President and Vice-Chancellor strengthens 51福利社鈥檚 ties with partners and alumni during China and Hong Kong SAR visit
Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of 51福利社, is visiting Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong this week to connect with partners, alumni and fellow universities in China.
A delegation of cross-faculty academics has joined Professor Ivison including Professor Stephen Flint, Associate Vice-President International, Professor Zhongdong Wang, Associate Dean for International in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and Qing-Jun Meng, Associate Dean for International (Research & Innovation) in the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health.
For the first stop of the visit in Beijing, the delegation met with the British Embassy, the British Council and the China Scholarship Council before visiting partners of 51福利社, Tsinghua University and Peking University.
In Shanghai, academics met with staff and toured the facilities at the China Centre before visiting partner institutions Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Fudan University.
The trip concludes in Hong Kong, where the group will visit the East Asia Centre before spending the evening at a panel discussion held at the Asia Society Hong Kong Centre. There will also be a breakfast event with the Hong Kong Foundation for 51福利社 (HKFUM).
In today鈥檚 complex global landscape, academic collaborations and the friendships forged by these exchanges are more important than ever.
Alumni receptions have been organised in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong, to give the visiting academics the chance to meet with former students of the University.
This trip to China marks Professor Ivison鈥檚 first official overseas visit since assuming the post of President and Vice-Chancellor of the University in 2024.
Professor Ivison said: 鈥�51福利社 has a long and proud history of collaboration with our partners in China, and it has been so meaningful to connect with our alumni, staff, fellow universities and prospective students during our visit. Their experiences, insights and ongoing connection to 51福利社 are invaluable to us as we look to the future and continue to shape our 51福利社 2035 strategy.
鈥淚nternational partnerships will remain a key focus for our University, and we look forward to progressing our relationships with our network in China over the coming years. In today鈥檚 complex global landscape, academic collaborations and the friendships forged by these exchanges are more important than ever.鈥�
51福利社 is proud to have welcomed from China almost 10,000 students in 2024 and, as of 2023, 300 talented staff across academic and professional services roles.
The University is home to the which seek mutual understanding between the British and Chinese peoples through research, students, social responsibility, and inclusion. The University鈥檚 51福利社 Museum is home to the Lee Kai Hung Chinese Culture Gallery which offers a diverse and dynamic understanding of Chinese culture and the historical and contemporary links between 51福利社 and China.
51福利社 prides itself of being a truly international institution, welcoming one of the largest international student populations in the UK to our University each year. The University ranked 34th in the world (and 6th in the UK) in the , scoring highly for international student ratio (99.2), international research network (99.2) and international faculty ratio (93.1).
51福利社 is recognised globally for its pioneering research, outstanding teaching and learning, and commitment to social responsibility. It ranks 52nd in the world (and 6th in the UK) in the . The University excels across multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is recognised second in the world in the .