Welcome Speech – Chair of the 2nd China-Europe Scientists Forum

Bürgerhaus Heidelberg, October 31, 2025

Good morning everyone,

It’s a real pleasure to welcome all of you to Heidelberg and to the 2nd China-Europe Scientists Forum. Seeing so many familiar faces — and so many new ones — is truly exciting. Thank you all for being here and for making the time to join us from across Europe, China, and beyond.

When this forum was first initiated at the end of 2023 by more than 30 scientists from across Europe — from Germany, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Spain, Hungary, and other countries — the idea was simple but powerful: to create a platform that connects people, ideas, and research across continents. A place where scientists could share, collaborate, and spark innovation that benefits both China and Europe.

Thanks to the support of over 60 research institutions and associations, that idea became a reality. Our first forum, held in Frankfurt last October, brought together over 200 experts and scholars. It was an incredible success — we had lively, sometimes passionate discussions on translational medicine, artificial intelligence, and computer science. And most importantly, new collaborations were born that are already producing exciting results.

Now, here we are — one year later, for the second edition, in this beautiful city of Heidelberg. This year’s forum has grown significantly: we now have six offline parallel sessions, including two new ones I’m especially excited about.

The first is the ICT Transformation Forum, chaired by a data communication standards expert from Huawei Europe, which will look at how digital transformation is shaping science and industry. The second is the Control Engineering Forum.

Across all six forums, we’ll be diving into topics that are shaping the future — from smart technologies and AI to sustainable systems and digital innovation. These discussions aren’t just about sharing research; they’re about finding new ways to work together, across disciplines and across borders.

What makes this gathering special is the spirit of collaboration that everyone brings. It’s not just about presentations or panels — it’s about conversations, the ideas that emerge and the friendships that grow from shared curiosity. Those moments are often where the next big idea begins.

I hope this forum gives you something meaningful to take home — new ideas, new collaborators, and new perspectives.

On behalf of the organizing committee, thank you again for being here, for your enthusiasm, and for your commitment to advancing science together.

Welcome once again to the 2nd China-Europe Scientists Forum, and I wish you all a wonderful and inspiring meeting.

Thank you.

注：中欧科学家论坛(chinaeuropeforum.org)是一个全新的开放式的合作平台，首届中欧科学家论坛已于2024年10月在德国法兰克福成功举办，第二届中欧科学家论坛已于2025年11月初在德国海德堡市成功举办，感谢中国驻德大使馆总领馆、中国科协、中国侨联、诺贝尔奖获得者、德国英国法国国家科学院院士、科技专家等社会各界的大力支持。新华社、人民日报、CCTV中文网、中华网、北欧时报等数十家海内外主流媒体报道。目前中欧科学家论坛签约共建备忘录的机构70余家。在各方的共同努力下，中欧科学家论坛持续发挥重要平台作用，推动中欧乃至全球科技事业不断向前迈进，目前各种专业平行论坛总数达到十余个，成为欧洲华侨主导的最大科技盛会。