.

• Quantum Computers bring new capabilities that existing computers do not have into fields such as in Natural Language Processing and Molecular Simulations.

• Many problems in Finance, for example, can be expressed as optimization and prediction problems, like finding which asset should be included in a portfolio or estimating of the risk and the return of a portfolio problem. These types of problems are particularly hard for classical computers but find a natural formulation using quantum algorithms.

At the end, we would like to express our great appreciation to Prof. Dr. Richard J. Warburton and Mr. Franck Franchin for sharing their valuable expert insights. We would also like to thank our community for your great engagement as always! Please stay tuned for our next event!

Dr. Gaetan Messin, Attaché for Science and Technology, Consulate General of France in Shanghai (left) and Cissy Sun, Head of Art-Science at swissnex China (right).

Towards a Sustainable Space Ecosystem - From Debris Removal to Space Logistics

By Tobias Bolli, Junior Project Manager Academic Relations

Although space is often described as a huge expanse of nothingness – only 0.0000000000000000000042 percent of the universe actually contains matter – things start to look different when we focus in on what’s directly above us. Earth’s orbit is filled with satellites ranging from the size of a parcel to that of a school bus. Together these satellites provide us with such useful things as GPS, telecommunication and weather forecasts. In addition, they are joined by countless objects, which serve no purpose at all. In fact, there are more «retired» satellites than there are operational ones, currently about 3000 of a total 5000. This so-called space junk makes orbits increasingly overcrowded and poses a serious risk to past, present and future missions (for an overview of all known objects in earth’s orbit, click here).  

Prof. Jean-Paul Kneib, Director of EPFL Space Center (eSpace) dedicated his presentation – an event organized in cooperation with EPFL Alumni Shanghai Chapter – to this long-neglected phenomenon. He pointed out that space debris consists of more than a million objects larger than one centimeter and just about 35´000 objects over 10 centimeters. These objects aren’t just staying in space but are dashing around at enormous speeds, often multiple times faster than a rifle bullet. The fastest debris reach up to 7 kilometers per second - keeping in mind that the velocity has to be squared to calculate kinetic energy this makes for impressive numbers.

Due to their enormous speed even small object can have considerable destructive power in space…

Prof. Kneib reminded the audience that the International Space Station has to take this fact into account and dodge space junk almost on a weekly basis. Other satellites in space aren’t so lucky and can’t rely on a propulsion system to get them out of harm’s way. Prof. Kneib mentioned a solar panel, which all of a sudden went missing after a collision. Such collisions lead to even more space junk, which in turn increase the likelihood of more collisions – a downward spiral, which is hard to escape. Things become even more alarming, when one considers the huge uptick in objects flying to space. This is in no small part due to private companies such as Blue Origin (a hobby horse of Jeff Bezos, the richest man on earth) and SpaceX (a passion project by yet another wealthy individual, Elon Musk). What in the past was used once and then thrown away – the rocket launcher – can now deliver multiple payloads to space. This recent revolution in reusability has lead to cheaper access to space, and, in turn, to an exponential increase in launches. This may be an exciting thing on the one hand, however it only accentuates the already looming space debris crisis. Prof. Kneib highlighted the Starlink project by Musk, which in the coming decades wants to populate space with up to 42'000 additional satellites, which is more than 20 times the amount of functional satellites currently in space. 

SpaceX releasing a batch of 60 satellites into low earth orbit as part of its Starlink project. Many experts worry that it will further escalate the space debris crisis.

Having thus laid out the problem (and succeeded in making the audience worried), Prof. Kneib continued to do what few have done so far: offer actual solutions. He presented the CleanSpace One project, a Swiss initiative which aims to start tackling space junk, and actively removing it from space. Even though only a handful of people have been involved in the project, CleanSpace One was recently selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) to launch a proof-of-concept mission. The idea is to send out a washing machine-sized satellite, which is able to grab a satellite (in this case the first Swiss satellite launched into space ten years ago) to subsequently take a deep dive and burn up together with its “cargo” in the earth´s atmosphere. What may seem a rather crude approach is nevertheless a necessary one. Simply put, “nobody has done it before” as Prof. Kneib pointed out, and somebody has to take a first step in the right direction. Moreover, Prof. Kneib talked about future iterations, which would be able to not only remove a single satellite but go back and forth between orbits and deliver multiple pieces of space junk to their fiery death.

