This thesis uses a new initiative derived from the sister city concept to investigate the potential of a sister university concept (SUC) between the University of Applied Sciences and Arts in Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) and Shenzhen Technology University in China (SZTU). The potential of applying an SUC for collaboration between SZTU and the FHNW was investigated in 2021 as part of a master's thesis entitled "Development of a Sister University Concept." The FHNW School of Business and critical partners from SZTU signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in December 2023, which created a framework for intensified cooperation and partnership in education. With the current economic and political situation in Switzerland and China, where decoupling is currently occurring, it is even more important to create strong and sustainable university collaboration. The right to education should be preserved even if the political situation is not ideal. The SZTU's ambition to establish itself as an international university is also reflected in the mission of the FHNW, which educates specialists and managers for an interconnected world. The goal of the sister city concept is to build long-term collaboration and partnerships to promote and increase the cooperation between cities on an international level, and this concept could also be beneficial to universities, considering their missions in terms of internationalization.

By applying the SUC to existing partnerships, the universities could leverage the collaboration to the next level through the construction of a sister university collaboration hub (SUCH). This thesis investigates the possibility of implementing some techniques and strategies, including an implementation concept for an SUCH between the FHNW and SZTU, with consideration of the pre-requisitions and possible constraints and pitfalls that could be encountered and their influence on the overall SUC. The goal is to investigate potential strategies and techniques to sustainably increase collaboration and interaction between students and academic staff at the two universities.

Interactive billboards and gamifications can potentially support the goal of improving collaboration between the universities, and this thesis examines how those techniques can benefit the SUC and contribute to creating an SUCH for the FHNW and SZTU. Moreover, existing university collaboration activities, such as joint publications or international shared group modules, are investigated.