China and Europe on the New Silk Road: Impact and Implications for Universities

“The global order is changing rapidly and creating waves of uncertainty. Especially in higher education, a field increasingly built on international cooperation and the free movement of students, academics, knowledge, and ideas. Meanwhile, China has announced its plans for a ‘New Silk Road’ and is developing its higher education and research systems at speed.”

Together with an interdisciplinary group of scholars and the co-authors of the book ‘China and Europe on the New Silk Road’, Marijk van der Wende investigates how academic mobility and cooperation is taking shape along the New Silk Road and what difference it will make, if any, in the global higher education landscape.

The League of European Research Universities (LERU), a network of 23 leading universities in Europe, kindly invites you to discuss this topic at this year’s online edition of the LERU New Year’s Debate.

The debate is an invitation-only event with important LERU partners from the EU institutions, stakeholder organisations and our 23 member universities. Several speakers will share their views on China’s New Silk Road and the impact and implications of it on research intensive universities. After the presentation and different reactions, a Q&A will fuel the discussion ending with a conclusion of the evening.
  • 16:00h: Welcome by Prof. Jean Chambaz, Chair of LERU and President of Sorbonne University
  • 16:05h: Keynote presentation: "China and Europe on the New Silk Road: Impact and Implications for Universities" by Prof. Marijk van der Wende, Distinguished Faculty Professor of Higher Education at Utrecht University’s Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance and guest professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University
  • 16:45h: Introduction first reactions by Prof. Karen Maex, Board member of LERU and Rector Magnificus of the University of Amsterdam
  • Reaction by: Mr. Reinhard Bütikofer, MEP and Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation for the Relations with China
  • Reaction by: Ms Cristina Russo, Director for International Cooperation in Research and Innovation at the European Commission
  • 17:05h: Q&A with the audience
  • 17:25h: Conclusions by Prof. Yves Flückiger, Board member of LERU and Rector of the University of Geneva
  • 1610116003-46bf5e2e1a554ffc
    Prof. Jean Chambaz
    Chair of LERU and President of Sorbonne University
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    Prof. Marijk van der Wende
    Distinguished Faculty Professor of Higher Education at Utrecht University’s Faculty of Law, Economics and Governance and guest professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University
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    Prof. Karen Maex
    Board member of LERU and Rector Magnificus of the University of Amsterdam
  • 1610481913-3f578a22369e3fcf
    Mr Reinhard Bütikofer
    MEP and Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation for the Relations with China
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    Ms Cristina Russo
    Director for International Cooperation in Research and Innovation at the European Commission
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    Prof. Yves Flückiger
    Board member of LERU and Rector of the University of Geneva