The University of Nottingham’s innovative approach to global higher education has given us first-mover status in Asia. As pioneers in the overseas campus model we were world-leaders establishing the first Sino-foreign university by working with a highly-regarded partner, Wanli Education Group (WEG) in Ningbo.
Our model is rooted in the civic principles upon which our University was founded and the fundamental belief that excellent research and teaching are inextricably intertwined. Due to the University of Nottingham’s focus on the development of trust, sustainability and a long-term approach, our overseas campuses are now successful endeavours in their own right. The contribution they make to our global reputation, is a unique and unparalleled asset to our institution.
University of Nottingham Ningbo China in numbers
- Celebrating 15 years of transforming lives
- 98% of our graduates employed or in further study six months after graduation
- £80m (estimated annual value of our presence and reputation in China to the University of Nottingham)
- 8,000 students
- £20m in philanthropic income over the last three years
- 661 students from outside China
- 740 staff
- 144-acre campus
- £26m investment in the UNNC International Academy for the Marine Economy and Technology in 2016
Education and alumni
Today UNNC is a rapidly-maturing challenger institution in the context of Chinese higher-education and we have seen consistent growth of our high-quality Gaokao student intake. We are a University fully embedded and highly engaged in our host community, city and nation. We recently celebrated our 10,000th graduate and many UNNC students go ing on for post-graduate study at some of the world’s top universities. Our students are our most effective advocates with a unique student experience that provides the best of a British education in China. UNNC students received exceptional opportunities for entrepreneurship, industry placement and creativity; something that has proven extremely popular with some of China’s most academically gifted young people.
In its first 10 years, UNNC has grown from a budding project into a blossoming educational success. It has done a superb job in bringing first-class educational resources to China. I hope in its next decade, UNNC can build on what it has achieved and continue to serve as a beacon of higher education cooperation between our two countries.
World-leading research
UNNC is a fast-growing hub for excellence in research, innovation and knowledge exchange. This is driven by the collaboration between the Ningbo Government, the University and industry partners in providing solutions to local challenges through world-class research and innovation. Initiatives such as the International Academy for the Marine Economy and Technology (IAMET), the Nottingham-Ningbo New Materials Research Institute and Nottingham Health China are all examples of the way UNNC and the University are contributing to the vision and strategy set out in the Ningbo 2049 City Development Strategy.
Enterprise and creativity
UNNC provides Ningbo and China with a thriving hub of creativity and entrepreneurship with students and researchers now supported by the Li Dak Sum Ingenuity Lab and the developing University of Nottingham-Ningbo International Incubator Park. UNNC aims to provide a model of entrepreneurship support that outperforms our competitors across China – to the benefit of Ningbo and its economy.
Cultural and civic links
UNNC has helped build the deep-rooted civic, cultural and societal links between the two cities of Nottingham and Ningbo. This is demonstrated in a number of ways: through the hundreds of school children and teachers that have taken part in two-way exchanges; the active cultural programmes now growing in both cities; and the development of the first ever joint UK-China city level five-year plan. The UK Government, through its Consulate in Shanghai, Embassy in Beijing and support from the British Council has been a vital and steadfast partner over the past decade.
Life in Ningbo
UNNC is in the Yinzhou district of Ningbo, Zhejiang province, on China’s prosperous east coast. Our 144 acre (584,666m²) secure campus is located in the Ningbo Higher Education Park and features many attractive spaces, including Chinese and English gardens symbolising the partnership behind our success. Most of our students live on campus with world-class facilities and a range of amenities including many shops and restaurants. International staff also have the option of living on-campus and we have a recently renovated an international-standard hotel to accommodate visiting lecturers and delegates to conferences and seminars. Our international conference centre offers space for up to 1,000 guests to attend major events on campus. We have on-campus sports facilities as well as restaurants and cafeterias that sell Chinese and Western-style food, halal cuisine and visiting international markets and bakeries that cater for all tastes
Ningbo city
Ningbo is one of the most prosperous cities in China, located on the south shore of Hangzhou Bay, opposite Shanghai. Ningbo is a rapidly growing city, ranked 7th by Forbes list of 'the top cities for business in China'. It is a city over 7,000 years old, and with a population of more than six million people, it is a thriving blend of enterprise, culture, education, tradition and entertainment. Ningbo is also now home to the 4th largest port in the world. It is twinned with Nottingham, Sao-Paulo (Brazil), Milwaukee (US), Nelson Mandela Bay (South Africa) and Aachen (Germany). The city of Ningbo is a unique mix of modern sky-scrapers and traditional architecture, complemented with stunning parkland and scenic spots. With temples, intricate streets and close to a hundred museums and exhibitions, the city is an ideal location to embrace Chinese culture and tradition. The city's excellent transport links mean that Ningbo is an ideal location to explore and to discover the vast array of cultural richness that both China and Asia have to offer.