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Leading House Asia Pacific

UZH is the Leading House for the bilateral science and technology cooperation program of Switzerland with the Asia-Pacific region. Mandated by Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), UZH will promote and facilitate scientific, educational, and innovation collaborations between Switzerland and 16 countries across the Asia-Pacific region for the 2025 – 2028 funding period. This mandate builds upon the solid foundation established by ETH Zurich, which has previously served as the Leading House Asia from 2008 to 2025. Details regarding the funding instruments will be published on this website in the fall of this year. These opportunities will be open to researchers from all Swiss universities, universities of applied sciences, universities of teacher education, and public research institutes.

Additional Information

Contact and further information

We are happy to assist you with any questions related to Leading House Asia-Pacific activities. The previous Leading House Asia website, hosted by ETH Zurich, remains accessible for reference. You can also find additional information on international funding opportunities on the websites of SERI and SNSF.

Subscribing to the Leading House Asia Pacific newsletter and stay informed!

Mandated countries

As Leading House, UZH will provide targeted support for Swiss researchers to engage in collaborative projects with academic and industry partners in the following countries: Australia, Brunei, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Indonesia, Japan, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan (Chinese Taipei), Thailand, and Vietnam.

Funding Instruments

As the Leading House transitions from ETH Zurich to UZH, new funding instruments are being introduced to support international collaboration. These include three distinct funding lines: Opportunity Grants, the Open Research Partnership Fund, and the Rolling Travel Fund. The Opportunity Grants are currently open for applications, while the Open Research Partnership Fund and the Rolling Travel Fund are scheduled to launch in fall 2025.

Recent UZH activities in the Asia-Pacific region

Additional Information

Riding the Korean Wave: Korean Ambassador Visits UZH

As Korea and Switzerland continue to strengthen their cooperation in research and education, a recent visit by the Korean Ambassador to the University of Zurich (UZH) highlighted shared interests and potential areas for deeper collaboration. From digitalization and life sciences to Korean art and student mobility UZH plays an active role in supporting academic ties with Korea.

Arigatō, Japan!

Christian Schwarzenegger, Vice President of the University of Zurich (UZH), has been awarded the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese government. This honor recognizes his commitment to academic exchange and cultural understanding between Japan and Switzerland. The award was presented on 27 February 2025 at UZH.

Strategic Partnership with UQ in the Spotlight: Australian Ambassador Elizabeth Day Visits the University of Zurich

The University of Zurich (UZH) welcomed Elizabeth Day, the Australian Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, in a visit that highlighted the strong ties between Switzerland and Australia’s higher education landscape, championed by the strategic partnership between UZH and the University of Queensland (UQ). Ambassador Day's visit marks a continued commitment to cross-border cooperation in research and education.

State of Asia Address at UZH: “Asia’s position on the American election is more relaxed”

UZH and Asia Society Switzerland hosted the second State of Asia Address in the historic UZH Aula Magna. Adam Tooze, Professor at the Columbia University, leading thinker and author of several renowned books, delivered a broad assessment on the key issues and challenges facing Asia today, provided a view into the future of the region, and analyzed the implications of the U.S. election results for Asia.