The basic idea of ClearSpace One is to go up, grab stuff and then to go down again. What sounds easy, is a very challenging endeavor in practice.

Initiatives like this are not enough, however, there has to be strict regulation as well to prevent the situation from worsening. Prof. Kneib stressed that efforts to contain the crisis have been ineffective thus far. Space agencies merely recommend that a satellite´s lifespan be limited to 25 years, but companies have been turning a blind eye to that recommendation – knowing full well, that they wouldn´t suffer much in terms of consequences for their behavior. Thus, international and actually binding regulations are needed to discourage what economists call negative externalities – basically the outsourcing of negative effects to a third party. Since people tend to be mainly concerned with their own benefit, and not so much with the well-being of others, negative externalities are bound to occur everywhere, even in space. In order to rein them in, Prof. Kneib suggested enforced long-term planning regarding the use of our shrinking space in space. He concluded: “Sustainability is the new way to think, and it is the only way to think.”

The audience of around 30 people was very much captivated by Prof. Kneib´s presentation.

During the lively Q&A session Prof. Kneib revisited the immense destructive power of even small pieces of space junk. Given a head-on collision, an object measuring no more than one centimeter can incapacitate a satellite worth billions of dollars. Moreover, Prof. Kneib reiterated how little regulation exists pertaining to space, pointing out that sometimes companies don´t even wait for an official flight approval but just proceed to launch their rocket anyway.

After the presentation, participants had the opportunity to network and treat themselves to an assortment of delicious finger food. We would like to thank Prof. Kneib for his inspiring lecture, and Mr. Ren Zhanbing, Head of EPFL Alumni Shanghai Chapter for supporting the event.

EPFL’s Valuable Contribution to the Reduction of Space Debris

By Nicola Hofer, Junior Project Manager - Academic Relations

swissnex China was delighted to attend the visit of the EPFL Space Center (eSpace) at Shanghai Jiao Tong University on November 27, 2019. During the event, Prof. Jean-Paul Kneib gave a fascinating lecture on “Towards a Sustainable Ecosystem: from Debris Removal to Space Logistics”. Prof. Jean-Paul Kneib has been the Director of the EPFL Space Center since July 2017 and the Director of the Laboratory of Astrophysics (LASTRO) since April 2016. He is regarded as one of the world’s leading experts in the fields of astrophysics and observational research.

In his lecture, Prof. Jean-Paul Kneib gave insights into the problems that may occur in the near future due to man-made orbital debris. He pointed out that space debris could limit the use of space infrastructure as a whole. A calculation carried out in 2018 shows that out of the 23,500 satellites currently present, only 1,650 are still active. Moreover, the sustainable use of space without binding rules becomes increasingly difficult, especially taking into account the involvement of the private sector. For this reason, the EPFL Space Center has launched the Clean Space One project, which aims to develop and build the first tranche of a satellite family specifically designed for space debris cleaning. The Clean Space One project began ten years ago with the launch of SwissCube, the first Swiss satellite sent into space. A further highlight of the lecture was the presentation of a new initiative on sustainable space logistics, conducted by the EPFL Space Center with the support of the European Space Agency.

swissnex China is confident that EPFL will continue to achieve exceptional results in the field of astrophysics and observational research. As the official representative of all Swiss public institutions in China, swissnex China is very proud to represent the interests of EPFL. We would like to thank Prof. Jean-Paul Kneib and Dr. Mohammad Madi (Business Development Lead at EPFL Space Center [eSpace]) for a highly rewarding afternoon. The interest among the faculty members and students of Shanghai Jiao Tong University was great. In this respect, the two institutions plan to further strengthen their cooperation.

swissnex China joins discussion on The Frontiers of Digital Convergence at Zhejiang University

By Mirjam Haab, Junior Project Manager - Science Outreach and Diplomacy

On July 15, the Academy of Internet Finance of Zhejiang University in Hangzhou held its yearly EMBA seminar on Fintech and Blockchain related topics. Zhang Ruidong, the Director and Founder of the Blockchain Labs, invited representatives from the Danish and Swiss Science & Technology Consulates to hold country-specific presentations along with industry experts, professors and other interested parties who covered more technical Fintech topics.

