Science, education & innovation

Services

Contact the responsible Swiss representation or consulate when you want to register or unregister as a resident, when you need a new passport, have moved or wish to apply for citizenship. The entire selection of services offered can be found in the dropdown menu to the right. The contact details of the responsible Swiss representation are shown on the corresponding page.

Swiss citizens who get into difficulties abroad, also can ask for advice and help from the Swiss representative.

The magazine for the Swiss Abroad appears six times a year and provides information about what is happening at home and the activities of Swiss associations abroad. It also answers administrative questions.

Online desk FDFA

Using the FDFA’s online consular services while abroad.

The relevant Swiss representation abroad can answer any questions concerning the FDFA’s online desk.

Science

Switzerland and China signed their first scientific cooperation framework agreement in 1989. Since then, bilateral scientific cooperation developed and diversified substantially. Today, many Swiss Higher Education Institutions have their own partnerships and collaboration agreements with partners in China in place.

In 2008, Switzerland launched the Bilateral Porgrammes with numerous countries, including China. The Bilateral Programmes consist of larger-scale Joint Research Projected, conducted by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and its partner agencies in China. Additionally, the Leading House Asia, ETH Zürich, sets up cooperation and funding instruments for smaller, innovative pilot projects.

Since 2003, the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) maintains a bilateral Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) with the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST).

Education

Switzerland and China maintain Joint Working Group on Education between the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and the Chinese Ministry of Education (MoE) since 2014. Numerous student mobility programmes are in place, notably the Swiss Confederation’s Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships (ESKAS).

Vocational and Professional Education and Training (VPET) is a priority field of Sino-Swiss collaboration in Education since the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in 2017.

Innovation

Swissnex supports the outreach and international engagement of its partners in the international exchange of knowledge, ideas and talent. Initiated by the State Secretariat of Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) and part of Switzerland’s diplomatic network abroad, Swissnex in China offers tailored services to Swiss startups, corporates with a view to advance Sino-Swiss collaboration in the field of innovation.