EU Science Commissioner Moedas to Eurofora on EU-China Research events + 1st EU Universities Campus

*Strasbourg/University Palace/Angelo Marcopolo/- EU - China Cooperation in Scientific Research is a "very Interesting" recent Development, and it can be "Facilitated", in this and other cases, by the Creation of "European Campus", bringing Together many Universities from vartious European Countries, starting by the 1st Example given Today around Strasbourg's "Superior Rhine" area, between France, Germany and Switzerland, to Boost Modern Collective Research, replied, in substance, EU Commissioner for Science, Research and Innovation, Carlose Moedas, to "Eurofora"s Questions, and he was joined, particularly on the 2nd Point,  also by a Strong Plaidoyerie by the President of that New Legal Structure of an "EU Group for Territorial Cooperation", Professor Hans-Jochen Schiewer, Dean of Freiburg University at nearby Germany, (See Infra).

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- "Eurofora" reminded the Fact that, during the latest EU - China SUmmit last July 2015 in Brussels, (See relevant "Eurofora"s NewsReports from the spot, f.ex. : .....), it was discussed, for the First Time, a New Economic Strategy focused no more on Trade and/or Industrial Production alone, but also and mainly on Joint Scientific Research and Technological Innovation, (on the occasion of which EU Commissioner Moedas had Started to Sign 2 conrete initial Agreements with his Chinese Minister counterpârt), and asked the EU Commissioner how things are going in that field, and whether this could be Facilitated by the Creation of "European Campus" bringing together many Universities from various EU Countries, as the 1st one, just established Today around Strasbourg's "Superior Rhine" area, between Germany, France and Switzerland.

- Indeed, "We (EU and China) have, in fact, a Co-Financing System, which allows both Chinese Researchers to work here (in Europe), and Our (EU's) Researchers to work in China", Moedas confirmed.

- "For that purpose, We (EU and China) Created Together a Mechanism, according to which, we (EU) Pay our Part, and they (China) Pay their Part, in order to work on  Joint Research projects", he explained.

- All "this is Very Interesting", both for China and "for Europe", "because the Cooperation with Countries liks China is very Important", underlined Positively EU's Science, Research and Innovation Commissioner.

- In fact, "they (China) have some Interesting contributions to make in Research, and, Vice-Versa, we (EU) have  too, effectively", Carlos Moedas stressed.

- Also, because, as a matter of principle, "Science, as you know, Science is Build by Opening up to the World, since it is developing in All Frameworks, in All Countries, and that's cery Important, per se, to be effectively Able to Benefit from each other's Research".

- In this regard, the Creation, Today, of the 1st "European Campus" around Strasbourg, which Brings Together 3 Countries (France, Germany, Schwitzerland) with 5 Universities, accross the Superior Rhine river Euro-Region), "I think, that it's a Good Example, of what can, indeed, Facilitate such effective International Cooperations in Scientific Research with Countries like China", he observed.

- "For the Time being, this is the 1st Case of such an Eucopean Campus" throughout all EU's 28 Member Countries, "but there are at least anOther 2 Similar Projects currently prepared, among other EU Countries, even if they have Not Yet been Decided" until now.

- "That's the way to make Science Today !  It's not by staying Closed inside a Laboratory...", the competent EU Commissioner pointed out in Conclusion.

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+ Speaking, later-on, during an Official Ceremony for the Creation of this "1st" example of a "European Campus", bringing Together the Infrastructures, Researchers, Professors, Administrative Staff and Students of 5 French, German or Swiss Universities, in the Legal Framework of a European Group for Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), witha Unique Legal Personality, able to apply for Joint Research Projects to be Funded by EU's "Horizon 2020" RST Prfogram, as well as from National Budgets, Moedas made a Strong Plaidoyerie for International Cooperation in RST :

- "Today, the way Science works has Evolved towards Collecrtive, Networked methods", the Research, Science and Innovation EU Commissioner stressed from the outset, as a matter of general principle.

