The Institute aims to serve as a comprehensive platform to build three Beacons of Excellence Research and Innovation Centres - in Intelligent Manufacturing, Green Chemicals and Energy and Life Science and Health Care respectively. These aim to integrate global scientific innovation resources to achieve innovative research, knowledge transfer and talent cultivation.

Since opening its first in the UK in 2017, the University of Nottingham has established six “Beacons of Excellence”. They have brought together hundreds of experts from various fields to tackle today’s most pressing global challenges.

According to the Agreement, the Nottingham Ningbo China Beacons of Excellence Research and Innovation Institute will start operations of the three research centres and complete construction of the main laboratories and platforms by 2024.

It aims to introduce and establish research, administration and technical support teams by integrating the talent resources from UNNC, the University of Nottingham UK, and University of Nottingham Malaysia. In addition, another 60-80 high-level researchers will be recruited, among which a substantial number will be equivalent to the highest level of national talents and the level of academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences or Chinese Academy of Engineering.

The Agreement will set up an International Innovative Doctoral Education Base and train 400-500 PhD students with global insights. The number will gradually grow to 1,000 in the long term. It also aims to set up a postdoc station.

“As an open international scientific and technological innovation platform, the Institute will gather global talent and technical resources to be rooted in Ningbo, and to serve the development of Ningbo and beyond. We hope to explore new models and achievements in deepening international cooperation between universities and cities in this new stage,” said UNNC Provost Professor Nick Miles at the signing ceremony.