Swissnex-ZHAW

Staff Mobility Program Info

Are you seeking to add an international dimension to your research? Do you want to learn how your colleagues across the globe operate? Apply to the ZHAW Staff Mobility Program through Swissnex!

Swissnex is a global network connecting Switzerland to the world in research, education, and innovation. Swissnex partners with ZHAW to host university staff at its six locations. ZHAW staff apply to the program with a specific project and destination. If accepted, ZHAW staff then travel to one of the destinations listed below. Flights and hotels (up to an allowable maximum) are paid for by ZHAW. Through these mobilities, ZHAW staff can foster intercultural competencies and increase the international network of the ZHAW departments. All programs are competitive and positions are limited.

  1. Research and project-based mobility (2 weeks): You wish to connect with several other faculty or staff that are working in your focus area, in order to foster mutual learning, as well as longer-term collaboration and exchange. Swissnex works with you to establish up to six local contacts in university or research settings.
  2. Peer learning (2 weeks): You wish to learn and exchange practices with international colleagues who perform a job similar to yours. This program is especially suitable for administrative and technical staff. Swissnex works to establish up to six local contacts among university or other relevant staff in the local ecosystem to exchange best practices or to follow them (as allowed) in their everyday job. Only available in Boston, India, and Brazil. Positions limited.
  3. Long-term mobility (1-2 months): You wish to embed yourself more deeply in the local ecosystem and work on a longer-term project. Swissnex collaborates with you to help create a final product for your project (ex. workshop, blog post, online event) that is relevant to ZHAW staff and the wider Swissnex community. Additionally, Swissnex will provide office space and up to five relevant contacts in the local university or research community.

Target Audience

  • All ZHAW staff can competitively apply for this program.

More Information

Costs

  • The International Affairs Unit (Stab Ressort Internationales) administers the funding. It covers flights to and from the destination (up to CHF 1500) and accommodation during the stay (up to CHF 2500). Funding for flights and accommodation for long-term mobilities varies. Please get in touch with the International Affairs Unit for more information on long-term mobilities, [email protected]. Please note: Other costs and expenses and the work of the participants are not funded through the project (no hourly billing).

Questions

Where you
can travel:

ZHAW staff members have the choice between a diverse set of destinations spread out across three different continents.

    India

    Bengaluru

    Swissnex in India fosters activities that pursue inclusive prosperity, urgent progress, and a vibrant exchange between the two countries. Bengaluru, India’s knowledge capital, features a thriving academic and entrepreneurial ecosystem with world-class leaders in EdTech, HealthTech, IT, sustainable development, and more. Swissnex also works across the Indian sub-continent with partners at the forefront of today's and tomorrow’s knowledge economy.
    USA

    Boston & New York City

    Boston is home to several world-class research universities and a thriving biotechnology ecosystem. Anchored by Harvard and MIT, it features a wide network of scientists and innovators working in medical, Greentech, AI, and other cutting-edge fields.

    In addition to its unparalleled media, business, and international ecosystems, New York also features a thriving tech sector, with a focus on Fintech, the digital economy, and creative industries.
    USA

    San Francisco

    The entrepreneurial environment in the San Francisco area is characterized by innovation, collaboration, and risk-taking. Silicon Valley, located in the South San Francisco Bay Area (SFBA) of California, is a global center of technological innovation and is famous for its well-known startup ecosystem and high levels of interdisciplinarity.

    Swissnex in San Francisco sits at the forefront of where culture and design meet technology, leveraging its strategic positioning to enhance interdisciplinarily through the exchange of ideas and networks.
    Brazil

    Rio de Janeiro & Sao Paulo

    Brazil has the largest innovation ecosystem in Latin America and hosts some of the region’s best universities. The 6 best universities in Brazil are located in the states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, and the development of Technology Parks has strengthened the region’s leadership in research, innovation and international cooperation.

    Agtechs and Fintechs are booming in Brazil, with São Paulo classified as the fourth largest fintech market in the world. Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo are among the top 10 Connected Smart Cities in Brazil, with São Paulo at the top of the ranking and Rio de Janeiro leading in Technology and Innovation. The city has invested in innovative solutions in areas such as pollution, mobility and natural disaster prevention, seeking to become smarter and more sustainable.
    China

    China

    China’s main economic hubs offer an amazing diversity of research and innovation. Shanghai has quickly risen to be a global leader in artificial intelligence, chips, and biomedicine. Beijing is home to world-class innovation in AI, big data, and quantum computing. Further south in the Greater Bay Area, both Guangzhou and Shenzhen have achieved an excellent reputation as innovation powerhouses.
    Japan

    Osaka

    Japan has several high-standard innovation ecosystems in some of the world's densest cultural places. For example, the dynamic Kansai region is a wellspring of Japan’s knowledge creation, one of the two biggest economic areas in Japan and a cradle for innovation-driven corporations such as Panasonic, Takeda, or Nintendo. As a leading hotbed in Japan born out of a continuum of original, cutting-edge education, research, and innovation, the 200 universities in the region are ceaselessly striving to advance science and innovation across the spectrum of humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. The Osaka-Kyoto-Kobe triangle has top tier universities, which engage in the highest-level, best-funded research in Japan.

Application Instructions

Before You Apply:

  1. Decide which program you wish to apply for: research mobility, peer learning, or long-term mobility. (You may only apply for one program each cycle.)
  2. Discuss the possibility with your supervisor. You should work out a plan for how you will take the time abroad, and whether you will still have to carry out any regular responsibilities at ZHAW remotely while traveling. Also, make sure that costs not borne by the ZHAW International Affairs Unit will be covered by your department or institute.
  3. Prepare all materials in English. This includes a CV, ZHAW profile page with bio, and application materials.
  4. Conduct research on your location of choice. In the application, you will be asked to name three institutes or individual faculty/staff that you may wish to connect with.
  5. Select dates: You should prepare possible date ranges for your application. You are encouraged to complete your project between March and November 2024. Final dates must be negotiated with the Swissnex location based on local priorities.

After Applying:

  1. Your application will be submitted for review to your supervisor (Vorgesetzte:r), and to ZHAW HR Global Mobility for the Long-term mobility options.
  2. Swissnex will review your application as relevant and reasonable for the location.
  3. If approved by 1 and 2, the International Conveyer (Mitglied Kommission Internationales) on your faculty will rank your application relative to others.
  4. Pending the available budget, a final decision will be made based on this ranking.
  5. All applicants will be notified at the conclusion of the process (estimated Feburary 2024).

Applications are now over!

Applications for the year 2024 are now closed. The deadline of November 15, 2023 has passed.

 

 

 

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