Links between the UK and China in the scientific and academic sectors have been strengthened, as Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills John Denham officially opened the China office of Research Councils UK (RCUK), the first of its type outside Europe. The event is part of John Denham's five-day visit to China as a guest of the Chinese Ministry of Education. He is encouraging closer collaboration between the two countries in education, employability, science and technology.
Attending a special UK-China symposium in Beijing, Mr Denham thanked Vice-Minister Li Xueyong of the Ministry of Science and Technology for the Chinese government's commitment in helping to set up the new RCUK office. The UK's seven Research Councils have a track record of funding world class research.
Mr Denham said: "The UK and China are at the forefront of cutting edge science. This new office has the potential to help many more scientists and researchers think the big ideas and deliver the answers to some of the world's biggest problems: curing diseases; powering homes and industry more efficiently; saving the planet for future generations; transforming millions of people's lives for the better.
"The UK sees its future economic success in good science, better skills and a strong research base that works effectively with business. We believe that when we share our knowledge with Chinese scientists we are building a bright future for both our countries.
"The UK is one of the best places in the world for science, research and innovation and we want to make it even better still. Further joint working with China in these areas forms a major part of our efforts to create a more prosperous economy, skilled workforce and just society."
Professor Ian Diamond, chair of the RCUK Executive Group, said: "China is the obvious choice for the RCUK's first overseas office. China's growing importance in the world is clear - but overcoming geographical, cultural and funding-system barriers needs sustained dialogue and cooperation on many fronts. A permanent Beijing base for such work will make a huge impact."
On Monday 29 October, Mr Denham participated in the Annual Ministerial Education Summit. He discussed with China's Minister of Education Zhou Ji building stronger partnerships in the higher and further education sectors and reviewed current projects.
Two important Memorandums of Understanding were signed by the UK and China during the Summit. They were on higher education, stressing the need for greater partnership, and the Graduate Work Experience Programme, which enables UK businesses to employ high quality Chinese graduates and research students on a temporary basis.
Mr Denham also opened a Vocational Education and Training event in Beijing, where the UK's pioneering work on skills was discussed. Four leading Further Education college principals Ian Ashman, Kevin Finnigan, Geoff Pine, John Latham and an expert in workplace learning from Land Rover Jaguar Adrian Birch also participated in the seminar.
On Friday (2 November) Mr Denham will visit Xi'an Jiaotong Liverpool University, which specialises in linking with business to deliver courses relevant to the workplace.
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Notes to Editors
1. The RCUK Office in China is located on the Tsinghua Science Park, Haidian, north-west Beijing.
2. The RCUK Office in China has three strategic tasks:
to improve knowledge about each country's research systems and strengths, via a dedicated website;
to identify the scope for closer cooperation between the UK Research Councils and the Chinese research support agencies; and
to develop a programme of activities aimed at lowering the barriers to international research collaboration.
3. The RCUK Office will be legally autonomous, but will work closely with the UK's Science and Innovation diplomats based in the British Embassy Beijing and at the Consulate Generals in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing, as well as other relevant UK agencies in China such as the British Council and Department for International Development.
4. The RCUK Office in China is the first such office outside Europe. RCUK will open an office in Washington DC in November 2007, and proposes to launch another in New Delhi in 2008.
5. World-famous research funded by the UK Research Councils include the discovery of the ozone hole in the southern hemisphere, development of cloning technology including Dolly, the world's most famous sheep, and the development of monoclonal antibody drugs which now make up one-third of all new drug treatments for several major diseases.
6. The UK has won over 70 Nobel Prizes in chemistry, physics and physiology or medicine, more than any country except the United States. Many of these have been funded by the Research Councils: the Medical Research Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council has supported Sir Martin Evans, the 2007 laureate acclaimed as the father of UK stem cell research, throughout his career.
7. The UK and China already collaborate on significant science and technology projects. More than 5500 jointly authored papers were published between 2001 and 2005.
8. Major ongoing UK/China projects include research into the feasibility of using carbon capture and storage to reduce emissions from power plants, a prototype pandemic influenza vaccine and a major study of how flooding risks are likely to change in China over the next few decades.
9. The UK has an excellent track record in research and science. With 1 per cent of the world population, the UK is responsible for 5% of the world's science. The UK is the world's largest exporter of pharmaceuticals. One fifth of the UK's universities income is generated from intellectual property rights.