Zukunftsbrücke: Chinese-German Young Professional Campus
In an increasingly globalized world, China is a region of key importance for Germany and Europe from a political, cultural and economic perspective. In recent decades, relations between Germany and China have advanced steadily, paving the way for cooperation in the context of global challenges that go beyond purely economic interests, such as climate change, energy security and international financial markets. It is precisely such challenges that the “Zukunftsbrücke” seeks to address.
Structure and organization
The “Zukunftsbrücke: Chinese-German Young Professional Campus” is a project initiated by Stiftung Mercator in cooperation with the All-China Youth Federation (ACYF) and is organized by the Global Public Policy Institute (GPPi) and Peking University. For a period of 10 days in each case, 15 participants aged between 28 and 38 from Germany and China will come together to take part in an intensive dialogue, comprising seminar phases, group work and discussions with experts. Subjects of discussion will include trends, visions and case studies for sustainable urban development in Germany and China, political challenges for urban development in the 21st century and general topics relating to German-Chinese relations. Fellows of the “Zukunftsbrücke: Chinese-German Young Professional Campus” will spend five days in the Chinese capital Beijing and five days in the “green city” of Hangzhou in the Zhejiang Province, giving participants the chance to obtain a differentiated picture of China.
In addition to thematic exchange, the focus of the Zukunftsbrücke: Chinese-German Young Professional Campus will be on networking and cultural dialogue between the German and Chinese young professionals. Already occupying key positions in business, politics and society, they have professional experience and recognizable leadership potential. They work in the public and private sectors, in business, civil society, the media, academia and culture, and boast both relevant international experience and a high degree of affinity with the topic of our programme.
The “Zukunftsbrücke: Chinese-German Young Professional Campus” will take place in Beijing and Hangzhou from 14 to 23 May 2012. This year’s programme is entitled: “Toward a Low Carbon Economy: Sustainable Urban Development in China and Germany in the 21st Century.”
Application
The deadline for application to the programme has expired.
Objectives
The challenges of our time require transnational cooperation. Thus the development of a strategic partnership between China and Germany that is based on mutual understanding and respect will be of key importance when it comes to overcoming such global challenges. Besides offering our participants further professional qualifications, the “Zukunftsbrücke” is designed, above all, to establish long-lasting networks.