Geneva-Tsinghua Initiative ?
The initiative provides innovative education programmes that address in a practical, hands-on way the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The different programmes last from two weeks to two years, during which the students spend part of their time in Geneva, working directly with the International Organizations there, and part in Beijing and Shenzhen, in two of China’s most dynamic and entrepreneurial environments.
Partnership
The Geneva Tsinghua Initiative (GTI) is a partnership between the University of Geneva, with its strong ties to Geneva’s international organizations, and Tsinghua University, China’s top university with its main campus in Beijing’s high-tech corridor, and another in Shenzhen, heart of the Chinese manufacturing ecosystem.
Principles
The GTI adopts a modern approach to open innovation characterized by:
- a focus on challenge-based learning inspired by real-world problems.
- collaboration through multidisciplinary and multicultural teams.
All the GTI educational activities are designed with international exchange as a key component, between Switzerland and China, but also towards a network of labs in other parts of the world that address the SDGs, called United Labs for the Global Goals.
A clear mission
- Answer the aspirations of a generation that wants to contribute to solving major societal challenges based on the SDGs.
- Immerse students in two cultures (International Geneva, Entrepreneurial China) to teach them to think and act outside of their comfort zones.
- Develop novel teaching methods based on solving concrete problems in interdisciplinary teams.
- Prepare students for the transition from the academic world to a global economy transformed by digital technology and the challenges of sustainable development.
- Crystallize the convergence between international organizations, the academic world and the business sector.
