Science, Technology and Education News from China Number 63 September 2009 Please note that the previous newsletters can be downloaded from the website of the Embassy of Switzerland in China: www.eda.admin.ch/beijing 1. To subscribe/unsubscribe or send us your comments, please send an email with the corresponding subject to shu.zhou@eda.admin.ch. Introduction The Sino-Swiss Architecture Colloquium organised by the Swiss Embassy in Beijing gave excellent insights into the different approaches the two countries take in urban planning policies. In the context of the People s Republic of China s 60 th Anniversary since she founded on 1 October 1949, the Ministry of Science and Technology reflects on the major achievements China has accomplished so far. The Three Gorges will be optimised to produce more energy. China s first female astronaut is under training. The first A (H1N1) vaccination operation proved successful. Joint management training programmes on the rise. The Chinese Science Minister was a happy man when the first Chinese automobile wind tunnel started in operation. Contents News...2 1. Sino-Swiss Architecture Colloquium Organized in Beijing...2 2. Major Scientific and Technological Achievements of New China (1949-2009)...2 3. Three Gorges Reservoir Cascade Optimization to Complete...2 4. China Selects Female Astronaut Candidates...2 5. China Says First H1N1 Flu Vaccinations a Success...3 6. Global Entrepreneurship Program launched at Zhejiang University School of Management...3 7. China's First Automobile Wind Tunnel Starts Operation...3 Events (October December 2009)...4 Contact Markus Reubi Science & Technology Counsellor Embassy of Switzerland in the People s Republic of China Tel: +86 10 8532 8849 Email: Markus.Reubi@eda.admin.ch www.eda.admin.ch/beijing 1 Please click on the blue texts to activate the hyperlinks to either email addresses or related websites. Page: 1/6
News 1. Sino-Swiss Architecture Colloquium Organized in Beijing (Embassy of Switzerland in Beijing, 30-09-2009) The Sino-Swiss Architecture Colloquium organised by the Swiss Embassy in Beijing on September 27, 2009, gave excellent insights into the different approaches the two countries take in urban planning, contemporary architecture and architecture education. The colloquium was hosted at the Today Art Museum, in close link with the current Swiss exhibition Arch/Scapes Negotiating Swiss Architecture and Landscape. It brought together over 100 architects, urban planners, academia and students from China and Switzerland. Dr. Manuel Herz from ETH Studio Basel received wide recognition for his innovative idea to use a comic book ( Metro Basel ) to communicate with the wider public about urban planning. Architects Simon Frommenwiler (HHF) and Mathias Müller (EM2N) participated in controversial discussions about contemporary architecture in China with Professors in architecture from Tianjin, Tongji and other Universities. Along with Professors from Nanjing University, Beijing Institute of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Prof. Peter Bölsterli from Berne UAS and participants discussed various cooperation strategies among architecture schools in China and Switzerland. 2. Major Scientific and Technological Achievements of New China (1949-2009) (MOST, 17-09-2009) The Ministry of Science and Technology is celebrating the 60 years Anniversary of the People s Republic of China by looking at some of the most important developments in S&T over the last decades. They are summarized by MOST as follows: A comprehensive modern system for S&T advancement has been put into place. A large team of qualified S&T professionals has been fostered. Significant improvement has been made in research capacity. S&T breakthroughs have been scored in a host of major projects. Hi-tech industry has witnessed a boom. Visible progress has been achieved in promoting science and technology for the benefit of the public. Efforts are well under way to build a national innovation system. International S&T cooperation has witnessed new developments. 3. Three Gorges Reservoir Cascade Optimization to Complete (CAS, 17-09-2009) China makes breakthroughs in large reservoir cascade optimization, as marked by the expecting completion of the project "Upper Yangtze River reservoir-group optimal operation and its simulation decision supporting system". [ ] The new dynamic model and decisionsupporting system on cascade-reservoirs involves more than 50 large-scale reservoirs and controls catchments of area over one million square kilometers in upper Yangtze valley. The system can fulfill long-term forecasting to daily stream flow in six months and the analog simulation to various operating schemes. [ ] 4. China Selects Female Astronaut Candidates (Xinhua, 17-09-2009) The preliminary selection for candidates of China's second batch of astronauts has finished, with candidates including 30 men and 15 women who are air force pilots, [ ] Among them, five men and two women would be final candidates to join the space program. "It is the first time women have been up for selection in China's space development cause," authorities said. [ ] However, the country's first female astronauts would need a long time of training and may not catch up with the Shenzhou-9 mission. Page: 2/6
