The UK’s University of Leicester has partnered up with China’s Dalian University of Technology and opened an international campus in China which will focus on teaching STEM subjects and offer dual degrees.
The university hopes that 10% of its UK undergraduate population will study at Leicester International Institute, Dalian University of Technology, by 2020.
“Our purpose is to advance the exchange of culture, science, engineering and technology”
Chinese students will have the opportunity to take part of their degree in Leicester, and UK students will have the chance to undertake a year or more of their degree in China.
The first courses to be offered are in chemistry and mechanical engineering, explained director of the institute, Eric Hope.
The partnership not only seeks to expand staff and students’ horizons, but it will also “support China to develop a globally-competitive workforce,” he said.
The first cohort of students are being taught at the Institute, based on the Panjin campus, following opening ceremonies attended by president and vice-chancellor Paul Boyle alongside academic and civic leaders.
“Our purpose is to advance the exchange of culture, science, engineering and technology between China and the United Kingdom,” said Boyle.
Both universities have a renowned reputation when it comes to research, he added.
“Leicester and Dalian have chosen to work together because of our shared global standing, and our belief in research and learning excellence. As world-class research-intensive universities we will build collaborative research groups that will underpin exciting new discoveries.”
President Guo from Dalian University of Technology, said: “This initiative will succeed because we will only recruit the very brightest students. We chose to work with Leicester because of their research reputation – our partnership will be strong because it is based on powerful research collaboration.”
