26.10.2016 change 26.10.2016

Establishment of the first scientific research network of Eastern and Central European countries and China

Scientific exchange, conferences, joint projects, issuing publications are some of the plans of the signatories of the research network of scientific institutions of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and China - "16+1 High Level Academic Platform", established last Thursday in Warsaw.

Thirteen institutions in Europe and one in China have joined the network. Its initiators are the Poznań University of Economics and Business and the Chinese Central Compilation & Translation Bureau (CCTB). The project will be implemented within the framework of regional cooperation in the "16+1" formula, which was launched in 2012, during the Warsaw visit of the then Prime Minister of China - Wen Jiabao.

The involved institutions will jointly carry out research projects in various fields, including economics, management, medicine, commodity studies, construction, geology, electromechanics, ICT, biology, chemistry, meteorology - informs the Poznań University of Economics and Business in a press release.

"It is a research network of scientific institutions, universities and research institutes that deal with the economic relations between China and Central and Eastern Europe" - said in an interview with PAP rector of the Poznań University of Economics and Business, Prof. Maciej Żukowski. He added that the formula of the new initiative references a return to the idea of the Silk Road in relations between China and Central Europe.

The establishment of the platform is the right direction towards strengthening of cooperation of think tanks in the broad framework - the Chinese Ambassador in Poland, Xu Jian said during the signing ceremony. This platform, according to the ambassador, could help generate synergy in scientific cooperation.

"This is a very important step towards the internationalisation of Polish universities. It is consistent with the basic assumptions of the national research and development plan" - explained in an interview with PAP Dr. Katarzyna Nawrot from the Poznań University of Economics and Business, initiator of the project and the newly formed research network.

Dr. Nawrot recalled that Poland cooperates with China economically through trade, capital flows and other forms of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. The network, however, is the first strictly academic of this type. In her opinion, the fact that Poland is one of the originators of the network, positions our country not only as a bridge between Asia and Europe, but an essential pillar of the "New Silk Road".

Asked about specific projects implemented within the network, Rector of the Poznań University of Economics and Business named the exchange of research materials, organizing conferences and issuing publications. During the signing ceremony, Secretary General of the CCTB Prof. Cui Youping also mentioned joint research projects, scientific exchange and cooperation. Network activities are funded by the Chinese side.

Ceremonial signing of the agreement is only one element of a two-day conference, the results of which will be published in book form - said Prof. Żukowski. The theme are the opportunities and challenges of the "Belt and Road" initiative, huge Chinese project involving the established of international economic and trade cooperation.

"Even today\'s conference has a working character" - said the rector. He added that he hoped that the contacts established during the conference would result in ideas for joint research grants.

For now, the Poznań University of Economics and Business is the only Polish participant of the network. "We are open to other Polish universities joining the network" - said Dr. Nawrot.

In addition to the Poznań University of Economics and Business and the CCTB, following institutions are the signatories of the agreement: Universities of Zagreb (Croatia), Tallinn University (Estonia), HETFA Research Institute (Hungary), Századvég Foundation (Hungary), the Baltic Forum (Latvia), Mykolas Romeris University (Lithuania), Institute for World Economy of the Romanian Academy (Romania), Center for Strategic Alternatives (Serbia), the National Political Institute "Dimitar Blagoev" (Bulgaria), Slovak Academy of Science (Slovakia), University of Ljubljana (Slovenia).

PAP - Science and Scholarship in Poland

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