The Volkswagen Foundation has announced €1m funding for the four-year cooperation project "China's Science Silk Road and the New Geopolitics of Knowledge Production" as part of its initiative “Research on Science: Collaborative Projects.” The initiative supports interdisciplinary teams—comprising researchers from the field of science studies and related disciplines—to investigate key questions around the self-understanding and function of science. The project will be led by Anna Lisa Ahlers (MPIWG), Han Cheng (Université Laval), and Hang Zhou (Université Laval).

The project investigates how China is influencing global research practices through its “Science Silk Road” program by investing in science and technology as part of its Belt and Road Initiative. The researchers will analyze how the “Science Silk Road” program is transforming science systems in participating countries and established scientific powers. By evaluating documents and data, conducting interviews, and carrying out field research, the researchers contribute to a better understanding of the geopolitical role of science in the 21st century.