The Swiss Plant Science Web (SPSW) is the umbrella organization for research and education in academic plant science in Switzerland and comprises seven universities (Universities of Basel, Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne, Neuchâtel and Zurich) and the ETH Zurich. It is one of the objectives of the SPSW to foster collaborations in research and education in plant sciences on international level.

The Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) is the leading academic institution and comprehensive research and development center in natural science, technological science and high-tech innovation in China. International cooperations and exchanges are of great importance to the CAS and to strengthen the partnership with institutions of advanced science and technology in other countries is an important mission.

The SPSW would like to strengthen the collaboration in teaching and research with the plant science research institutes of the CAS in the various fields of plant sciences. The aim of the workshop is to bring together already collaborating Swiss and Chinese partners with new potential partners from within the SPSW and the CAS and to present research projects, in order to establish new collaborations and broaden the exchange on the educational and the research in the various fields of plant science research (molecular plant biology, ecology, plant systematics). The workshop will have a scientific part, where Swiss and Chinese scientist would present current research topics, and a strategic part, where future joint research and teaching projects will be elaborated in round table discussion. A further objective of the workshop is to establish an agreement between the SPSW and the CAS plant science research institutes, which will help to facilitate the organization of new joint projects and to reduce the administrative work accompanied with the exchange of researchers and students.

The workshop will serve as kick-off meeting for the establishment of a collaboration framework beyond the institute level. This framework will be the basis for a durable and extensive exchange between plant scientist and students from both countries in the coming years. Hence, the workshop will have a lasting effect on the Swiss and Chinese scientists in supporting them to develop and carry out joint research and education projects in plant science research.