WEEK 2017

The China-Italy Science, Technology & Innovation Week is a matchmaking event held once a year in alternate years, in Italy and in China, where Chinese and Italian companies, universities, research centres and public bodies, have the opportunity to exchange information and have one-to-one meetings to present their technologies. The overall aim is to encourage cooperation and business opportunities between the two countries. In 2013 the China-Italy Science, Technology & Innovation Week brought together in a single back-to-back format the two main events of Sino-Italian cooperation: the China- Italy Innovation Forum and the Sino-Italian Exchange Event.

The SIEE-Sino-Italian Exchange Event was launched in 2007 by Città della Scienza, under the mandate from Campania Regional Government, as a multi-year annual program for scientific and technological cooperation with China, especially with the Beijing Municipality. Founded primarily as a regional initiative, the event has quickly achieved national prominence thanks to the involvement among the promoters of the Committee of the CNR-National Research Council, ENEA National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, GSE-Energy Services Manager, INVITALIA-National Agency for Inward Investment Promotion and Enterprise Development. Later, the ITA- Italian Trade Agency, INFN-National Institute of Nuclear Physics, EEN Enterprise Europe Network and some regional development and innovation agencies were added to the list of promoters. Città della Scienza is the exclusive owner of the trademark.  The BAST-Beijing Association for Science and Technology has worked for years with many countries around the world such as Germany, Australia, USA and Korea on the internationalization of companies in innovative sectors. BAST is a strategic partner of the SIEE. The BAST organization brings together hi-tech enterprises, science and technology parks, research centres and research and industry joint ventures. Here it is worth mentioning the Zhongguancun Science Park, the leading Science and Technology Park of China, which was one of the Chinese promoters in recent editions of the SIEE.

In 2012 the SIEE was included in the Joint Statement signed by the Italian and Chinese Ministers for Research, as one of the most significant exchange initiatives of national importance in both Italy and China. Over the ten years of program management, the initiative has allowed us to bring together more than 2,500 Italian and Chinese professionals, with many agreements signed. This has consolidated promotional channels, partnerships and mutual understanding of the dynamics and areas of strategic importance to the Sino-Italian cooperation and also extended the areas of cooperation in different regions and provinces of China.

CIIF-China-Italy Innovation Forum is the institutional program between Italy and China aimed at boosting cooperation in science and technology. Started in 2010 at government level between the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research and the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, its purpose is to increase institutional cooperation between the two countries, to offer a common framework for discussing national interests and to deal with problem areas. This has been done by creating an atmosphere of collaboration to develop and strengthen a variety of business opportunities.

The Forum takes the form of an institutional meeting and includes high-profile seminars and workshops organized under the auspices of governments. It also includes visits to companies in strategic areas identified on a yearly basis, as requested by both governments. The Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology is the promoter and the organization of activities is managed by BMSTC-Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission. The ITTN-International Technology Transfer Network and the HTIBI High-Tech International Business Incubator are important partners of the Forum.