5. China Says First H1N1 Flu Vaccinations a Success (Reuters, 22-09-2009) The first batch of people to receive vaccinations against the new swine flu -- a group of students in China -- has reported no serious side effects, Chinese officials said on Tuesday, 22 September 2009. China began a mass vaccination program on Monday, with around 100,000 students in Beijing due to be given the shots initially. State media said they are the first large group of people anywhere in the world to get vaccinated. China's Health Minister Chen Zhu said public service providers and vulnerable groups in densely populated cities and travel hubs would be given priority. [ ] In the meantime, thousands of mainly students have been vaccinated in China. 6. Global Entrepreneurship Program launched at Zhejiang University School of Management (Newswise, 22-09-2009) The F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College has announced the official launch of The Global Entrepreneurship Program (GEP) the world s first global master degree program provided by three leading institutions in Entrepreneurship. Babson GEP students recently began the program s fall semester in France. GEP grants a Master of Science in Management degree with a concentration in Global Entrepreneurship, earned in just 12 months on three continents in partnership with EMLYON Business School (France) and Zhejiang University s School of Management (China). Combining the world s best entrepreneurial teaching with three diverse global markets, GEP prepares students to recognize and define the changes critical to growing businesses in a competitive marketplace. [ ] 7. China's First Automobile Wind Tunnel Starts Operation (Xinhua, 19-09-2009) China's first automobile wind tunnel began operation at Tongji University in Shanghai Saturday, 19 September 2009, indicating a major breakthrough in automobile development and production. Costing 490 million yuan (72 million U.S. dollars), the Shanghai vehicle wind tunnel centre will provide testing services for manufacturers of cars, buses, sport utility vehicles, trucks and train models; it will also facilitate the research and development of new energy vehicles, high-speed trains and big airplanes [ ] "I had two dreams when I came back to China from Germany nine years ago," said Science and Technology Minister Wan Gang. "One is to design our own new energy cars; the other is to build China's first automobile wind tunnel." "Now both dreams have come true," he said. Page: 3/6
Events (October December 2009) October 2009 13th Int'l Fire Protection Equipment, Technology Conference & Exhibition China Date: 13 October 2009 Fire equipment, Rescue Equi., Fire Pumps, Fire Resistant Building Materials, Design for Five Protection Engineering The 7th China Int'l Exhibition for Roofing & Waterproofing Tech. Date: 14 October 2009 Roofing & Waterproofing Tech The First Int'l Conference & Exhibition on Reagents and Their Application Date: 14 October 2009 Reagents and Their Application China Education Expo 2009 Contact: Mrs. Christine Kyburz, christine.kyburz@eda.admin.ch Date: 15-18 October 2009 Date: 21 October 2009 Place: Wuhan Date: 22-25 October 2009 Place: Shanghai Date: 28 October 2009 Place: Chengdu Date: 31 October 1 November 2009 Place: Guangzhou The 11th Multinational Urban Traffic Conference and Exhibition Date: 18 October 2009 Traffic planning and urban development, ITS The 1st China (Beijing)Int'l Cleaning Energy Technology & Equipment Exhibition and Summit of Conserving Energy & Reducing Emissions Date: October 2009 Solar power technology Page: 4/6
2009 International Forefront of Ecological Architecture Technology Exhibition & International Liveable City and Ecological Architecture Technology Seminars Date: 22-23 October 2009 Place: Chongqing King World Hotel Contact: Jenny Wang, international@ciee-cq.com China Fashion Week 2009 Date: November 2009 Fashion Design November 2009 Int'l Symposium on Carbon Cycling in Tropical Ecosystems Date: November 2009 Place: Guangzhou Academic Exchange December 2009 PhD Workshop Date: 11-13 December 2009 Contact: Mrs. Christine Kyburz, christine.kyburz@eda.admin.ch Page: 5/6
PHD Workshop Date: 11 13 December 2009 Place: Swissôtel, Beijing Contact: Christine.Kyburz@eda.admin.ch Marintec China 2009 Date: December 2009 Place: Shanghai Contact: Mr. Liang at +86 (010) 8858 1528 Source: www.most.gov.cn December 2009 Page: 6/6