Chinese university leaders meet UK students to encourage international exchange
20 October 2011
UK students will have the opportunity to put questions directly to Chinese university leaders as part of the British Council’s ‘China in the UK’ week, in London and Manchester from 22-29 October.
- UK and China vice-chancellors and university presidents to lead higher education policy dialogues
- Microsoft, Nestle, Nokia to attend China Employability Workshops
- 20 Chinese universities to promote study in China as well as education partnership options
Chinese delegates will directly introduce study opportunities in China to UK students at a Study in China exhibition to be held for the first time in the UK on 28 October.
The unique question and answer sessions between UK students and presidents of universities such as Renmin University of China, Harbin Institute of Technology and Beijing Normal University are part of a series of events for the bi-lateral conference. Leaders from the UK and Chinese higher education sector will meet with executives from multinational corporations such as Microsoft and Deloitte for policy dialogues, workshops and exhibitions intended to strengthen educational partnerships and academic exchanges between the UK and China.
The current scale and future potential of China-UK educational collaboration and academic exchange is illustrated by the facts that there are now over 130 approved joint academic programmes between the UK and China, over 90,000 Chinese students studying in the UK and that the number of international students in China, which currently stands at 265,000 including 3,300 British students, is expected to more than double by 2020.
The ‘China in the UK’ week will also include a series of ‘China Employability Workshops’. HR executives from major employers such as Microsoft, Nokia Siemens Networks, Nestle and Deloitte will provide an overview of China’s competitive job market, discuss their recruitment strategies and share specific graduate job and internship opportunities for UK university graduates, notably Chinese nationals, in China.
Joanna Burke, Director of the British Council in China, said: "The China in the UK week is a critical component of our strategy to foster educational opportunities and cultural relations between China and the UK. Overseas graduates retain close links with the country they have studied in and these long-lasting positive relationships are very influential in all kinds of areas, not least in terms of business." We’re very pleased to include the employability element within this year’s programme," Ms Burke added. "The British Council is committed to promoting partnership opportunities for UK institutions wanting to develop professional training in China, as well as to integrate and support graduate employment and career development through our very strong relationships with industries and employers."
The annual UK-China Education Summit will be held during the China in the UK week. Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, will host the Chinese delegation, led by Mr Yuan Guiren, Minister of Education of China. Senior delegates from 20 prominent Chinese universities will meet with the vice chancellors of 19 UK universities at a round table policy discussion to advance opportunities for collaboration in the areas of student mobility, collaborative research and joint programmes.
Notes to Editors
Joanna Burke, the British Council’s China Director, is available for interview.
Case studies of UK students with recent experience of studying in China are available.
China’s 2020 strategy document for international higher education is available.
For information about attending sessions, interview opportunities, and speaking with officials from Chinese universities, please contact Tim Sowula on tim.sowula@britishcouncil.org or 0207 389 4871.
About the China in the UK Week
1. China Employability Workshop for Chinese Students Studying in the UK
This session is to give Chinese students an insight into career opportunities available to them; help Chinese students to better understand employer’s needs as well as the current job market in China, and how to get ahead of the competition by improving their understanding of the job market.
London session
Time: 14:00 – 16:30, 22 October 2011 (Saturday)
Venue: Lecture Hall, Central Hall Westminster
Manchester session
Time: 14:00 – 16:30, 23 October 2011 (Sunday)
Venue: Lecture Theatre B, University Place, The University of Manchester
2. Professional Development and Training Needs of Chinese Employers
This is a discussion between Chinese employers and UK universities, colleges and private organisations who deliver training and professional development programmes in China or who wish to enter this market. This event will provide a forum for UK organisations to better understand the professional training and education opportunities in China.
Time: 10:00 – 12:00, 25 October 2011
Venue: the Westminster Conference Centre, Victoria Street, London SW1H 0ET
3. Career Advisor Workshop on China Job Market
The workshop will give an update of the Chinese job market, provide information about employers’ recruitment strategies and offer practical information to help colleagues who work in career guidance and graduate service provision to Chinese students.
Time: 14:00 – 17:00, 25 October 2011
Venue: the Westminster Conference Centre, Victoria Street, London SW1H 0ET
4. Key Online Influencers – Education UK Familiarisation Trip
A group of key online influencers in overseas education with between 1 million to 3 million followers each will be invited to the UK for a familiarisation trip. These people will be taken to visit various UK institutions (all sectors) but also experience various aspects of UK life and culture. The aim is for them to return and disseminate their positive experience online.
Time: 22 to 29 October 2011
Place: the UK
5. Higher Education Policy Dialogue [closed to media]
Senior delegates from 20 prominent Chinese universities will meet with the vice chancellors of 19 UK universities at a round table policy discussion to advance opportunities for collaboration in the areas of student mobility, collaborative research and joint programmes.
Time: 27 October 2011
Venue: London
6. Study in China (Theme: Mobility, Research and Joint Programmes)
a) Study in China Exhibition
Chinese delegates from 20 universities will introduce study opportunities in China. UK students will be invited to attend and explore study options directly. They will also have discussions with UK institutions interested in pursuing collaborations in mobility, research or joint programmes.
Time: 10:30-13:30 28 October 2011
Venue: Jeffrey Hall, Institute of Education, University of London, 20 Bedford Way
b) Students’ Forum with University Presidents from China
A panel of presidents and vice-presidents from Chinese universities will talk about study opportunities in China and answering questions about the courses on offer at their institutions.
Time: 11:00-12:30 28 October 2011
Venue: Jeffrey Hall, Institute of Education, University of London, 20 Bedford Way
7. Sino-UK Higher Education Forum
The delegation from China includes 26 Chinese university presidents, vice-presidents and Party Secretaries who are undertaking the Chinese equivalent of the Top Management programme. Their three-week visit has been organised by SAFEA (State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs), China, in association with the British Council China. The visit’s focus is on university governance, student experience, research and technology transfer management. During their one-week training in York, we will organise a Sino-UK Higher Education Forum on partnership, including opportunities and challenges, new approaches as well as engagement with the business sector. There is a huge interest in this forum. Up to now, 65 UK participants, many of whom are pro vice chancellors, have registered.
Time: 25 October
Venue: University of York
8. Chinese University Presidents’ Training in Edinburgh
The delegation from China includes 24 Chinese university presidents, vice-presidents and Party Secretaries who are undertaking the Chinese equivalent of the Top Management programme. Their three-week visit has been organised by National Academy of Education Administration (NAEA), China, in association with the British Council China. The training in Edinburgh covers university governance and management; the cultivation of teaching and talent, as well as faculty development.
Time: 24-28 October
Venue: University of Edinburgh
9. About the UK-China Education Summit
The UK and China have had in place, since 2000, a series of strategic framework agreements on developing and educational collaboration. UK and Chinese commitment to this agenda is demonstrated though the annual UK-China Education Summits, which alternate between Beijing and London.
Time: 27 October 2011
Place: London
About the British Council in China
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We work in over 100 countries worldwide to build opportunity and trust for the UK through the exchange of knowledge and ideas between people. We work in the arts, English, education and society, including science and sport.
Last year we engaged face to face with 18.4 million people and reached 652 million. Our first office in China opened in 1943 and we work in five cities in China. In Beijing we operate as the Cultural and Education Section of the British Embassy. In Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing we operate as the Cultural and Education Section of the British Consulates-General respectively. In Hong Kong we are known as the British Council. For more information, please visit: http://www.britishcouncil.org/hongkong.htm.
