Engineering news
A group of UK Russell Group Universities has been selected to build collaborations with the top 10 engineering institutions in China, called the E9 Chinese Excellence League.
The £200,000 award by the British Council is aimed at building higher education links and helping to improve the quality of engineering research and teaching in China. The consortium includes University College London, The University of Nottingham, Queen’s University Belfast, Cardiff University, University of Warwick, and University of Birmingham.
The funding will enable the UK universities to create a critical mass on a cluster of key engineering areas, such as energy, advanced manufacturing, as well as develop materials and Internet of Things platforms. The collaboration will help maintain the UK’s global standing in light of increasing international competition, and allow China to make the transition from a big manufacturer to a manufacturing industry superpower.
Professor Patrick Johnston, vice-chancellor at Queen’s University Belfast, said: “This work will develop our institutional collaborations further, strengthening our links with both the UK and China. The award from the British Council is an indication of the international significance of this work, reaffirming our global reputation for excellence.”
Jonathan Stewart, deputy director of the British Council Northern Ireland, said: “Through this collaboration we can help to solve today’s challenges, with the solutions increasingly requiring working across boundaries, disciplines and international borders.
“Engaging with and strengthening our links with China will continue to be an important element in the development and growth of our economy."