This year, the global leitmotif was “The Frontiers of Digital Convergence”. A total of 6 presentations were delivered on various themes, spanning from the newly launched Libra Blockchain by Facebook, its’ motivation and business models evolving from it, over Financial Big Data, how to conduct Artificial Intelligence research and apply it in practice, to Blockchain applications in Supply Chain traceability. Additionally, there were the two country-specific Fintech presentations. The first one covered recent Fintech developments in Denmark and was held by Ran Zhao from the Danish Consulate. The second was held by swissnex China Junior Project Manager Mirjam Haab and covered the Swiss Fintech Landscape, recent developments and an outlook into the future regarding regulatory, economic, social and technological challenges and opportunities.

This very interesting and insightful morning was then followed by a delicious Zhejiang cuisine lunch with all the participants, where further discussions and casual conversations took place. It was, for example, mentioned how Cryptocurrencies are experiencing some hardship in China and are nowhere soon to be integrated as a means of pay according to some participants. Zhejiang University also has a Fintech program and swissnex China would hope to bring together Swiss Fintech startups with their Chinese peers in order to exploit synergies, learn from each other and create added value for both.

Finally, the event, spanning all morning until the early afternoon, provided the occasion for very enriching conversations about cultural differences and drawing comparisons between sociopolitical and economic issues in China, Switzerland and Denmark. Undoubtedly, the exchanges and presentations added value to an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of digital convergence as well as the Danish and Swiss Fintech landscapes.

We cordially thank Zhang Ruidong for his very kind invite and hope to participate at the event in future occasions again.

Ran Zhao (left), Christina Mark (middle) and Mirjam Haab (right) at the Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station.

Successful Kickoff of swissnex’s Science Diplomacy Event Series

By Nicola Hofer, Junior Project Manager - Academic Relations

On July 16, swissnex China was delighted to welcome Dr. Jan-Alexander Posth (Senior Lecturer, ZHAW) and Allegra G. Fonda-Bonardi (Chief Officer of Research, DeTao Institute of Green Development) as part of its Science Diplomacy event series. The two speakers compared and discussed their perspectives on ESG compliant investment along China’s Belt & Road. The introduction was delivered by the Science Consul of Switzerland in China, Dr. Felix Moesner.

Dr. Posth gave a presentation entitled "The Belt & Road Initiative and its potential for an ESG revolution: A network view”. He talked from a networking perspective about the opportunities of China’s epic venture to advance Asia’s and the world’s transition to a sustainable economy. He stressed that the Belt & Road Initiative is associated with high hopes, great opportunities and enormous impacts at the global and strategic levels.

Ms. Fonda-Bonardi spoke on “Drivers of change in ESG marketplaces in China and Europe”. She stressed that ESG remains at the center of investment, public attention and even algorithmic power in both Europe and China. The presentation addressed challenges and opportunities in the information ecosystems that drive ESG’s investments in China and Europe, and proposed ways to make ESG’s information ecosystem more robust and effective in channeling capital toward corporate purpose in the short, medium, and long-term.

Following the presentations, Mirjam Haab of swissnex China led a panel discussion. The audience asked interesting questions, which were answered just as competently by the speakers.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Dr. Posth and Ms. Fonda-Bonardi for their interesting and inspiring lectures. swissnex China is looking forward to its next Science Diplomacy event.

Towards a “New Innovation” – For a more sustainable society

Photo | GDUT-CNAN Institute, Dongguan University of Technology

Final review | Chen Yihua

Dongguan University of Technology May 9th, 2019

Professor Boer shares with you the future development trend of Intelligent manufacturing.

On the afternoon of May 9, Professor Claudio Roberto Boër from Switzerland brought a unique scientific lecture to the students in the Sino-French lecture hall.

The seminar was based on the theme of - Research and Search: A quest for a "new innovation" for a more sustainable society , focusing on mechanical engineering technology, sustainable development and innovation in today's society, and the frontier and future trends of international advanced manufacturing technology.

