German universities urged to rethink collaborations with China

DAAD says researchers should remember that China is a “systematic rival”

German universities must take a “realpolitik” approach when collaborating with Chinese institutions, the country’s academic exchange service (DAAD) has recommended in a new guideline paper.

While recognising that it is impractical to shun working with China altogether, researchers need to be aware of significant political tensions between the two countries, and the fact that the communist country is seen as a “systematic rival” by the German government, said DAAD president Joybrato Mukherjee in a statement.