Sweden’s first academic exchanges with China took place in 1918, with the inaugural engagement with the People’s Republic of China following in 1952. Modern-era academic interactions expanded in the mid-2000s, fueled by bilateral agreements on science, technology, and higher education. However, Sweden’s academic links began to slow in the late 2010s, reflecting heightened diplomatic tensions and growing… Continue reading Sweden: From Confucius Institutes to structured research security
Geopolitics is increasingly shaping EU–China scientific collaboration. A new policy proposal suggests the EU is moving toward excluding Chinese entities from most strategic research areas, reflecting the securitization of knowledge production amid growing technological rivalry and concerns over dual-use technologies. Key takeaways: The draft Horizon Europe Work Program for 2026–2027, if adopted, would fundamentally reshape… Continue reading The EU realpolitik turn in research cooperation with China
Estonia, the smallest Baltic state with only 1.3 million inhabitants, hosts 18 higher education institutions, including public universities, universities of applied sciences, a private university, and scientific research institutes. Given the limited exchanges between Estonia and China at the state level, fewer than half of these institutions have engaged in cooperation with Chinese counterparts. Although… Continue reading Estonia: A blind spot for risks in a tech-focused partnership with China
The UK hosts one of the world’s most reputable higher education sectors. With a strong emphasis on world-class research and international partnerships, the academic rigor and global prestige of British universities have attracted students and collaborations from around the world. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is one of the UK’s most important academic partners, second only… Continue reading United Kingdom: Opaque research ties, hidden CCP influence at the expense of a large Chinese student diaspora
China’s higher education, research cooperation, and overall economic relationship with Croatia were relatively stagnant after Croatia joined the 14+1 cooperation format and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2012. However, in 2017, under Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, cooperation within the 14+1 framework was reinvigorated. Although Croatia’s academic ties with Chinese counterparts are not as… Continue reading Croatia: China’s growing role in Croatia through academic ties
