Leading House Asia Pacific

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.

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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.

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.

On Friday, 11 July, the University of Zurich welcomed a delegation from the Asia Society Policy Institute’s Centre for China Analysis (CCA). The delegation was led by the Co-Founder and Managing Director of the CCA Jing Qian, and included Jennifer Choo, Lyle Morris, Niel Thomas, and Inger Marie Rossing. Supported by Asia Society Switzerland, the visit included open discussions on key topics such as knowledge security as well as the opportunities and the challenges for cooperation.

On 1 July 2025, the University of Zurich's Digital Society Initiative (DSI) and Global Affairs welcomed a high-level South Korean delegation as part of their international study tour on research integrity, cybersecurity, and science policy. The visit fostered exchange on digital ethics, digital governance, cybersecurity, and future collaboration, including new opportunities under UZH’s mandate as the Leading House Asia Pacific.

The 2025 Swiss-Korean Innovation Week, hosted by the Swiss Embassy in the Republic of Korea, brought together leading experts from both countries to explore “Human Augmentation” - the technological and ethical dimensions of enhancing human capabilities. The University of Zurich (UZH) was represented by Nikola Biller-Andorno and Birgit Kleim, who shared their insights during the event.

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.

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.

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.

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.