Swiss-Sino Innovation & Entrepreneurship Cooperation Forum --a novel cooperation platform for enterprises and investor
Time：2018-01-23 Look：962
The first Swiss-Sino Innovation & Entrepreneurship Cooperation Forum (SSIEC), organized by Swiss-Sino Innovation Center, New Huadu Business School Switzerland, Citychamp Watch & Jewellery group Limited Hongkong, and Chinese Association of Science & Technology in Switzerland, was held successfully in Zurich on December 9, 2017. The event created a direct contact platform for Swiss and Chinese enterprises and investors to carry out in-depth cooperation in fields of innovation and entrepreneurship. More than 100 representatives from academic, industrial and commercial communities attended the forum.
Both Chinese and Swiss governments attach great importance to and strongly support the establishment of the forum. In his opening remarks, Chinese economic and commercial counsellor in Switzerland, Mr. Cai Fangcai told the audience that China is committed to the full implementation of innovation-driven development. Switzerland has one of the most competitive economies in the world thanks above all to its innovation and entrepreneurship spirit. Counsellor Cai also called on the enterprises to strengthen the alignment of "Made in China 2025" and Switzerland's Industry 4.0 strategy, so as to ensure the two countries carry out effective cooperation in fields of digitization, advanced manufacturing, ecological agriculture, energy saving and environmental protection etc.
Swiss ambassador in China, H.E. Mr. Jean-Jacques de Dardel travelled all the way from Beijing to attend the forum. He expressed his appreciation of the importance of the longstanding cooperation between China and Switzerland. He highly commended the close cooperation between New Huadu Buisiness School (NBSS) and University of Zurich (UZH). He highlighted NBSS as “a pioneer in Swiss-Sino cooperation in higher education”, which “partnered with UZH to offer a Master’s degree in Advanced Studies in European and Chinese Business Management with a main focus on creating a mutual intercultural understanding to bring Switzerland and China closer together. Both institutions of higher learning thus act as a bridgehead connecting international firms which want to enter the European market. This also offers additional benefits for Chinese partners to strengthen their cooperation with Switzerland.” Inspired by their cooperation, a number of cooperation agreement have been signed between Swiss-Sino higher education institutions. These examples truly reflex the shared interests in improving mutual understanding, in taking responsibilities and solving global issues with innovative solutions. He recalled the healthy development of diplomatic relationship since 1950, and envisaged the unique strategic partnership between the two countries in the future.
President of Swiss Commission for Technology and Innovation (CTI), Mr. Walter Steinlin commented in his remarks that it is highly impressive of the forum to aim at boosting Swiss-Sino innovation cooperation and bringing enterprises from both countries to enter each other’s markets. As a governmental commission, CTI strongly supports the initiative.
As one of the keynote speakers at the forum, the chairmen of NBSS, Prof. He Zhiyi stated the importance of establishing the platform to connect the innovation and entrepreneurship resources, especially the cooperation between SMEs of both countries. He emphasized that the purpose to hold such a forum is consistent with the objective of NBSS to open the Swiss branch. Ever since its foundation, NBSS is determined to promote economic and cultural exchange between Europe and China, and to cultivate international talents with innovation and entrepreneurship spirits. Encouraging results have been achieved in cooperation with UZH. Both partners aspire to carry out further and deeper collaborations.
Vice president of UZH, Prof. Christian Schwarzenegger presented a keynote speech “UZH in the digital society”, and highlighted their efforts on Digital Society Initiative (DSI) which provides an academic platform for promoting critical, interdisciplinary reflection and innovation on all aspects of the digitalization of society and the sciences.
The editor in chief, Ms. Hu Shuli introduced the undergoing structural reform from old economy to new economy in China. She emphasized that China will further open its markets to foreign investors, keep on supporting fair globalization and to create a community of shared future for mankind.
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Five important agreements were signed on spot of the forum, they are cooperation agreements between 1) Switzerland Innovation (SI), Swiss-Sino Innovation Center (SSIC) and China Construction Bank Zurich Branch (CCBZB); 2) Caixin Media and SSIC; 3) China International Technology Transfer Center and SSIC; 4) Swiss Chamber of Commerce and SSIC and 5) Longjiang Environmental Protection Group and Tyre Recycling Solutions SA (TRS). After that, the forum witnessed the opening ceremony of Swiss-Sino Innovation Investment Fund, which was followed by a panel discussion “Opportunities and challenges in Swiss-Sino innovation cooperation”. Experts from governmental organizations, industry, business and research brainstormed the key factors to enhance the communication and cooperation between the two countries, and concluded that Switzerland is one of the most innovative countries in the world, while China possesses the biggest market and abundant capitals, the two countries are bound to be good partners. Finally, the forum was crowned by roadshows from 9 Swiss startups which encompass the fields of health care industry, high-tech manufacture, communication and information techniques, finance service etc. The projects were applauded by the audience and many products attracted the attention from the investors.
The first SSIEC has successfully established a novel platform of communication and cooperation between Switzerland and China, which effectively connects the market demands and the capital investments. Numerous guests and investors expressed their wish to attend the second SSIEC next year.