Prof. Boër vividly explained the progress of technology for students in a series of non-traditional manufacturing processes, such as diamond manufacturing and parts manufacturing.

Professor Boër interacts enthusiastically with the students. At the lecture, the students also circulated two books written and published by Professor Boër. At the end of the lecture, Professor Boër answered the questions one by one.

This lecture lasted nearly two hours. Professor Boër's speech was close to real life, and the examples were rich. Finally, the curtain came to a successful conclusion with applause. It is believed that after Professor Boer’s lectures, the students have a new understanding of their majors.

The Background of Prof. Boer

Professor Claudio Roberto Boër, Fellow of the International Society of Production Engineering (CIRP), Vice President of the Swiss University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland, Senior Advisor of SwissnexChina, previous Swiss Consul of the Swiss Federal Government Science and Technology Center, and Vice President of the Valorsec Anstalt Advisory Committee.

Professor Boër has 16 years of experience in the Swiss precision and automation industry, including the Swiss ABB Group, the Swiss company Tornos, Charmilles Technology, and 17-years Expert for Swiss Federal Technical Innovation Council. In addition, Professor Boër is involved in writing related books and articles on manufacturing, robotics, extended enterprise, mass customization and sustainable development. He is also the co-founder of the company, focusing on the development of virtual reality technology, 3D simulation technology, specialized production systems and non-profit projects, and promoted the development of more than 10 global projects.

 Since 1991, Professor Boër has actively promoted cooperation between Chinese local governments and European and Swiss agencies to develop more than 15 projects. Teaching courses on manufacturing and sustainable development technology in Chinese universities.

Legal strategies to adapt to new digital trends – What role for Switzerland?

By Gabriel Bishop, Junior Project Manager for Academic Relations

With the development of new digital technologies inevitably arise new legal challenges that touch on a variety of topics, such as protection from harmful content, ensuring election integrity, personal data protection and data portability. While there appears to be a consensus on the fact that a global framework for these questions is needed, how to shape the new regulations for the digital world remains a real question.

On April 29, swissnex China had the pleasure to welcome Prof. Jacques de Werra, Vice-Rector at the university of Geneva, who gave a lecture addressing the challenges in setting new rules for the internet and the digital world, as well as the role for Switzerland and Geneva in the global digital policy ecosystem.

The field is broad, the issues complex and there is a great diversity of interests involved. Considering this, the professor expressed the idea that governments, companies and citizens can come together in an agreement to shape the framework they want and need. He further suggested that soft laws, if well-drafted, can be a useful tool for this purpose.

Geneva has long been a hub for multilateral discussions, including those in the field of global digital policy making. In the continuity of this tradition, Prof. de Werra highlighted that Switzerland – as an established trusted neutral platform – is a privileged place for the development of global digital policies and that there is a real opportunity to further utilize this potential to foster multilateral agreements.

As a scholar and Vice-Rector of the University of Geneva, he also touched on the role that universities can play in this process: they can not only be a place for education on the legal questions surrounding digital technologies, but also serve as a forum and an instigator for the debate – thus contributing to the shaping of efficient policies.

We were joined that night by a number of Swiss Alumni, namely from the University of Geneva. People from different industries, including the legal field, university professors and students could extend the debate during the networking reception that capped off the night.

Genevans and University of Geneva Alumni with Prof. Jacques de Werra and Dr. Felix Moesner, Science Consul and CEO at swissnex China (Right).

We would like to thank again the professor for his valuable insights and for providing such a rich opportunity for University of Geneva Alumni to reconnect in Shanghai.

swissnex China looks forward to seeing you at our future events.

MAS ETH MTEC Delegation Explores China Business Landscape

By Gabriel Bishop, Junior Project Manager – Academic Relations

On March 11th, swissnex China had the pleasure of receiving 33 ETH Zurich MAS MTEC students, along with Prof. Stefano Brusoni, Xavier Mundet Ciriza, and Daniela Stocker.

Dr. Felix Moesner, Science Consul and CEO of swissnex China, welcomed the participants and introduced the higher education, research and innovation landscape in China. This was followed by an overview of the mission and activities of swissnex China.

