Welcome to Nordic Centre
Nordic Centre in Shanghai drives and facilitates collaboration between researchers and students in the five Nordic countries and China. Located at Fudan University, one of Asia's top universities, Nordic Centre has served as a vehicle for research and education within all kinds of disciplines since 1995.
Read more about our facilities, activities, and the services we provide for our 22 member universities around this site. And don't hesitate to contact us with new initiatives – we're always open to them – or if you want to discuss a membership for your university, whether it be in the Nordic Region or China. One-page overview of opportunities here.
A Nordic entry point to China
China has rapidly grown in importance within the academic world in recent years, for several key reasons.
The country's various societal transformations have brought about a new generation of minds that are engaging with the outside world in ways that previous generations didn't. Meanwhile, massive investments in research over the past few decades have made Chinese scientists leaders in a number of fields. It has never been more important or rewarding to work with the world's most populous country on the research challenges we face together, whether in the social or natural sciences.
Parallel to this, Chinese growth and transformation will continue to be of tremendous importance to the development of the planet as a whole. Therefore, understanding China, through whatever lens - cultural, societal, environmental - is crucial to any number of fields, including for scholars who haven't focused on the country before.
Whether you work with Chinese colleagues or on understanding China, being present here and engaging with the right people is vital to the success of your efforts. Nordic Centre at prestigious Fudan University in Shanghai - the country's largest city and most thriving metropolis - is your entry point and platform for doing so.
Our members
NHH Norwegian School of Economics
Norwegian University of Science & Technology (NTNU)
Chinese affiliate member university:
Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
If you are interested in a membership of Nordic Centre for your university, please write to Programme Manager Veli-Matti Palomäki at veli-matti.palomaki(at)nordiccentre.net.
Besides Nordic universities, we are also open to considering Chinese universities as affiliate members. Write for further details. Membership is ultimately decided upon by the Nordic Centre council, which convenes twice a year, in April and October.
Courses for member university students
Nordic Centre can tailor short courses in Shanghai within your academic field, in close cooperation with you. Write to us at any time with your ideas.
We also offer the summer courses Business and Innovation in China and Chinese Politics and Society, for which each member university is offered three places.
See what it's like to have a 2-week summer course at Fudan University in Shanghai in the videos above.
Nordic Centre in Shanghai: Your opportunities as a researcher
The following gives an overview of the services that Nordic Centre at Fudan University in Shanghai provides for researchers affiliated with its 22 member institutions. Please forward this to your colleagues so that they can learn about the services, funding opportunities, deadlines, facilities, and activities that Nordic Centre offers. You can visit our website for more detailed information – or write to one of our staff members with any questions.
Funding for research stays (no deadline)
Nordic Centre provides funding for research stays in Shanghai for researchers at our Nordic member universities, and for Fudan scholars’ stays in the Nordic Region. You can apply for this “research platform funding” at any time by sending an email to Veli-Matti Palomäki at the Nordic Centre at veli-matti.palomaki(at)nordiccentre.net. Please read the call for applications first for criteria plus application form.
Services for visiting scholars
Nordic Centre has office spaces for visiting scholars from member universities, who come for stays of various durations. We help put visiting scholars in contact with relevant colleagues in China, give practical help on relocating here temporarily, and offer advice on a variety of circumstances to be aware of. Visiting scholars also get access to the academic resources of Fudan University, including access to online journals and the libraries of Nordic Centre and Fudan University. Please read our Handbook for Visiting Scholars for more detailed information. If you are interested, we can also organize public lectures for you so that you can interact with local researchers, students, and others interested.
Seminars, workshops, conferences
Funding for seminars, workshops and conferences (deadlines: March 20 and September 20 every year)
You can apply for funding of any amount between 2,000 and 7,000 euros to organize an academic event to be held at Nordic Centre. Priority is given to applications that involve researchers from more than one member university. All academic disciplines are eligible. See pictures of our facilities here.
For practical details on academic events at Nordic Centre, read our Handbook on Academic Events.
Courses for your students
Nordic Centre can tailor short courses in Shanghai within your academic field, in close cooperation with you – at whatever level, including PhD. Write to us at any time with your ideas. We also offer the summer courses Business and Innovation in China and Chinese Politics and Society, for which each member university is offered three places.
What impression do regular Chinese people have of the Nordic Region? Nordic Centre took to the streets of Shanghai to find out.
This video was sponsored by Nordic Council of Ministers.