Basel – Basel and Shanghai have been cooperating since 2007 as part of a city-twinning project. The two have now signed an agreement to extend this cooperation until 2019, which has been expanded to include cooperation in conference activities and research.
The city-twinning project between Basel and Shanghai will celebrate its ten-year anniversary next year. Over this time, the two have undertaken several projects that have brought added value to both cities, said Basel city council president Guy Morin. Examples include the cooperation between the University of Basel, the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) and partner universities in Shanghai, an exchange programme for leaders, and collaboration in the healthcare sector. Between 2014 and 2016, a total of 23 projects involving 20 institutions from both cities were carried out.
The two cities have now signed an agreement to continue the partnership from 2017 to 2019. The agreement reaffirms the previous areas of cooperation: economy, life science and healthcare, education and science, location marketing, culture and society, as well as exchanges at the district level, according to a statement from the Canton of Basel-Stadt.
In the area of the economy, the Congress Center Basel has now been included as a priority in the agreement, in addition to the EuroAirport, the Swiss Rhine Ports and BaselArea. Cooperation in conference activities will also be expanded, as will cooperation between the universities.
