Tuesday, 18 July 2023
UK and China cooperation plays a vital role in global food system and agricultural transition in the post-Covid era, a new report finds.
A research report on UK-China Cooperation in Agricultural Research and Cooperation, jointly prepared and published by Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) and University of Nottingham recently, highlights the achievements, good practices, and barriers against bilateral cooperation over the last 10 years.
This project, funded by the British Embassy Beijing and the UKRI China Office, with co-funding from both CAAS and University of Nottingham, has provided opportunities for researchers from the two countries to share their experiences, opinions and suggestions for bilateral research and innovation cooperation towards green transformation and sustainability of our agri-food system.
The report detailed that the UK-China Joint Research and Innovation Partnership Fund and other funding sources have sponsored more than 1,000 related projects in the past, resulting in a foundation for mutual trust and partnerships at both institutional and individual levels. For future cooperation, there is a space for industrial players and social scientists to enhance social impact of bilateral projects.
Nonetheless, new funding mechanisms are also needed to broaden funding channels, including industrial funding sources to promote bilateral trade and economic growth, and trilateral or multilateral mechanisms - with other countries - to address global challenges and opportunities in the post-Covid era.
Dr Bin Wu, Senior Research Fellow in the Haydn Green Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, PI of the project, said: "I am pleased to complete and publish this report which brought together over 100 respondents from the UK and China who express strong interests to develop and deepen bilateral cooperation.
"Hopefully, research findings and policy recommendations could be helpful for relevant funding agencies, senior managers and researchers to think and plan bilateral programmes or projects.”
The University of Nottingham team, led by Dr Bin Wu, managed the methodological advice of the whole project, and information collection and summary of the UK perspectives on priorities, mechanisms and best practices for bilateral cooperation in agricultural research and innovation.
The project in the UK side was jointly designed and delivered with Food System Institute (FSI), Consortium of Future Rural Studies (CFRS), University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC), N8 AgriFood Group and James Hutton Institute.
Story credits
More information available from Dr Bin Wu in Nottingham University Business School at Bin.Wu@nottingham.ac.uk or; Faith Pring, Media Relations Manager, on faith.pring@nottingham.ac.uk
Faith Pring - Media Relations Manager
Email: faith.pring@nottingham.ac.uk
Phone: 0115 748 4411
Location: University of Nottingham, University Park
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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