Mr. Michael Lehmann, General Manager at sim (Selective International Management Shanghai), gave a lecture to the students, sharing his expertise on the many aspects of doing business in China. He presented the students with different practical cases that served as the base material for a workshop which they conducted throughout the week.

After having lunch all together in a nearby restaurant, the students split into smaller groups in order to work and reflect on the selected cases.

The entire delegation returned to swissnex China on Friday, March 15th. On this occasion, the different groups from the delegations shared and debated their conclusions from the workshop. Their proposed solutions and models were inspired by the various visits and presentations from which they had benefited during the previous days.

Presentation of swissnex China by Dr.Felix Moesner

The MAS ETH MTEC delegation with Michael Lehmann(left) and Dr. Felix Moesner(center)

Indeed, during the study trip, the delegation had the opportunity to visit different companies such as Bühler, Ctrip and Roche.

One of our team members accompanied them on one of these visits, to the Ctrip headquarters in Soho. There, the participants were able to discover the operations of an innovative company in the field of online travel service. They received a presentation about the functioning of the company and its strategies both for the Chinese and on the international market. The visit was concluded by a enriching Q&A session.

To wrap up this enlightening program, Mr. Olivier Zehnder, Consul General of Switzerland in Shanghai, invited the delegation for a networking reception at the Swiss Residence on Friday evening. They had the chance to connect with select members of the Swiss community residing in China, mainly from ETH Zurich alumni community in Shanghai, and the night was full of fruitful exchanges.

swissnex China was delighted to receive the delegation of the MAS ETH MTEC program, a team composed of dynamic professionals who came to China to acquire new perspectives, knowledge and strategies in the field of management, technology and economics. Thank you to Michael Lehmann, sim for his presentation as well as Prof. Stefano Brusoni, Xavier Mundet Ciriza and Daniela Stocker for the amazing pool of talents. We look forward to welcoming them again next year!

Mr. Olivier Zehnder, Consul General of Switzerland in Shanghai, welcoming the delegation at the Swiss Residence

swissnex China Promotes Swiss VPET System at 4th Sino-Swiss Theme Week

By Libing Gu, Project Leader Academic Relations

On November 12, the 4th Sino-Swiss Theme Week was inaugurated at Sino-Swiss Zhenjiang Ecological Industrial Park; With a special focus on Sino-Swiss cooperation in vocational training and education, the event was well-attended by researchers, schools and companies from both countries. Mrs. Libing Gu, Project Leader of Academic Relations of swissnex China gave a keynote speech on the Swiss vocational & professional education as well as the training system, during which she shared with audience the latest facts and figures and illustrated the reasons why vocational education continues to be such a popular choice for education in Switzerland, while enjoying long-standing prestige worldwide.

Photos © Ma Zhendan

Photos © Ma Zhendan

Sino-Swiss Zhenjiang Ecological Industrial Park, the Chinese education and technology company Tomorrow Advancing Life (TAL) and ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences represented by its Head of Competence Center Asia Business School of Management and Law signed a cooperation agreement at the event. ZHAW will contribute to the content development by providing online vocational learning programs.

Photos © Ma Zhendan

swissnex China shares insights into Chinese innovation landscape with Executive MBA students from the University of St. Gallen

By Xu Yuzhuo, Junior Project Leader Academic Relations

On Sept 11, swissnex China had the pleasure of welcoming 37 EMBA students from the University of St. Gallen.

The delegation hoped to gain from their briefing at swissnex China a comprehensive understanding of the cultural dimensions of business collaborations between Switzerland and China, especially in the context of innovation and management practices. Many of the EMBA students were eager to bear direct witness to the fast-paced digital transformations that is currently taking place in China.

Mr. Erwin Lüthi, Deputy Consul General of Switzerland in Shanghai, opened the session with his presentation on Sino-Swiss relations and Swiss presence in the Yangtze River Delta to the students. He also shared his special insights on the latest trends and developments in China on a governmental policy level.

Mr. Erwin Lüthi gave his insights on Sino-Swiss relations and Swiss presence in the Yangtze River Delta.

