Background
Switzerland was the first Western country to establish diplomatic relations with China, the first European country to sign a free trade agreement with China, and also the first Western European country to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). On the basis of dynamic and mutually beneficial bilateral economic cooperation, in recent years, Switzerland and China have developed fruitful dialogue and cooperation in many fields, including innovation and technology, environmental protection, sustainable development, health and medical care, finance and insurance, cultural exchanges and tourism.
Who We Are
In this context, China Economics and Finance Center (CEFC) was launched and created by HEC Lausanne in 2018 in the campus UNIL-EPFL. Relying on the resources of academy, education, research and development, as well as the international influence of the two top Swiss universities — UNIL and EPFL, CEFC integrates the world’s leading resources of finance, industry and new technologies in Switzerland and Europe. CEFC aims to build a platform for exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Swiss universities and enterprises to learn from each other advanced international business management experience and innovative business models. Based on this platform, CEFC provides companies with tailored training programs about banking and finance, management, technology, start-up incubation and other professional competences to help Chinese and Swiss entrepreneurs achieve complementary advantages as well as sustainable innovation and development.
Meanwhile, CEFC also serves as an interdisciplinary research center, dedicated to conducting cutting-edge research on economic development, political economy and business management of China, economic cooperation between Switzerland, European countries and China, in order to help Swiss and Chinese researchers carry out joint work in fields such as international economy, transnational management, financial services and innovation management. Besides, CEFC regularly holds seminars and conferences on Chinese economy and management topics.
Location
Based at HEC Lausanne on the shores of Geneva Lake, CEFC supports the promotion of UNIL and EPFL internationally. Moreover, CEFC is seeking to create strong footings and physical offices in the sites of Chinese leading universities to enhance the cooperation.
