The University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) Partner Day was successfully held by UNNC Global Engagement Office and Graduate School recently. The event attracted top universities and research institutions from around the globe, such as University of Melbourne, Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Boston University, Ningbo Institute of Industrial Technology, CAS, the Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resource Research, CAS (IGSNRR), and Yongjiang Laboratory. They gathered to engage in academic and cultural exchange, jointly exploring the future development of international education cooperation.

It is one of a series of celebratory activities for UNNC's 20th anniversary, including keynote speeches, doctoral training partnership symposium, international students' experience sharing, immersive UNNC campus experience, and overseas universities information booth.

Share international education resources

On the 2nd Doctoral Training Partnership Symposium, Professor Jon Garibaldi, Provost of UNNC, and Professor Chonghui Zheng, Executive Deputy Director of Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (HIAS), jointly signed the Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) between UNNC and HIAS. This initiative will utilise the academic strengths, resources, and facilities of both parties to cultivate high-level talents with an international perspective and a deep understanding of the industry.

As of March 2024, UNNC has signed DTPs with 17 renowned domestic academic institutions and research organisations, including IGSNRR and the Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Professor Alain Chong, Vice Provost for Global Engagement and Partnerships, stated that by  leveraging  the international network of the University of Nottingham and local resources in China, UNNC has established partnership with hundreds of overseas universitie and leading industry enterprises. It is also actively promoting extracurricular activities to help students broaden their horizons, polish transferable skills, and explore their potential.

Professor Wei Zhao, Chair of Academic Council and Chair Professor at Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, Dr Ngozi Taffe, Associate Vice President for Global Affairs of University of Connecticut, and Professor Ping Cui, Director of Yongjiang Laboratory, delivered keynote speeches focusing on talent cultivation models within the context of globalisation. They delved into the future trends of research collaboration and global education.

Explore academic and cultural experiences

This UNNC Partner Day has also provided a face-to-face opportunity for students to directly interact with world-class universities. At the sub-venue, the 2nd Doctoral Training Partnership Symposium, numerous jointly-trained PhD students from UNNC shared their academic experiences and achievements with representatives from global universities.

Xiaohui Lu, a PhD student, jointly trained by UNNC and the Institute of Urban Environment, CAS, expressed that the international research resources provided by UNNC have allowed her to connect with academic thoughts from around the world. International students from countries including the UK, Australia, Malaysia, and Spain shared their exchange experiences at UNNC. Among them, Saul Fernandez Garcia from Spain mentioned that he had participated in various activities which had sparked his aspiration and love for excellent traditional Chinese culture. He also thanked UNNC for providing him with such valuable experiences. The distances between numerous universities were greatly diminished, while the potential and appeal of UNNC as an international platform were also on full display.  

The Partner Day not only served as a witness to UNNC's unwavering commitment to international education cooperation over the past two decades but also lay down a development foundation for further collaboration with global partners. UNNC will continue to adhere to integrating high-quality resources from both home and abroad and will always strive to cultivate high-level innovative talents with an international perspective.