The official launch of the IDS China Research Lab has wrapped successfully. On September 27, 2022, representatives from the International Data Spaces Association (IDSA) and Chinese research and industry discussed the strategic importance of sovereign data sharing for Chinese-Europe economic cooperation and streamlining global value chains. The hybrid event was attended by more than 100 representatives from companies, universities, government agencies and associations, both on-site and online.
The IDS China Research Lab is a joint initiative of IDSA, the Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the Fraunhofer Institute for Software and Systems Engineering ISST. The project is intended to foster collaboration between Chinese and European companies and research institutions, aiming to improve the coordination of research on sovereign cross-border data sharing.
“The establishment of IDS China Research Lab will help promote the implementation and development of testing and application of IDS products, industrial data sharing use cases, industry standards and core IDS components in China,” said Xinguo Ming, Professor at School of Mechanical Engineering of SJTU Shanghai Research Center for Industrial Informatics.
Overcome data barriers
Through project cooperation, talent training, theme discussion and other diversified and flexible cooperation methods, the IDS China Research Lab can provide services for the opening and sharing of data in various industries and promote the formation of data ecology in various industries. “On this basis, the laboratory will carry out in-depth research on relevant theories and cutting-edge technologies such as data sharing and value creation, aiming to break through the data barriers of industrial cooperation, further release data value and build a new industrial data value chain, and promote high-quality development and cooperation of industries in all industries,” Professor Ming added.
„The kick-off event of the IDS China Research Lab was a great success. The inspiring presentations and lively discussions showed that this initiative is on the right track. Now it is time to define concrete next steps and operationalize the IDS China Research Lab for joint collaboration,” said Joshua Gelhaar, Scientist at Fraunhofer Institute for Software and Systems Engineering ISST.
Thorsten Huelsmann, CFO of IDSA, underlines the importance of the collaboration for knowledge exchange between China and Europe: “With the IDS China Research Lab, we can jointly drive the development of innovative solutions that are aligned with the requirements of partner companies and become use cases and success stories.”
Link between industry and research
In cooperation with the German Chamber of Commerce in China and numerous industry partners such as Haier, China Telecom, Huawei, and Volkswagen, the IDS China Research Lab will establish a link between industry and research. A key aspect is the exchange of knowledge between data sharing experts from China and Europe and the provision of the latest research findings, best practices and concepts for sovereign data sharing. The goal is to jointly develop and expand IDSA core assets in line with the fair principles to pave the way for international IDS ecosystems.
