The MOU lays a solid ground for collaboration in teaching and in research between University of Fribourg and Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine (NJUCM, China). A training project is awaiting in the pipeline of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for UniFR’s medical students in 2021. The iniative is led by Prof. Dr. Pierre-Yves Rodondi, the Director of the Institut de médicine de famille (IMF) at UniFR. Introducing TCM into the generalist (family doctor) training would be the first of its kind in Switzerland.

On 18 Dec. 2020, a signing ceremony was held on Zoom between the Unifr and NJUCM. In two locations, Rector Astrid Epiney and President HU Gang respectively signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for academic corperation on behalf of the two universities.

After the signing ceremony, Prof. SHI Suofang (NJUCM), who captained a TCM taskforce in aid to Hubei at the beginning of Covid-outbreak, shared the latest scientific and clinical findings in TCM formulas treating Covid patients to Prof. Rodondi and his team.

In December 2019, a UniFR delegation formed by its Vice President, IMF professors and International Relations Office visited NJUCM for seeking teaching collaboration; NJUCM’s delegation was supposed to travel to Fribourg in the following Febraury to sign the MOU.

Name list of the participants:

UniFR

• Prof. Pierre-Yves RODONDI, Director of Institute of Family Medicine (Institut de médecine de famille, IMF), Faculty of Science and Medicine
• Ms. Julie DUBOIS, Scientific Collaborator, Responsible for research at IMF
• Ms. Lucille FRAGNIÈRE, Scientific Collaborator at IMF
• Ms. Angélique BOURQUI, Scientific Collaborator at IMF
• Mrs. Marielle de DARDEL, Head of International Relations Office (IRO)
• Mrs. Vanessa WANG, Short Program Coordinator at IRO

NJUCM

• Prof. SUN Zhiguang, Vice President   
• Prof. ZHANG Xu, Head of International Cooperation and Exchanges (ICE), Director of International Education College (IEC)
• Prof. SHI Suofang, Chief TCM Physician, Respiratory Department at the Affiliated Hospital of NJUCM and the Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of TCM; PhD Tutor; Captain of Jiangsu team of the third batch of national TCM team in aid to Hubei Province
• Mr. ZHANG Jianhua, Vice Director of IEC
• Mr. Antoine GRELLET, Swiss student of Class 2018
• ICE, Section for programs and foreign affairs  
• IEC, Section for Admissions and TCM Translation