SENET · Strengthening international R&I cooperations between China and the EU

China and the EU have a solid framework for successful collaboration aiming at tackling common global societal challenges, such as the progress of ageing society. In addition, China and the EU are determined to intensify their cooperation via several joint flagship initiatives in a number of focus areas including biotechnologies for human health. China has been third most important international partner country in the EU Framework Programme 7. However, the global health challenges are difficult to tackle unilaterally, the research landscape is still fragmented with partly divergent research priorities and there is a current tendency of decreased Chinese participation in the EU health programmes. Therefore, a continuous and sustainable health-related research and innovation dialogue between China and the EU has to be maintained and encouraged in order to highlight and leverage on cooperation possibilities of mutual benefit. SENET - Sino-European Health Networking Hub has two main objectives: Firstly, it aims to create a sustainable health networking and knowledge hub which facilitates favourable conditions for a constant and constructive dialogue between Chinese and EU research and innovation entities. Secondly, it intends to increase collaborative efforts addressing common health research and innovation challenges. SENET’s objectives are in line with the expected impacts of the call. It intends to enhance bi-lateral and multi-lateral cooperation between EU and China on health research and innovation topics. It is determined to increase higher participation of Chinese researchers in SC1 and future EU and Chinese joint health research programmes and consequently strengthen R&I cooperation in health research and innovation. SENET is composed of a multidisciplinary team of 5 EU and 4 Chinese professionals with a long track record in their relative fields of expertise as think tank, researchers, policy analysts and trainers in health innovation and research management.