Steadfast in its belief that there are no geographical boundaries to arts and design, Zurich University of the Arts (Zurcher Hochschule der Kunste or ZHdK) continues to build up its diversified network of international cooperations. Last November, ZHdK officially opened Connecting Space Hong Kong, which together with Connecting Space Zurich serves as an exploratory platform for collaborative, artistic and intercultural projects with various institutions in Hong Kong and on the mainland. "ZHdK is an internationally oriented university, and we see Asia as integral to our further development," says Dr Thomas Meier, president. "Connecting Spaces Hong Kong-Zurich strengthens our presence in the region and highlights our focus on developing artistic collaborations between cultures and disciplines." Leveraging strong traditions spanning 130 years and an uncompromising commitment to quality, ZHdK set foot in Asia in 2004 with the launch of an international design summer school in Wuxi. In cooperation with top-tier educational institutions, the project has been expanded to Shanghai and Hong Kong, and will be brought to India this year. ZHdK also organises a transcultural and cross-disciplinary summer academy, called Common Stage. "Collaboration is at the heart of ZHdK," Meier says. "We tap local competencies to build meaningful and lasting partnerships. We are now using the same approach to advance a planned Graduate School of Design in Shenzhen and a Transcultural Master of Fine Arts programme." At its state-of-the-art Toni-Areal campus in Zurich West, ZHdK provides first-class, interdisciplinary and work-oriented education to future artists, designers, media authors and cultural professionals. It offers undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees in design, film, art and media, music, dance, theatre and art education, making it one of the few comprehensive art universities in Europe. "We're in Asia for the long term," Meier says. "With government support and the right partners, we will help to equip the next generation of Asian artists and designers and broaden the horizon of our own students." Zurich University of the Arts http://www.zhdk.ch