UoN Vice-Chancellor Shearer West awarded honorary citizenship of Ningbo

06 September 2021


Professor Shearer West, President and Vice-Chancellor of University of Nottingham (UoN), was awarded honorary citizenship of Ningbo this week. She is the third Vice-Chancellor of UoN to receive this honour after Professor Sir Colin Campbell and Professor Sir David Greenaway.

Ningbo honorary citizenship is the highest honour given to compatriots of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, overseas Chinese, foreigners, as well as Ningbo’s friends and supporters who have contributed to the economic development, scientific advancements, international cooperation, or international image and influence of Ningbo. So far, 211 people have been awarded the title of Honorary Citizen.

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Professor Shearer West

Professor Shearer West became the President and Vice-Chancellor of UoN in October 2017. Since then, she has devoted a lot of efforts to the construction of a high-level Sino-foreign university and established a profound friendship with the people of Ningbo. By introducing world-class teaching and research innovation resources, she has further enhanced UNNC’s ability to cultivate high-quality international talents and serve local social and economic development, making vital contributions to higher education in Ningbo.

With strong support from Professor West, the Nottingham Ningbo China Beacons of Excellence Research and Innovation Institute was established in Ningbo National High-tech Industrial Development Zone in May this year. Centering on the “246” industrial cluster of Ningbo, the Institute focuses on intelligent manufacturing, green chemicals and energy, and life science and healthcare, introducing the scientific and technological innovation resources and talents of the University of Nottingham to build high-standard laboratories.

Since 2017, Professor West has made nine visits to Ningbo. Even when under the impact of the pandemic in 2020, she kept close connection and communication via video calls, conference calls and e-mail. Supporting UNNC to play its essential role as a bridge between China and the UK, she contributed greatly to the establishment of Ningbo’s international connection, cross-border experience sharing on pandemic prevention and control, promotion of preparation work of campus reopening, and the communications upon the recovery of economic development.

In October 2020, Zheng Shanjie, Governor of Zhejiang Province, addressed in his response letter to Professor West that in the face of the challenges brought by Covid-19, the University of Nottingham and UNNC proactively responded to the challenges. “This fully showed the international vision and responsibility of world first-class universities.” He also encouraged UNNC to continue to carry out international cooperation in innovation, and make greater contribution to the friendship and communications between China and the UK.