The ECNU-UH Joint Translational Science & Technology Research Institute – the first large-scale Israeli academic project in Shanghai – marks a massive commitment to academic collaboration in mutual areas of interest between two universities and two nations.
Top: The new ECNU-UH Joint Translational Science & Technology Research Institute building.
Bottom left: Landscape rendering of the Zizhu International Education Park on the ECNU campus.
Bottom right: Signing of the ECNU-UH agreement, March 2016.
The establishment of a joint research center between the University of Haifa and East China Normal University (ECNU) signed in March 2016 is well underway, with construction of the new building commencing earlier this year. The ECNU-UH Joint Translational Science & Technology Research Institute will be the first Israeli academic project in the municipality of Shanghai funded entirely by the Chinese government and private donors, including philanthropist Mr. Shen Wen, Chairman of Zijiang Group.
“So far there have been five visits to ECNU, with some 70 members of staff and faculty participating. The aim of these visits was to begin to formulate new research collaborations and I am happy to report that some have already begun to submit joint grant proposals,” announced Prof. David Faraggi, immediate past Rector of the University of Haifa, in his report made during the University of Haifa’s 44th Board of Governors Meeting in June. “These collaborations provide access to greater technological resources, and open up new funding and recruitment opportunities for obtaining research grants and scholarships for graduate and post-doctoral students.”
The international partnership with ECNU has led to visits by several senior governmental delegations from Shanghai municipality government with University of Haifa’s senior leadership, including a recent meeting with Mr. Zhu Zhisong, the District Governor of Minhang who arrived to the campus in late August with six senior Chinese officials. At the meeting, the Governor reaffirmed the commitment of his government to the academic partnership between ECNU and the University of Haifa. “This is an important initiative for China and Israel,” stated Governor Zhu. “Both nations stand to benefit from the creation of knowledge, scientific innovation and cultural exchange between students and academics.”
The University of Haifa has chosen Prof. Edi Barkai, the Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, to co-head the joint center. The ECNU-UH Joint Translational Science & Technology Research Institute will serve as a joint base for researchers as well as a training ground for doctoral students from both ECNU and the University of Haifa in the areas of life sciences, environmental science and information systems.
Located at the Zizhu International Education Park on the ECNU campus, the new building will contain over 53,000 square feet (roughly 5,000 square meters) of research and office space, including state-of-the-art laboratories, computerized classrooms and seminar rooms as well as individual and collaborative workspaces for graduate students. The total investment in this building project is estimated at $3 million.