A pleasant surprise awaits Nordic students who come to Shanghai and Fudan University in China in 2010: a brand new home with facilities for teaching and research; a luxurious library and a ‘student lounge’ .

This is the new Nordic Centre building at Fudan University Main Campus, which was inaugurated on May 26th.

It will be the ‘home away from home’ for students from the Centre’s Nordic Member Universities and at the service of Chinese students with an interest in the Nordic countries.

Meeting place for Chinese and Nordic students in Shanghai

Fudan University is one of China’s best universities and also one of the most internationalized with more than 3000 foreign students enrolled every term. Last semester, 80 of these came from the Nordic counties.

From 2010 and onwards these Nordic students can enjoy the benefits of the new Nordic Centre building including the ‘student lounge’, the new library and its working facilities.

Chinese students with an interest in the Nordic countries and Nordic universities can also use the Centre for retrieving information about exchange possibilities and scholarships as well as get a taste of the Nordic countries by participating in the many academic and cultural activities organized by the Centre.

A Nordic ‘outpost’

According Chen Yinzhang, Executive Director at the Nordic Centre, the new building will have an important role to play as a Nordic ‘outpost’ where students can work and meet fellow students:

- In the future, the Nordic Centre on the one hand is an obvious entry point for Nordic students coming to Fudan, a place where they can get an introduction, from a Nordic perspective, to life on campus at one of China’s best
universities, says Chen Yinzhang.

- For Chinese students, on the other hand, it’s a ‘first glimpse of Norden’ before going to a Nordic university on exchange. We would for instance, like to prepare them for their trip to Norden by hosting information meetings and team them up with Nordic students at Fudan. In other words, the new building will be a natural hub for Chinese students going abroad and Nordic students coming here, the Executive Director summs up.

Sino-Nordic Cooperation in Higher Education and Research - Speech by Gard Titlestad, Head of the Department of Education and Research at the Nordic Council of Ministers

Facts about the Nordic Centre

The Nordic Centre is a joint venture between Fudan University and 25 Nordic universities and research institutions to facilitate research cooperation, students exchange and collaboration with Shanghai based Nordic companies and national representations. The Nordic
Centre is located at Fudan University in Shanghai.

See more at www.nordiccentre.org

Facts about the new building

• Name: Nordic Centre
• Inaugurated on 26 May 2010 during a ceremony with representatives from Nordic governments,
  Shanghai City government, Nordic Centre member universities and friends of the Centre
• Size: 2000 m2 out of which 400 m2 belong to the Nordic Centre (the rest is occupied by Fudan Foreign Affairs Office as well as used for teaching and meeting facilities)
• The building is funded by Nordic governments, Nordic Centre member universities, public and private Nordic foundations as well as Nordic companies.
• The total budget is EUR 1.100.000.

(Article printed by permission of Fudan University Nordic Centre)

Martin Bech, Programme Manager, Nordic Centre
+86 139 1703 4050 / martin.bech@nordiccentre.org.