I have recently returned from an almost two-week-long trip to East Asia, visiting China, South Korea and Japan. During the trip, we visited eleven universities and one research institute, and met with representatives from the Swedish embassies in each country.

All three countries are experiencing significant growth in large-scale, strategic and targeted investments in technical and scientific research. The various analyses showing how universities in Asia, particularly in China, are climbing the rankings and significantly increasing their scientific impact appear to be accurate.

The new, if one may call it that, global world order in which the United States is becoming less and less available for scientific cooperation across the Atlantic and Pacific, the links between Europe and Asia are becoming increasingly important. It is conceivable that, over time, global mobility will change, with an increased flow of students and researchers between Europe and Asia compared to the current situation. The opportunities for scientific cooperation between Asia and Europe will increase given that South Korea, and hopefully Japan soon, will become partners in Horizon Europe.

During parts of the trip, we travelled with representatives from other universities, and I believe I can say that we share the same fundamental analysis of why it is necessary to strengthen ties between our part of the world and our colleagues at Asian universities. Our trip coincided with the visit of the Swedish Foreign Minister to China and South Korea, and the government has also expressed a desire to find ways to collaborate and cooperate.

Of course, I am well aware of the security policy challenges surrounding international cooperation, meaning that every university must approach internationalisation in a responsible way. This is an issue that has become more pressing in recent years, but I would argue that we now have the necessary tools, understanding and culture to address the challenges posed by the new geopolitical situation.

Leadership Roundtable at Westlake University in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.

 

Meeting students in Seoul, South Korea.

 

Visiting RIKEN – Japan’s largest research institute, in Tokyo.