The University is developing its international profile rapidly through its varied relationships with global partners and new and exciting inititatives. These are just some of our recent developments.
New Joint Module taught in Delhi
Teaching on a new Advanced Intensive Module designed and delivered collaboratively between Universities of Birmingham, Melbourne and Delhi, members of the international network of leading research intensive universities Universitas 21 has just been completed in Delhi.
This intensive MA module explored the evolving international security agenda and encourage students to consider if security and insecurity have fundamentally transformed in recent decades. It considered the relevance of the traditional ‘national security’ paradigm – based upon military defence of territory against ‘external’ threats – and explore how challenges such as weak and failed states, environmental degradation, terrorism, underdevelopment, migration, and normative ideas such as ‘human security’ and the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ have come to change the way we think about, and respond to, insecurity.
The module encouraged students to take a ‘critical’ approach to these debates, it drew upon the diverse backgrounds of participants, and it explored the South Asia experience – as well as other regions – to illustrate the topics discussed.
The University announces Li Siguang doctoral scholarships
A delegation of senior members of the University of Birmingham travelled to China in October to announce the creation of six scholarships for Chinese nationals to undertake PhD study at the University of Birmingham. The scholarships, funded in partnership with the China Scholarship Council (CSC) are named in honour of one of the University of Birmingham’s most prominent alumni, the scientist Li Siguang, who besides being Minister for Geology and President of the Chinese Society for Science and Technology was a key figure in the discovery and exploitation of China’s fuel reserves and internationally one of those whose work laid the bedrock for the study of plate dynamics. Li Siguang’s links with the University of Birmingham went beyond his academic training, as he continued to be associated with the School of Geology after his doctorate, and his daughter Dr Li Lin also attended the university. Li Siguang’s granddaughter, Madam Tsou Ping was guest of honour at the event in Shanghai hosted by Professor David Eastwood, Vice-Chancellor where she was presented with a bound copy of her grandfather’s thesis.
Opening of offices in Shanghai and Beijing
During the formal reception event held in Shanghai in October, Professor David Eastwood announced the University of Birmingham’s opening of representative offices in Shanghai and Beijing. The University has maintained a presence in Shanghai since December 2009 and will confirm the appointment of a representative in Beijing in Spring 2011. The main objectives of the office bases are building partnerships with Chinese institutions, developing research collaborations that tackle important issues for China and supporting our community of alumni. Although the office will also support recruitment of Chinese students to programmes at Birmingham, this is not the main objective.
Inaugural Graduation Ceremony in Shanghai
During his time in Shanghai, the Vice-Chancellor and colleagues also conducted the first ever graduation ceremony in China. The prestigious event, held at the JW Marriott hotel in Shanghai, honoured Professor Jianguo Hou, President of University of Science and Technology China with a DSc. Prof Hou has been working closely with Prof Xin Yao in the School of Computer Science, to develop a Joint USTC-Birmingham Research Institute in Intelligent Computation and its Applications.