through Swissnex

ZHAW Staff Mobility Program

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. Job shadowing (2 weeks): You wish to learn and exchange practices with international colleagues who perform a job similar to yours. Over 2 weeks, you will visit with 1-2 local university staff in analogous roles. You will follow them (as allowed) in their everyday job duties and exchange best practices. Only available in Boston, India, or Brazil locations. For Brazil, knowledge of Portuguese is a major advantage.
  3. Long-term mobility (1-2 months): You wish to embed yourself in the local ecosystem and learn deeply both from Swissnex and your academic peers. Swissnex works with you to establish up to five local contacts per month in university or research settings. Swissnex also provides you with space at their office. While at Swissnex, you will collaborate with the academic team to create an online event or workshop related to your topic. This event should be of relevance to both ZHAW staff and the wider Swissnex community.

 

Ready to apply? Click here.

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 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, especially in fintech and the digital economy.
    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 (virtual option as of late 2022)

    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 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, job shadowing, or long-term mobility. (You may only apply for one program each cycle.)
  2. Discuss the possibility with your supervisor (Vorgesetzte:r). 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 materials in English. You must have a CV and ZHAW profile page in English. All application materials must also be in English.
  4. Conduct research on your location. 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 2023. Final dates must be negotiated with the Swissnex location based on local priorities.

After Applying:

  1. Your application will be submitted to your supervisor (Vorgesetzte:r) for review.
  2. Swissnex will review your application as relevant and reasonable for the location.
  3. If approved by 1 and 2, the International Conveyer 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 2023).

 
 

Applications are now CLOSED.

 
 
 

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