Tingjian Cai holds a PhD in political science from the University of Munich. He has worked as a lecturer at the University of Munich, as well as in knowledge management in an international company and in project management and research in the field of Sino-European and Sino-German relations for a German Political Foundation in Beijing.

He is currently conducting his habilitation research at the University of Munich on Sino-European relations and the comparison of German and Chinese political systems. At Global Neighbours, he is responsible for research and project management related to China.

Joseph Kirchberger holds an MA in Public Policy from Central European University and a BA in International Relations from Webster University Vienna. His academic background and experience at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime have given him valuable insights into working in international environments. At the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he supported embassies and facilitated international cooperation. Drawing on his diplomacy background, Joseph excels at navigating diverse cultural and organizational contexts.

With expertise in policy analysis and international relations, he now fosters meaningful dialogue and collaboration as project manager at Global Neighbours.

Aleksei Ksenofontov graduated with distinction from the Diplomatic Academy in Moscow and earned a master’s degree in Global Studies from the University of Graz. He holds the diplomatic rank of Second Secretary. Drawing on his extensive diplomatic experience, he provides a unique insider’s perspective on East-West relations. 

Aleksei’s profile is further strengthened by recent experience in the non-profit sector, where he coordinated social and educational projects addressing issues connected to the Global South, as well as a solid background in academic research, particularly at the Heidelberg Institute for International Conflict Research.

At Global Neighbours, A.Ksenofontov oversees several projects, inter alia focused on Central Asia.

Akos Matern holds an MA in Communication and Media Studies from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, Hungary. In 2018, he won a Campus Mundi mobility scholarship, allowing him to spend an exchange year at Lund University in Sweden. At the Hungarian Tourism Agency, he represented Hungary at Expo 2020 in Dubai as an Event and Exhibition Project Coordinator. He oversaw several B2C marketing partnerships in the DACH region and served as a managing assistant to the Deputy CEO for Marketing. As a Content and Event Manager at EHF Marketing GmbH, he coordinated the seasonal highlight, the EHF Final4 2024 event.

At Global Neighbours, Akos oversees office operations and event planning.

As a sinologist, author, and senior executive, educated in Germany, China and the US, Oliver Radtke brings a wealth of experience in facilitating dialogue and exchange between European, Asian, and transatlantic stakeholders. With a well-established network spanning various sectors in the US, Germany, China, and other East and Southeast Asian nations, including media, law, foreign policy, think tanks, NGOs, philanthropy, and business, he has amassed extensive expertise in designing fellowships and sustainable networks. Previously, Radtke served as Head of the China program at Robert Bosch Stiftung and Chief Representative China at the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung in Beijing. He also acted as Secretary General of the high-level German Chinese Dialogue Forum funded by Germany’s Foreign Office. Radtke is the author of several books on Chinese everyday life, the country’s food culture and Chinglish. In addition, he is a guest professor at Shenzhen Technology University (SZTU), where he lectures in Chinese on sustainability issues.

Driven by a long-term passion for meaningful cross-cultural understanding, he is committed to identifying new ways of bridging divides and co-creating constructive relations between Europe and Asia in the post-pandemic era.