Strengthening engagement in China
Launching the implementation of Globethics’ objective to strengthen engagement in China, a leadership visit to the country resulted in enriching dialogue and plans for future engagement with institutions and organisations across sectors.
Since its foundation – Chinese scholars being present at the founding workshop in 2004 – Globethics has worked with individuals and institutions across China towards the mutual objective of ethical leadership.
Founder and President, Christoph Stueckelberger, and Executive Director, Fadi Daou visited China (a sub-region of the East Asia Pacific region in the Globethics Strategy 2023-2024) from 19 to 31 March 2024, facilitating Globethics’ work to build bridges and allow academic and policy dialogue to take place amidst the current global context of polarisation.
During the visit, Daou and Stueckelberger invited Chinese partners to participate and contribute to Globethics’ international events, collaborate on research and exchange about ethical challenges and answers especially in relation to AI, and provide a space for better mutual understanding and knowledge dissemination through research, joint courses and seminars and publications.
Academic outreach and collaboration
During the March 2024 leadership visit to China, Globethics leadership reinforced partnerships and developed new relationships at several universities. The Academy of Religion at Beijing Minzu University, where Christoph Stueckelberger has been a visiting professor, future publications and seminars and research support for Masters and Doctoral students were discussed, and an invitation to participate in the Global Ethics Forum (GEF) 2024 extended.
Co-organised joint events on the ethics of global governance and multilateral relations were planned with longstanding partner CIBE (Centre for International Business Ethics) at the Beijing University of International Business and Economics (UIBE). Both Globethics and CIBE are looking forward to launching the English translation of Chinese Values: Conception and Practice (Globethics, 2022) at the GEF in September 2024.
With the Open University of China in Shanghai, Stueckelberger and Daou explored collaboration around ethical standards for higher education, especially in relation to AI, and on citizenship ethics education. At the Open University of China in Beijing, co-development on our respective international programmes and course offers was discussed. We look forward to seeing leadership of both universities in Geneva in June at the ICDE Leadership Summit 2024.
At Macau Saint Joseph University’s Faculty of Business and Law, the first certificates were signed for the course delivered as a result of our 2023 partnership agreement. The groundwork was also laid for future collaboration related to digital and AI ethics. Contacts were also established for future collaboration with the Institute of Applied Ethics at Shanghai Fudan University’s Faculty of Philosophy, and the Centre for Applied Ethics at Hong Kong Baptist University. At the latter, interest was shared in working together on research and international events, especially around AI ethics.
International collaboration for ethics and innovation in higher education
Globethics was pleased to meet with representatives from the International Centre for Higher Education Innovation (UNESCO-ICHEI) in Shenzhen, where we agreed to join forces to leverage our networks and support to higher education institutions for ethical innovation.
Collaboration on the ethics and governance of AI
In Beijing, Stueckelberger and Daou also explored possibilities for working together on AI ethics and governance with leadership from the China Association of Science And Technology (CAST) & WFEO, the Institute for AI International Governance (I-AIIG) at Tsinghua University, and Nankai University - Chinese Institute for New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Strategies.
Other highlights of the leadership visit included:
- meeting young entrepreneurs and legal experts in AI and digital transformation at the Swiss Chinese Law Association (SCLA) in Shenzhen, a positive indicator for the future of ethical leadership
- exploring the context and potential engagement in leadership and business ethics at the Rothlin Centre in Beijing
- exchanging on the current global polarisation and how to keep the engagement, dialogue, and collaboration with China as a major global country at the Swiss Embassy in Beijing and Swissnex in Shanghai
Globethics looks forward to deepening our new and existing partnerships in China and putting these exchanges into action for a more inclusive world and sustainable future for all. Register now for the ICDELS24 and save the date for the Global Ethics Forum to get involved in these important conversations.