Strengthening Ties in Korea
In 2023, Switzerland and the Republic of Korea celebrated 60 years of diplomatic relations, marking a milestone in a partnership built on respect, innovation and collaboration. The Swiss education, research and innovation sector is closely linked with that of Korea through joint projects and annual exchange platforms such as the Swiss-Korean Innovation Week. Building on this momentum, a UZH delegation visited Korea to strengthen ties and explore new opportunities.
Building Community: UZH Alumni Come Together in Korea
The close collaboration and strong ties between Korea and UZH were celebrated at the UZH Alumni & Friends event, hosted by the Embassy of Switzerland in Seoul. The evening brought together alumni, friends and partners to reconnect and share memories. In her opening remarks, Swiss Ambassador Nadine Olivieri Lozano highlighted Korea’s significance for scientific collaboration, as underscored in Switzerland’s official “Asia G20 Strategy 2025–28”.
A highlight of the evening was the Alumni Talk by UZH alumna Laura Apicella, now Project Officer at the Science and Technology Office of the Swiss Embassy in Seoul. Having studied Japanese and Chinese Studies at UZH, Laura has lived and worked in Seoul for more than a decade. With humor and engaging personal anecdotes, she took fellow alumni on a journey back through UZH’s campuses, vividly bringing their student memories to life.
Fostering Collaboration: The Leading House Asia Pacific
During their visit, the delegation met with representatives from Korea University, Yonsei University and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) to introduce the Leading House Asia Pacific, a Swiss government initiative, currently hosted by UZH. The program supports bilateral cooperation in science, education and innovation between Switzerland and 16 Asia-Pacific countries, including Korea, under a mandate from Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).
UZH representatives encouraged Korean university stakeholders to explore opportunities and funding mechanisms that foster joint research and academic mobility.
Strengthening Partnerships: Institutional Ties and Joint Research
On an institutional level, UZH is closely linked to Korea University through the global university network Universitas 21 (U21), in which both institutions are members. Research collaboration is equally strong. With more than 1,200 joint publications over the past five years, UZH accounts for approximately one-fifth of all Swiss–Korean joint research papers, making it Switzerland's second most active university in collaborations with Korea.
Against the global trend of shrinking investments in Research and Development (R&D), the Korean government has recently announced a remarkable 20% increase to its R&D budget, raising it to a record-high USD 25 billion. At the same time, Korea has joined “Horizon Europe” as an associate member for the first time.
With new funding priorities in areas such as artificial intelligence, space and life sciences, including basic research, these developments open significant opportunities for deepening Swiss–Korean research collaboration, and UZH is well positioned to play a leading role.
Leslie Reinhard
