The LMU-China Academic Network: Networking in the pandemic age

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At this year's Scientific Forum some 70 German and Chinese researchers across a broad spectrum of disciplines will pool their knowledge at a total of nine workshops.

The subjects covered range from the link between climate change and urban development to the investigation of neurodegenerative diseases to political thought in the early phase of China’s modernization process.

The workshops give the scientists a networking platform that will help them explore common research interests and, ideally, prepare the ground for new, longer-term scientific projects.

Intensifying dialogue in the scientific community

Due to the pandemic, this high-caliber forum was unable to convene last year. This year, in light of continuing restrictions on travel, the event will be held online.

“Our aim is to promote cooperation between scientists at LMU and the leading universities in China,” says Professor Hans van Ess, Vice President for Research at LMU and holder of the Chair of Sinology. “Especially at a time when direct personal contact is not possible, it is all the more important to at least continue to engage in scientific discussion and intercultural dialogue online.”

Presentation of research findings

The LMU Scientific Forum gives young scientists in particular an opportunity to present the findings of their research and, above all, address questions arising from Sino-German joint projects to respected experts in their field, as well as to a wider audience.

Founded in 2015, the LMU ‒ China Academic Network (LMU-ChAN) has grown to include ten of China’s elite universities, all of which are based in the three regions around Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Alongside the Scientific Forum, the ChAN network also supports research visits, mini-workshops and summer schools involving LMU and its partner universities.