Following Mr. Lüthi’s presentation, Ms. Rahel Gruber, Operations Manager and Mr. Danli Zhou, Communications Manager from swissnex China introduced the mission of the ‘Science Consulate of Switzerland in China’, as well as activities in the past ten years in connecting the dots between Switzerland and China in the fields of education, research and innovation. The audience were particularly intrigued by the sheer scale of digitalization occurring in China, and posed a number of questions regarding the opportunities and challenges of Chinese market entry for Swiss enterprises.

Ms. Rahel Gruber and Mr. Danli Zhou introduced swissnex China to the EMBA students.

After coffee break, followed by guest speaker Mr. Tom Tiecheng Yu from Johnson Controls Inc. gave a presentation on the topic of “Human resource management in a dynamic environment”, which included the macro human resource context, implications and human resource management under diverse cultural backgrounds.

Moderated by Ms. Ying Gu, Mr. Tom Tiecheng Yu gave his presentation on HRM practices in China.

 The majority participants of this program are aged between 30 and 50 and possess on average 12 years of professional experience. The assignment enwrapped in their study trip in China was “How do we have to adapt our business model in order to be successful in rapidly changing environment – lessons learnt from China”. They were dynamic to pose numerous questions and active to search for clues in the Q & A session after the presentations. We wish them a meaningful trip in China and look forward to meeting next year’s class!

swissnex China attends the 5th China-South Asia Exposition in Kunming

By Xu Yuzhuo, Junior Project Leader Academic Relations

The 5th China-South Asia Exposition was held in Kunming from June 14 to 20, 2018. swissnex China was invited by the Consulate General of Switzerland in Chengdu to join the Swiss Pavilion at the expo, represented by our two Junior Project Leaders Priska Furrer and Xu Yuzhuo.

The swissnex China booth at the 5th China-South Asia Exposition in Kunming.

This is the first time that swissnex China has attended the China-South Asia Exposition. Our participation afforded us a stellar opportunity to promote the excellence of Swiss higher education to the audience in Yunnan and its surrounding areas.

Our booth attracted many a young visitor who were eager to learn more about Swiss public universities.

The Expo has an impressive estimated attendance figure of around 300,000 guests per day. Our swissnex China booth attracted many a young visitor who were intrigued by Switzerland and were eager to learn more about Swiss public universities.

swissnex China also had the great pleasure of meeting the Vice Mayor of Kunming and introduced the Mayor to the mission and diverse range of activities of swissnex in China.

We met the Vice Mayor of Kunming and introduced the Mayor to the mission and diverse range of activities of swissnex in China.

In summary, this was an excellent opportunity to promote swissnex China and Swiss public universities. Our special thanks to Consulate General of Switzerland in Chengdu again for inviting us to participate!

Swedish STINT Program Learns from the swissnex China Business Model

On May 11 2018, we had the great honor of hosting Dr. Andreas Gothenberg, Executive Director and Dr. Erik Forsberg, China Representative of STINT, The Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education, which is part of the Swedish Government. STINT promotes the internationalization of projects proposed by researchers, educators and leaderships at Swedish universities. The largest bilateral program for academic mobility is with China, therefore the Academic cooperation with China is central to STINT.

The two STINT representative visited swissnex China to learn from our business model based on public-private-partnership, namely how we connect the dots, build strong networks & communities and become a clear point of attraction for any Swiss institution seeking academic and innovation partnerships in China. Furthermore, we are delighted that Dr. Erik Forsberg decided to become the newest member representing Sweden in the Science & Technology Diplomatic Circle in Shanghai.

Our CEO Dr. Felix Moesner with Dr. Andreas Gothenberg, Executive Director and Dr. Erik Forsberg, China Representative of STINT

Visiting Shantou University and Promoting Swiss Education and Innovation

On Nov 15th, the Ambassador, H. E. Mr. Jean-Jacques DE DARDEL, Mr. Didier Boschung, Consul General of Switzerland in Guangzhou, Mr. Rene Baenziger Deputy Consul General of Switzerland in Guangzhou, Dr. Felix Moesner, CEO of swissnex China visited Shantou University.

Shantou University, a key comprehensive university under the provincial Project 211 program in Guangdong, was founded in 1981 with the approval of the State Council. It is the only public university that receives funding from the Li Ka Shing Foundation. Furthermore, Shantou University holds some “swissness” since it was designed by renown Swiss architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron, the joint designer of the famous Beijing National Stadium in Beijing, also known as the “Bird’s Nest”.

