Delegation from Xiamen University Visits ZEW

On 30 October 2008, ZEW received a visit from representatives from the renowned Xiamen University in Southern China. The delegation, headed by the president of the university, Professor Zhu Chongshi, was welcomed by Thomas Kohl, ZEW's Director of Business and Administration. Thomas Kohl gave the visitors an overview of the research conducted at the institute. President Zhu, Professor Hong Yongmiao, Director of the Wang Yanan Institute for Studies in Economics (WISE), Professor Wu Chenxu, Dean of the School of Physics and Mechanical & Electronic Engineering, and Professor Li Qingbiao, Vice Dean of the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, were greatly impressed by the work being carried out at ZEW.

During the visit, President Zhu gave a presentation on Xiamen University, one of the oldest universities in China. Thanks to Xiamen’s location in the province of Fujian – the region where many Chinese-born citizens living abroad are originally from – and its status as a special economic zone, the university has a tradition of international cooperation and has undergone an exceptional dynamic development. WISE currently ranks among the five best economic faculties in China and cooperates closely with leading universities in the United States. Through regular symposiums on labour market issues and econometrics as well as a comprehensive programme for visiting researchers, the institute provides a key platform for international research collaboration in Asia.

The representatives from Xiamen University were very interested in increasing the exchange of knowledge with research institutions in Europe. Irene Bertschek, head of the ZEW Research Department “Information and Communication Technologies“, shed light on the research work regarding the impact of computer use on both workers and companies. In another presentation, Holger Bonin, head of the ZEW Research Department “Labour Markets, Human Resources and Social Policy”, gave an overview of the department’s specialisation on programme evaluation methods and the analysis of formal and informal education processes. Later, Peter Westerheide presented the research focus of the ZEW Research Department “International Finance and Financial Management”, which employs comprehensive procedures for time series and panel econometrics.

The subsequent discussion showed that there are strong foundations for a collaboration between ZEW and Xiamen University and both institutions agreed to work towards strengthening this newly established relationship.