In early December, Professor Steve Busby, Dr Steve Minchin and Dr Dan Gibbs from the School of Biosciences visited the city of Guangzhou in Southern China, where the University of Birmingham is focusing its efforts to establish research and teaching links in Biosciences and beyond. The University even has a permanent office based in the heart of Guangzhou’s new CBD, a modern district of the city dominated by towering skyscrapers and the impressive multi-coloured Canton Tower.
The purpose of the trip was to both promote the 2+2 degree programme (where students complete two years at their host institute before joining the Birmingham degree course as second years), and identify overlapping research areas that could form the basis of future joint projects. Dr Minchin presented the degree transfer scheme at three of the region’s top Universities (University of Guangzhou, SCUT and Sun Yat-Sen), whilst Professor Busby and Dr Gibbs gave research talks at Sun Yat-Sen’s ‘sunny forum’ symposium and visited various labs and Professors within the Biology department.
It is hoped that this visit will lay the foundations for increased partnership between the School of Biosciences and China, through joint teaching efforts, research collaborations and co-funding applications.