The importance of China in different fields - politics, economy, education, research, culture – has been increasing at high speed. On the one hand, within Ghent University the need for a central contact-point to coordinate the different initiatives regarding China has become too important. On the other hand, an attempt to increase the visibility of Ghent University in China became more urgent. Furthermore, external parties more and more contacted the UGent for information about and cooperation with China. This lead to the foundation of the China Platform.

In general, the China Platform aims to be an academic centre for information exchange. One of the most  important task is to actively establish more cooperation in education and research. Another priority is the valorisation of academic research. This is done on two levels:

• Meeting point between UGent and China
  The China Platform, as a part of the International Relations Office, serves as a meeting point between UGent and China. It is a go-between that directs Chinese initiatives for cooperation to the involved faculties and departments. It also directs the demands for cooperation by departments and faculties with Chinese partners to the right Chinese institutions and provides information about the different forms of cooperation. It maintains contact with the different institutions that specialize in cooperation with China, such as the China Scholarship Council , EC-delegation in China
  
• Contact point between externals and China
  Besides being a go-between for the UGent and China, the China Platform also serves as a contact point between externals and China, both towards the government, private or third parties, and towards the economic world.
  The UGent China Platform tries to answer questions by the government and third or private parties in an efficient and satisfactory way and bases itself therefore on an inventory of the China-expertise in different domains at Ghent University. Also, whatever press and communication issues regarding China-UGent can be dealt with through contacting the China Platform.
  The economic world is also increasingly making use of the China-expertise of the UGent. The China Platform serves as a first contact-point for the economic world. To optimize mutual support and co-organized activities, a cooperation agreement was set up with the Flanders-China Chamber of Commerce (FCCC), the Province of East Flanders and the City of Ghent.

Current cooperation between Ghent University and China

Education

So far there is one main form of cooperation originating from the International Relations Office (IRO): the bilateral institutional agreements with Chinese Universities (cooperation agreement). These agreements are institutional or on the faculty level of the university. In case there is no concrete on-going cooperation yet, it is possible to establish a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in order to have time to concretize the desired cooperation. 

At the moment, the Ghent University is engaged in several bilateral agreements with Chinese universities:   

• Beijing University (Beijing)
• Tsinghua University (Beijing)
• Beijing Normal University (Beijing)
• Beijing Language and Cultural University (Beijing)
• Beijing Union Medical College (Beijing)
• Zhejiang University (Hangzhou)
• Fudan University (Shanghai)
• East China University of Political Science and Law (Shanghai)
• Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Wuhan)
• Wuhan University (Wuhan)
• Wuhan University Law School (Wuhan)
• Liaoning University (Shenyang)
• Northeastern University (Shenyang)
• Shenyang Institute of Chemical Technology (Shenyang)
• Ocean University of China (Qingdao)
• Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Xinjiang)

 Ghent University is also an active player in Taiwan:

• Da-Yeh University
• Academia Sinica
• National Taiwan University
• Chung-Hwa Institute of Buddhist Studies
• Dharma Drum Buddhist College

Research

In the field of research, there are a few possibilities for cooperation with a Chinese university/researcher:

• A joint-PhD
• Special Research Fund - Cofunding for Chinese candidates holding a CSC-grant   
• Special Research Fund - Doctoral Scholarships for Candidates from Developing Countries   

If you want to know what research is ongoing or has been done already in your field of research, about China, or in cooperation with a Chinese researcher, you can check the Ghent University Research Database called "IWETO-Ghent". This search engine allows you to investigate the work of all Ghent University researchers and professors by means of four different search methods: name, team, keyword, research field.

You can download a presentation on research cooperation opportunities (pdf) between UGent - China as well.

For more information about these research cooperation programs, please contact the Department of Research Affairs, bof@ugent.be

Student exchange

In 2008, 125 regular Chinese students are studying at Ghent University, 19 of which are PhD-students.

Within the framework of a bilateral agreement, Chinese students and/or tenured staff can come to UGent for 3 till 6 months. The other way around, UGent students can go to one of the Chinese partner-universities. According to the type of agreement, funding is provided for travel expenses, ... .

For more information about this kind of exchange, contact the International Relations Office (IRO): Reintje.Reynebeau@UGent.be