Fourth Research Programm of the MZES (1999

Cooperation with the Institute for European Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

Director: Beate Kohler-Koch

The MZES has once and again hosted young scholars for a short period of time (between a few weeks and several months) to give them the opportunity to profit from the excellent research environment both in terms of research infrastructure and the communication with our researcher who are working on related topics. This way the MZES has gained more visibility in the international scientific community and has established links to other research institutes. Many times these links were the starting point for further cooperation that proofed particular valuable for our own young researchers. They either took the opportunity for an exchange or for organising joint panels at the ECPR or other international conferences or had the opportunity to stay at the foreign institute for field research.

In the past 2 years the Mannheim Centre has also hosted several scholars from the PR of China. First of all Prof. Zhou Hong, at that time vice-director and now director of the Institute for European Studies at the Chinese Academy for Social Sciences (CASS) spent twice a month as visiting professor at Mannheim University and the MZES. CASS is the top institution for social science research in China; it is engaged both in research and in post-graduate education. The Institute for European Studies is one of only six research institutes in China that have been selected for promotion by the EU-China Higher Education Programme and it is the largest and the best qualified among them. In addition, this Institute is hosting the Chinese "European Community Studies Association". Though the main focus of the Institute is on the European Union, it is also engaged together with other departments of CASS in comparative research on political, social, cultural and legal aspects of individual European countries. Right now, Prof. Gu Junli, considered to be "the" expert in China on Germany is spending a three months fellowship at the MZES.

So far, the Chinese scholars who have been hosted by the MZES were sponsored by the EU-China Higher Education Programme. The MZES contributed by offering a working place and providing free access to its research facilities. The EU-China Higher Education Programme was launched five years ago in order to promote social science research on Europe. It is governed by an Academic Committee composed of two scholars both from China and from Europe and one representative on each side from the Chinese Ministry of Education and the European Commission. Being a member of that Committee, I had the opportunity to establish a close cooperation with the Institute for European Studies of CASS. Within the framework of the above mentioned programme two researchers of the MZES were awarded a scholarship as visiting professor at CASS. In addition, I started a joint curriculum development programme which will be used for post-graduate education.

It is the intention of CASS to deepen the cooperation by inviting a member of the faculty to sit in the Academic Committee of the Institute. Furthermore, the Institute is highly interested establish closer links in the field of European social research with the MZES by looking for common ground in research and by finding ways for giving young scholars the opportunity to do research at the MZES. At present, the main topics on the research agenda of the Institute are governance and institutional transformation of the EU, social policies in Europe, European development policies and foreign aid, economic and legal questions which fall outside the scope of the MZES. As the Institute is in the process of reform other topics will be added to the research agenda in the near future.

CASS has approached the German Science Foundation (DFG) in order to get support for a broad research cooperation which among others would include comparative research on Europe and European integration. The idea is to find partner institutions in Germany that would be willing to collaborate within a programme covering the next five years. On what terms this collaboration will take place is still subject to negotiations. The President of CASS will visit the DFG in late spring and the person in charge from the DFG will organise a meeting with representatives from German universities and research institutions to channel what kind of programme may be best suited the mutual interests.

I would like to suggest that - under the condition that financial support will be provided by outside sources and that the University supports the engagement - the MZES will explore the opportunity of collaborating with the Institute for European Studies of CASS. Social science research in China has still to be developed and would profit considerably from outside support. The MZES should grasp the opportunity to support the efforts to strengthen top level scientific research, in particular in applying state of the art methodology. So far, close bilateral cooperation has been established either outside the field of social science (a large research institute at Beijing sponsored by the DFG) or by institutes engaged in "applied policy" (Politikberatung; Renmin University and the Bertelsmann funded CAP). CASS would be the most promising partner due to its already existing capacities, its standing in the Chinese research and higher education system, and its dedication to advance social science research in China. CASS and the Institute, in particular, are already firmly linked to partners in the US but are eager to balance this relationship by establishing closer links with Universities and research institutions in Europe.


