China's influence on research: Bonn discusses critical issues!

China's influence on research: Bonn discusses critical issues!

The ENTRANCE regional conference at the University of Bonn on March 9, 2025 dealt intensively with China's role in global research networks. Experts from science and science management discussed the far-reaching implications of this cooperation for university research. The focus was not only on the importance of China as a science location, but also on geopolitical developments and their influence on universities worldwide. These topics are relevant because they are increasingly shaping the strategies and cooperation between European and Chinese institutions, which is also of research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu and sbfi.admin.ch is discussed.

A special aspect of the conference was the thematic discussion of IT and data security issues in medical research collaborations with China. Prorector Prof. Dr. Birgit Ulrike Münch emphasized the need to expand “China competencies” in research, teaching and administration. These adjustments are essential to promote the framework conditions for successful and trusting collaboration and to overcome any regulatory hurdles when dealing with data.

Digital security requirements and their implementation

A central point of the discussions was the focus on digital security requirements and compliance with EU directives. The participants analyzed the challenges in international academic cooperation with China and the importance of data protection and IT security. At the same time, the aim was to promote long-term security of action in international cooperation. Projects like JuHand from the Helmholtz Association are intended to help further strengthen the ability to act in partnerships.

The second day of the conference was specifically dedicated to medical research, which offers potential for innovation and progress. The participants highlighted the challenges that come with cooperation in medical research, in particular the regulatory requirements and the legal framework that must apply to collaboration with Chinese partners. This showed that ethically sound and legally secure research requires complex conditions.

EU strategies and cooperation with China

European policy towards China is shaped by various strategies, including the “Elements for a new EU Strategy on China”. This strategy aims to achieve mutual benefits in political and economic relations. The EU-China High Level Dialogue on Research and Innovation, which promotes cooperation in the areas of climate and biodiversity, also demonstrates the cooperative approach. However, it is noted that China's participation in innovation actions under the Horizon Europe Work Program is limited due to persistent imbalances and lack of progress, again underlining the need for a rigorous consideration of the framework.

Horizon Europe, the EU's current framework program for research and innovation, has been running since 2021 to 2027 with a total budget of around 95.5 billion euros. In this context, Switzerland, which is currently participating in Horizon Europe as a non-associated third country, plays an interesting role. Its research community has acquired remarkable funding over the years, as evidenced by current funding commitments totaling 564 million francs.

The conference in Bonn illustrates how important it is to deal with the complex challenges and opportunities of cooperation with China. The findings and recommendations will certainly be of considerable benefit to both the participants and the entire research landscape.