Training and research partnership
"The goal of this mission is to strengthen our ties with certain Chinese universities and research centres," states Dr. Christophe Guy, Dean of Research and Innovation, who will represent Polytechnique during the mission. "During our stay in China, we will confirm co-operation agreements with five of the most prestigious universities."

Polytechnique will use this mission to further develop the special relationships it has created with China in recent years. These relationships have primarily been based on co-operation in research and by the arrival of a large number of Chinese students to Polytechnique, particularly at the graduate level. This trend will be maintained under the new agreements. In addition, Polytechnique expects to welcome Chinese researchers to some of its laboratories in the near future.

Poly-Monde chose China as the destination for its 16th mission, carried out in the spring of 2005 with the active co-operation of Professor Ke Wu from Polytechnique's Department of Electrical Engineering and originally from China.

"Dr. Wu was instrumental in providing assistance in organizing the Poly-China mission by travelling to China frequently to develop or renew contacts with Chinese universities and companies," notes Line Dubé, Director of Polytechnique's International Relations Office.

Agreement details
The agreements that will be signed with the five Chinese universities open up various possibilities, including:

• Defining and creating joint training and research programs, primarily at the doctorate level;
• Defining methods of co-operation in order to train teaching personnel to organize seminars or professional training sessions;
• Exchanging documentation, organizing conferences, publications;
• Hosting students registered on a full-time basis in their home institution and enabling them to participate in academic and/or research activities that will be credited by the host institution;
• Welcoming groups of Chinese students registered in a professional master's program.

Mohamad Sawan, another ambassador to China
Dr. Mohamad Sawan, professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, has been invited by the Fonds québécois de recherche sur la nature et les technologies (FQRNT) to join the Québec mission to China. Dr. Sawan will attend as Director of the Regroupement stratégique en microélectronique du Québec (ReSMiQ) and as a representative of the RST (Research, Science and Technology) sector.

"I will act as a sort of flag-bearer for Québec microelectronics," says Dr. Sawan. "I will meet some of my Chinese counterparts in Beijing and Shanghai, in both the academic world and industry, to discuss possible exchanges and partnerships. We are particularly interested in fostering an exchange between researchers and in attracting the best Chinese students, but we also want to reach agreements with major Chinese chip manufacturers and even establish a China-Québec consortium to help secure international contracts and to support grant requests from international sources. Our complementary strengths can benefit both parties." Dr. Sawan is hopeful that his contacts with former students currently working in China will help in establishing a partner network in that country.

The mission is an important step in helping Polytechnique further develop ties with China, which has become a leading player in the field of research. The relationships Polytechnique creates with Chinese universities and research centres promote innovation and knowledge transfer, which in turn enhances Polytechnique's international reputation.

We wish our ambassadors a safe and interesting journey and much success in their mission!