	Fourth Research Programm 1999 - 2002
	Cooperation with the Institute for European Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Director: Beate Kohler-Koch The MZES has once and again hosted young scholars for a short period of time (between a few weeks and several months) to give them the opportunity to profit from the excellent research environment both in terms of research infrastructure and the communication with our researcher who are working on related topics. This way the MZES has gained more visibility in the international scientific community and has established links to other research institutes. Many times these links were the starting point for further cooperation that proofed particular valuable for our own young researchers. They either took the opportunity for an exchange or for organising joint panels at the ECPR or other international conferences or had the opportunity to stay at the foreign institute for field research. In the past 2 years the Mannheim Centre has also hosted several scholars from the PR of China. First of all Prof. Zhou Hong, at that time vice-director and now director of the Institute for European Studies at the Chinese Academy for Social Sciences (CASS) spent twice a month as visiting professor at Mannheim University and the MZES. CASS is the top institution for social science research in China; it is engaged both in research and in post-graduate education. The Institute for European Studies is one of only six research institutes in China that have been selected for promotion by the EU-China Higher Education Programme and it is the largest and the best qualified among them. In addition, this Institute is hosting the Chinese "European Community Studies Association". Though the main focus of the Institute is on the European Union, it is also engaged together with other departments of CASS in comparative research on political, social, cultural and legal aspects of individual European countries. Right now, Prof. Gu Junli, considered to be "the" expert in China on Germany is spending a three months fellowship at the MZES. So far, the Chinese scholars who have been hosted by the MZES were sponsored by the EU-China Higher Education Programme. The MZES contributed by offering a working place and providing free access to its research facilities. The EU-China Higher Education Programme was launched five years ago in order to promote social science research on Europe. It is governed by an Academic Committee composed of two scholars both from China and from Europe and one representative on each side from the Chinese Ministry of Education and the European Commission. Being a member of that Committee, I had the opportunity to establish a close cooperation with the Institute for European Studies of CASS. Within the framework of the above mentioned programme two researchers of the MZES were awarded a scholarship as visiting professor at CASS. In addition, I started a joint curriculum development programme which will be used for post-graduate education. It is the intention of CASS to deepen the cooperation by inviting a member of the faculty to sit in the Academic Committee of the Institute. Furthermore, the Institute is highly interested establish closer links in the field of European social research with the MZES by looking for common ground in research and by finding ways for giving young scholars the opportunity to do research at the MZES. At present, the main topics on the research agenda of the Institute are governance and institutional transformation of the EU, social policies in Europe, European development policies and foreign aid, economic and legal questions which fall outside the scope of the MZES. As the Institute is in the process of reform other topics will be added to the research agenda in the near future. CASS has approached the German Science Foundation (DFG) in order to get support for a broad research cooperation which among others would include comparative research on Europe and European integration. The idea is to find partner institutions in Germany that would be willing to collaborate within a programme covering the next five years. On what terms this collaboration will take place is still subject to negotiations. The President of CASS will visit the DFG in late spring and the person in charge from the DFG will organise a meeting with representatives from German universities and research institutions to channel what kind of programme may be best suited the mutual interests. I would like to suggest that - under the condition that financial support will be provided by outside sources and that the University supports the engagement - the MZES will explore the opportunity of collaborating with the Institute for European Studies of CASS. Social science research in China has still to be developed and would profit considerably from outside support. The MZES should grasp the opportunity to support the efforts to strengthen top level scientific research, in particular in applying state of the art methodology. So far, close bilateral cooperation has been established either outside the field of social science (a large research institute at Beijing sponsored by the DFG) or by institutes engaged in "applied policy" (Politikberatung; Renmin University and the Bertelsmann funded CAP). CASS would be the most promising partner due to its already existing capacities, its standing in the Chinese research and higher education system, and its dedication to advance social science research in China. CASS and the Institute, in particular, are already firmly linked to partners in the US but are eager to balance this relationship by establishing closer links with Universities and research institutions in Europe.

Fourth Research Programm 1999 - 2002

Cooperation with the Institute for European Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences