ENTRANCE Celebrates its Midpoint

The interim evaluation of the ENTRANCE project took place on October 23, 2024, marking the halfway point after a year and a half of project work. This event provided an opportunity to reflect on progress made so far and collaboratively develop a roadmap for the remaining project period. It also offered space to discuss options for shaping the next phases of project work.

What is ENTRANCE?
The ENTRANCE project serves as a platform for promoting international exchange and fostering European-Chinese collaboration among universities, research institutions, and other relevant partners. It focuses on the common challenges and questions each participating institution faces when deciding on collaborations with Chinese partners. The project’s collaborative format allows these issues to be explored from multiple perspectives. A particular emphasis is placed on legal and ethical standards. Differences in these areas often become apparent in European-Chinese partnerships, posing challenges for all involved.

Review – One and a Half Years of ENTRANCE
In the past year and a half, the project has organized numerous events across three key work packages. These events have not only facilitated knowledge exchange but also laid the groundwork for building expertise and establishing new collaborations.

Looking Ahead – What’s Next?
The next year and a half will bring further events to continue the work on ENTRANCE’s key areas. Upcoming highlights include:

• January 17, 2025: Follow-up session on the focus trip at DESY in Hamburg.
• Regional Meeting in Bonn: February 21–22, 2024, at the University of Bonn.
• European Conference in Aachen: A conference aimed at applying the project’s findings to other countries, with China continuing as a central focus (July 7–8, 2025).
• September 2025: Focus trip centered on "Innovation."
• May 8, 2026: Project closing event.

Milestone Planning and Potential for Future Development
Not all planned milestones could be achieved as initially envisioned. Some topics turned out to be less urgent or drew lower interest than anticipated, while other topics were purposefully postponed to allow for new insights. The event included a productive discussion on what approaches have been successful and where improvements could be made.

The interim evaluation highlighted that ENTRANCE has made significant strides over the past year and a half. The diverse perspectives from multiple institutions have enriched the project, and clear action areas have been identified for further development in the months ahead—particularly in communication, alumni engagement, and sustainable documentation of results. With a well-defined roadmap and more exciting events planned, the ENTRANCE team looks forward to the remaining project period with confidence.