Visit enhances University's key strategic partnership with Guangzhou

Two years after the launch of the University of Birmingham’s collaborative centre in Guangzhou, Vice-Mayor Wang Dong is visiting Birmingham this week to expand the strategic partnership between the City and the University.

Leading a delegation of senior government officials and industry representatives, the Vice-Mayor will meet Vice-Chancellor Professor David Eastwood and sign an agreement to deepen and widen collaboration between the two partners.

To date, the strategic partnership has supported the development of four significant joint research projects in Guangzhou in the areas of health and life sciences, including the Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study in collaboration with the Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Centre and stem cell studies conducted jointly between the University of Birmingham and the Guangzhou Institutes for Biomedicine and Health. Five further research projects focused on advanced engineering and manufacturing will commence in January 2014.

This week’s delegation follows the visit last week to Guangzhou and Shenzen by University of Birmingham Pro-Vice-Chancellor and academic lead for China, Professor Edward Peck, who joined the high profile UK government delegation led by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and included a group with a special interest in higher education led by the Minister of State for Universities and Science David Willetts. During the visit, Mr Willetts visited the Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study led by University of Birmingham Professor KK Cheng.

Professor Peck said: “The University of Birmingham has developed an original approach to its strategic engagement with China which focuses on Guangzhou. We have secured funding for research collaborations with the City Government, local universities, research institutes and regional enterprises in the areas of health, life sciences and engineering, and look forward to enhancing our collaborations further during our discussions with the Vice-Mayor and his colleagues this week.”

• Established in 2011, the University of Birmingham’s Guangzhou Centre provides a springboard for wider collaborations across southern China, such as focused partnerships with leading universities, including Sun Yet-Sen University in medical sciences, South China University of Technology in mechanical and automotive engineering, and a flying-faculty MBA programme with Jinan University. Other joint engagements include Continuous Professional Development Programmes and corporate partnerships.
• The Born in Guangzhou Cohort Study
  This significant project aims to build a birth cohort and child health research platform in Guangzhou, including the development of a biological sample library research technology platform, a database of epidemiological and clinical information and a comprehensive information management system.
• For media enquiries, contact: Catherine Byerley, International Media Relations Manager, University of Birmingham, Tel: +44 (0)121 414 8254.