Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya launches new innovation activities in Beijing

WMG’s Chairman and founder, Professor Lord Bhattacharyya meets State Councillor Liu Yandong in Beijing WMG’s Chairman and founder, Professor Lord Bhattacharyya has been involved in a series of high level discussions in Beijing including State Councillor Liu Yandong and Minister of Education Mr Yuan Guiren, building on his close involvement with China since 1984.

A week of highly successful meetings with the Deputy Administrator State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs, the Beijing Deputy Mayor for Industry, the Chairman and leaders of enterprises in the Zhongguancun Development Group, the President of the Beijing Academy of Science and Technology and the Science and Technology Commission of the Beijing Municipal Government culminated in a very positive meeting with President Chen of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries where Lord Bhattacharyya was asked to cooperate in various areas of the relationship between the two countries.

Lord Bhattacharyya had an excellent meeting with the Minister of Education, Mr Yuan Guiren. He then met with State Councillor Liu Yandong for high level discussions on education, innovation, cultural development and economic growth in the presence of the Vice Minister of Education, the Assistant to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, President Chen and President Liu Lin of Beijing City University.

During the meeting, State Councillor Liu Yandong applauded Lord Bhattacharyya's contributions to educational exchanges between China and the United Kingdom and highlighted "broad prospects for cooperation between the two nations on education, technology, high-end manufacturing, energy conservation, environmental protection and new energy," adding that she “hoped universities of the two countries will further increase interactions in related sectors”. Lord Bhattacharyya commented that “he hoped to positively promote the practical cooperation between the UK and Chinese Enterprises and to develop exchange projects in the fields of education, humanity and local government exchanges through his visit.”

Lord Bhattacharyya signed an agreement with Professor Liu Lin of Beijing City University (BCU) which will see BCU and WMG aim to replicate WMG’s wide range of enormously successful Hong Kong enterprise education programmes in Beijing in partnership with BCU through a unique new Centre for Innovation. The Centre would support urbanisation, modernisation and economic growth to help enable further innovation in Chinese enterprises, leading to a strengthening in China: UK collaboration and trade. It would encompass a wide range of sectors including aerospace, healthcare, manufacturing, information and communications and infrastructure.

WMG, part of the University of Warwick, one of the UK’s top 10 universities, has worked closely with organisations in China for over thirty years, including a long term programme in Hong Kong through which over 1700 professionals from 600 companies have graduated and delivers specific programmes for companies in many sectors, including aerospace companies in Beijing.

This new agreement includes the intent of the two organisations to create a long term collaboration which aims to deliver the same range of tailored and bespoke education programmes enabling enterprise in Beijing and its surrounding region. Programmes (subject to formal approval) will reach over 1,000 individuals, impacting industry, commerce, government and the service sector. They would be delivered through a collaborative hub developed with the Zhongguancun Development Group and BCU.

WMG is globally renowned for its delivery of research and education expertise to companies, making a major impact on the innovation capacity and competiveness. It works with over 1,000 global companies in sectors including automotive, aerospace, construction, engineering, food and drink, health, marine, rail, telecommunications and pharmaceutical.

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya says: ‘I welcome this opportunity for WMG to work with Beijing City University, the leading municipal university, in China to design and deliver exciting, customer focused programmes which will make a major impact on the development of individuals and the competitiveness of companies.’

For further information please contact:

Lisa Barwick, WMG, University of Warwick Tel: 024 76 524721

Peter Dunn, email: p dot j dot dunn at warwick dot ac dot uk
Head of Communications, Communications Office, University House, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 8UW, United Kingdom UK
Tel: 024 76 523708
Mobile 07767 655860
International +44 24 76 523708; Mobile +44 7767 655860

PR147 12th September 2012