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Nottingham became the first foreign higher education institution to open its doors in the People’s Republic when UNNC accepted its first students in 2004, in the booming coastal city of Ningbo, south of Shanghai.
The University of Nottingham has developed extensive links and research collaborations in the world’s most dynamic economy over the last six years, leveraging its unique position as China’s first Sino-foreign university. Strategic alliances with elite Chinese partners include clean energy, green manufacturing, biomaterials, geomechanics and low-carbon vehicles.
UNNC is the first foreign university in China to receive the International Co-operation Base Award.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Chris Rudd, who leads The University of Nottingham’s strategic partnerships group, said: “This award places us within a very special group in China — it signals our arrival as a mature and respected provider of research and knowledge transfer, delivering UK excellence with an Asian flavour.”
Senior officials from the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, headed Dr Jin Xiaoming, Director-General of the International Co-operation Department, attended a special ceremony at UNNC to unveil a plaque marking the achievement.
In a meeting between Dr Jin Xiaoming, and Professor Bob Webb, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, Dr Jin Xiaoming said: “The University has built excellent Sino-Britain and Sino-Europe platforms for co-operation on clean energy and low carbon manufacturing technologies.
“UNNC, together with Tsinghua University’s National Key Lab for Manufacturing, The University of Nottingham and the University of Cambridge, have established the Sino-UK Low Carbon Manufacturing Consortium, which promotes the transfer of world-leading clean energy and low carbon manufacturing technologies from the University of Nottingham to China.”
Professor Webb said: “The University of Nottingham is a global pioneer in higher education and research, and this award represents an important milestone since we opened our doors here in China six years ago.
“We value our collaborations with our local partners enormously. We see ourselves as being an important contributor to the communities around us, and take our responsibility as a global corporate citizen very seriously. This is why we take the initiative to engage with others — other universities, governments, businesses, charities, communities — locally, nationally and internationally.
“Co-operation between the University and all of our local partners is important not only for the success of this University but it is also important for our two countries. At UNNC we are showing the world how science and technological links can enrich societies on either side of the globe.
“We are helping our two countries deepen their economic and cultural ties and, together, we are playing a leading role in pushing our two nations to the forefront of international scientific and technological advances.”
This latest partnership follows The University of Nottingham’s successful participation in Shanghai Expo 2010, a six-month showcase of its expertise in sustainable development, green manufacturing, global food security, and low-carbon planning and building. Through its presence at Shanghai Expo, the University is building far-sighted collaborations with Chinese researchers and industrial partners that share a commitment to managing climate change.
University of Nottingham Expo lead, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Chris Rudd, said: “This award vindicates our bold decision to bring Nottingham to Shanghai for the duration of the World Expo. The exposure and the friendships Expo has generated will help to underpin our Asian partnerships and are already delivering economic benefits to the UK and our local partners.”
The University of Nottingham’s world-changing research based on the theme ‘Zero Carbon, Zero Waste’ is on display at the Shanghai World Exposition 2010 until October 31 — attracting around 5,000 visitors each day — an astonishing level of interest.
Around 80 million visitors have toured the Expo site since it opened in May, many taking the opportunity to explore — through words, pictures and video — The University of Nottingham’s leading research in sustainability as part of a collaborative exhibition with ZEDfactory.
The University is also partnering with the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) helping to attract Chinese investment to the East Midlands through the work of emda’s East Midlands China Business Bureau. This summer, emda announced that the Chinese car manufacturer, Chang’an Automobile Co, will establish its UK Research and Development facility at No 1 Nottingham Science Park, creating up to 200 new jobs.
More information on Nottingham at Shanghai Expo: www.nottingham.ac.uk/shanghaiexpo2010
Shanghai Expo site: http://en.expo2010.cn/
The University of Nottingham has a broad research portfolio but has also identified and badged 13 research priority groups, in which a concentration of expertise, collaboration and resources create significant critical mass. Key research areas at Nottingham include energy, drug discovery, global food security, biomedical imaging, advanced manufacturing, integrating global society, operations in a digital world, and science, technology & society.
Through these groups, Nottingham researchers will continue to make a major impact on global challenges.
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PICTURED above are Professor Nick Miles (right), Provost of UNNC, receiving a plaque marking the award of 'International Co-operation Base' status, presented by Dr Jin Xiaoming.
Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham, described by The Times as “the nearest Britain has to a truly global university”, has award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. It is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 75 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and the QS World University Rankings.
The University is committed to providing a truly international education for its 39,000 students, producing world-leading research and benefiting the communities around its campuses in the UK and Asia.
More than 90 per cent of research at The University of Nottingham is of international quality, according to the most recent Research Assessment Exercise, with almost 60 per cent of all research defined as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. Research Fortnight analysis of RAE 2008 ranked the University 7th in the UK by research power.
The University’s vision is to be recognised around the world for its signature contributions, especially in global food security, energy & sustainability, and health.
More news from the University at: www.nottingham.ac.uk/news
Facts and figures at: www.nottingham.ac.uk/about/facts/factsandfigures.aspx