Visit by South Korean delegation to UZH Digital Society Initiative
On 1 July 2025, the University of Zurich (UZH) welcomed a high-level delegation from the Korea Institute of R&D Human Resources Development (KIRD).
The visit formed part of an international study tour to France and Switzerland, during which the delegation met with various institutions to explore best practices in research integrity, cybersecurity, and performance management in science and technology.
The delegation, comprising senior administrators and researchers from Korea’s leading R&D institutes, including the National Research Foundation (NRF), Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), and Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology (KICT), was hosted by UZH’s Digital Society Initiative (DSI) and Global Affairs.
The program began with a warm welcome and introductory remarks by Dr. Markus Christen, Managing Director of the DSI, who outlined DSI’s work at the intersection of digital transformation, research, and education. He highlighted key initiatives such as interdisciplinary research communities, digital skills programs for students and policymakers, and the DESAT tool for navigating ethics and data protection in research.
The session continued with a presentation by Dr. Melanie Knieps, Managing Director of CYREN ZH (Cyber-Resilience Network of the Canton of Zurich), who shared insights into an interdisciplinary approach to cybersecurity education. She described initiatives such as open-source intelligence training, digital storytelling, and hands-on clinics with NGOs and small businesses, emphasizing the importance of cross-sector collaboration, inclusivity, and practical skill-building in fostering cyber resilience.
The presentations led to an engaging discussion on shared challenges and opportunities in digital governance and researcher training. Questions touched on international research ethics, geopolitical sensitivities, and the autonomy of academic institutions in managing research collaboration.
The visit concluded with a networking lunch and a campus tour of UZH’s historic main building. Delegates expressed strong interest in continued dialogue and collaboration, underscoring the value of peer exchange in shaping global science and technology policy.
Leading House Asia Pacific
The program also included a presentation introducing the Leading House Asia Pacific. Tiffany Merz-Cheok, Senior Project Manager of Global Dialogues at UZH Global Affairs, provided an overview of the Leading House Asia Pacific and encouraged delegates to share the initiative within their networks and explore opportunities for future cooperation between Switzerland and South Korea.
As the newly designated Leading House Asia Pacific, an official mandate from the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), UZH is responsible for promoting and supporting scientific, educational, and innovation collaborations between Switzerland and 15 countries across the Asia Pacific region, including South Korea.
Under this mandate, UZH will develop new funding instruments, with the first call for applications expected in fall 2025. These opportunities will be available to researchers from all Swiss universities, universities of applied sciences, universities of teacher education, and public research institutes. In fall, the DSI aims at organizing a matchmaking-event between researchers of South Korea and Switzerland that can make use of this new opportunity.
Sophie Nakajima
