The University of Birmingham and Jinan University joint institute was officially unveiled at a ceremony in Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
The Universities have joined forces to nurture mathematical talent in and around South China. The joint institute, a first for both Universities, will initially focus on degree programs in Applied Mathematics with Economics, Statistics, Computing, and Pure Mathematics. Enrolment is due to commence in 2017 and is planned to rise to 1200 students; students will be awarded degrees from both Birmingham and Jinan when they graduate.
The institute was officially opened at a recent ceremony where a plaque was unveiled to mark the event. Jinan was represented by Jun Hu, the President of Jinan University, while Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Andy Schofield represented Birmingham. Also in attendance were Zhonglin Wei, the Deputy Director of Guangdong Province Education Department and the British Consul-General in Guangzhou, Mr Matthew Rous.
Teaching will take place on Jinan’s new South Campus, Pan Yu, Guangzhou, and will be conducted entirely in English. Staff from the University of Birmingham’s School of Mathematics will travel to Jinan to teach modules in Mathematics.
Jinan University, established in 1906, is one of China’s elite group of the “211 Project” Universities. It has a focus on international orientation and has over 50,000 students. This type of degree programme is a first for both institutions and may be followed by similar ventures elsewhere.
Professor Jon Frampton, Deputy Pro-VC responsible for Chinese Initiatives and Director of the China Institute, said:
"The degree courses that Birmingham will deliver together with our Jinan colleagues represent an innovative way of teaching mathematics in China. We hope that this will be the beginning of much wider engagement in both education and research between our two universities."
Dr Nick Webber, the Birmingham programme director, said:
"The dual degree programmes represent an exciting development for Birmingham. They enable students to take a University of Birmingham degree while studying in China."