- F.ex., already, as early as since back on 1911, for the First Time, 24 Top Scientists on Physics and Chemistry, (including, f.ex. Poincaré, Curie, Max Planck, etc) had Gathered Together at Brussels' Metropole Hotel, for a Conference which was due to bring Big Changes : Not only for passing from Classical to Quantum Physics, but also in order to develop "a New way to Work Together", starting what cand be called an "Open Science".

- On the Contrary, just a few Years Earlier, Back on 1905, f.ex. Einstein had published his Findings on the Relativity theory, as well as on the Photon, etc. after Working "Alone", as a Unique Researcher, Moedas reminded.

- But, "Now", when, f.ex., New Findings were recently published on "Gravitational Waves", this was done "by about 1.000 Scientists from Various Countries", who had worked Together, he observed.

=> Thus, "Science Changed : It's No more a matter for One Man Alone. The Age of Individual Research has gone. We are, Today, in an Age of Collective Research, Based on Openess".

+ This "also a Political concept, against Closed areas and Protectionism", pointing at "an Open Future", the competent EU Commissioner concluded.

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+  Meanwhile, 1st "European Campus"' President, Professor Hans-Jochen Schiewer, who Chairs also the Superior Rhine Euro-Region around Strasbourg, and serves as Dean to Freiburg University at nearby Germany, speaking earlier to "Eurofora", sharply Backed the Idea that International Cooperations with Big Countries such as China, Russia, USA, etc., would be greatly Facilitated by Bringing Together 5 European Universities from 3 important Countries (France, Germany and Switzerland), with all their Infrastructures, as well as a 2,3 Billions € Total Budget, 15.000 Researchers, 11.000 PhD Candidates, and 115.000 Students, but also by making possible interesting Synergies both for EU Funding of Joint Projects, and for New kinds of Education and Research potential :

 - F.ex., in Addition to attending a Summer School session in Germany's Feriburg University, Foreign Students and/or Researchers, could also Visit and Work at France's Strasbourg University, as well as Switzerland's University of Balle, etc., since they have become all now Members of that "European Campus" at the Superior Rhine area. While, on the Contrary, if they went f.ex. to Berlin, they woukd be Limited Only to the Berlin University alone, he compared.

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- "I know quite well China !", boasted, later-on, NOBEL Prize Winner in Chemistry, French Professor Jean-Marie Lehn, Director of Strasbourg's Supra-Molecular Research Institute, speaking to "Eurofora".

According to the vice-President of Strasbourg University for International Relations, Professor Francis Kern, in Canton region there is even a Chinese University which has reportedly adopted Lehn's name.

Lehn didn't exlude for the New, "European Campus" Franco-Germano-Swiss confederation, which brings Together 5 Universities from 3 Neighbouring Countries located accross the Rhine River, (Comp. its' President, German Professor Hans-Jochen Schiewer's replies to "Eurofora" Questions, at : .......), to develop its already declared wish to Boost its International Visibility by using a kind of Representations abroad, not only in Brussels and New York, or Geneva, etc., but also on Shanghai, host city of various Universities and Institutes, including of the Famous Global Ranking of Universities world-wide, as well as Shanghai's International Relations Institute, etc. He only warned that he, personaly, "didn't have enough Time" to undertake the responsibiity of such a mission nowadays.

 + Last, but not least, as it was characteristicaly said by the experienced Professor of Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT), and long-time President of German niversities' Conference of Deans,  Horst Hippler, (on the Occasion of the attributions of 3 "Honoris Causa" PhD Degrees by Strasbourg's University to himself, as well as to Swiss Professor of Egyptology, Antonio Loprieno, together with the New "European Campus" President, Profedssor Schiewer, Dean of Feiburg University at nearby Germany : Comp. Supra),  - "Minds are like Parachutes : They only function when they are Open !"...