Under the auspice of the Li Ka Shing Foundation, STU has become one of the few universities in Mainland China that awards full scholarships to overseas exchange students. The university has established close academic ties with nearly 20 universities. Shantou University wished to spread information through swissenx to establish cooperation on student exchange, dual degree and internship. 

Swiss-Chinese Friendship Day in Shantou

On November 15th and 16th, the Consulate General of Switzerland in Guangzhou, together with swissnex China, Switzerland Global Enterprise Beijing, Switzerland Tourism Beijing/Hong Kong organized a Swiss Day to celebrate Swiss-Chinese Friendship Day in Shantou, see the whole series events in CG Guangzhou official WeChat account.

As partner of the event, swissnex China held an “Innovation and education” seminar. Switzerland has enjoyed for a long time a strong reputation as a unique tourist destination, however, the world is discovering the country's world class education, innovation and creativity. This seminar introduces Switzerland in general and examples of innovation, then share experience how education could facilitate the innovation and how it remains a driver for innovation and creativity in Switzerland.

The Ambassador, H. E. Mr. Jean-Jacques DE DARDEL went to seminar room and deliver a welcome address. Dr. Felix Moesner, CEO of swissnex China intruded Swiss strength in innovation and Swissnex as the Swiss global network connecting the dots in education, research, and innovation. Shi Bodong, project manager embedded in Consulate General of Switzerland in Guangzhou introduced Switzerland in general and Swiss education system. Mr. Didier Boschung, Consul General of Switzerland in Guangzhou also attended the seminar.  

Made in Swiss, Drug discovery seminar

Based on an innovative strategic partnership agreed between the Chinese President and the President of the Swiss Confederation in 2016, Swiss innovation gets traction among Chinese investors and companies. 

As leading country in drug discovery, Switzerland embraces the academic and industry collaboration and keen to have Chinese healthcare companies carry out research collaboration with universities and research institutes in Switzerland. 

On Dec 5th,  “Made in Switzerland Drug Discovery “seminar was held in Novartis Shanghai center with over 80 participants from healthcare industry in China.  Keynote speakers from university of Zurich Prof Christoph Hock and Prof Michael Hennig from university of Basel shared Swiss advantage in new drug discovery especially early stage by leveraging the research sources and talent power which are unparalleled in the world.

Panelists discussed the key pain in exploratory  and optimization stages in drug discovery in China. To shape the future of drug discovery, partnering with Swiss research power for scientific collaboration and  sending staff  to Switzerland in proximity to research institutes would be an idea win-win method.  Such healthcare hub and research  powers as Basel, university of Zurich, Paul Scherrer Institute etc. have strong know-how and leading in drug discovery science and technology development. 

Reimagining Shell Structures: Philippe Block’s keynote at Tongji University

On 1 Dec. 2017, Prof. Philippe Block, Director of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Digital Fabrication gave a keynote speech at the IStructE Asia-Pacific Forum at Tongji University.

With the research focus on equilibrium design methods and computational form finding and fabrication of curved surface structures, Prof. Block shared his learning from the structural principles that the master builders developed throughout history and also his research on shell structures with the attendants.

Prof. Philippe Block giving a lecture at Tongji University

Prof. Philippe Block giving a lecture at Tongji University

Drawing from a revival of forgotten principles combined with the latest advances in the design, engineering, fabrication and construction of doubly-curved shell structures, Prof. Block’s lecture reveals the foundations upon which the award-winning “Beyond Bending” exhibition at the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2016 and the thin, flexibly formed concrete shell of the NEST HiLo project were based.

Armadillo Vault, Venice, Italy, photo by Iwan Bann

*Full-scale construction prototype of the NEST HiLo shell roof, photo by Michael Lyrenmann

Prof. Philippe Block, is currently teaching at the Institute of Technology in Architecture at ETH Zurich. He has studied architecture and structural engineering at the VUB in Belgium and at MIT in USA. The Block Research Group focuses on equilibrium design methods and computational form finding and fabrication of curved surface structures. Prof. Block is also the director of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) Digital Fabrication.