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UK-China sustainability research collaboration

9 February 2009

Links:

China-UK MoU instituteforsustainability.co.uk/" target="_self">Thames Gateway Institute for Sustainability
  • UCL Grand Challenges
  • UCL and China

    • The Thames Gateway Institute for Sustainability has signed a memorandum of understanding with engineering giant Arup and Tongii University, China, to promote collaboration on research in Sustainable Design and Construction of the Urban Environment.

    Professor Malcolm Grant, President and Provost of UCL, is chairing the board of the new institute, a multi-million pound centre of excellence set to support the development of practical and commercial innovations aimed at reducing negative impacts on the environment.

    The agreement took place at the UK-China Business Summit, attended by the UK Prime Minister, Rt Hon Gordon Brown and Premier of the People's Republic of China, Wen Jiabao.

    Signatories included Professor Grant, Professor Zheng Shiling of Tongji University and Jeremy Watson, Global Research Director of Arup.  

    The agreement formalises the shared intent of the UK and China to collaborate on sustainability and heralds the establishment of sustainability research institutes in both countries. It will ensure that together the UK and China become leaders of the environmental technologies industry - already worth £25 billion to the UK economy alone.

    Jeremy Watson, Director of Global Research at Arup said: "This partnership is a significant step in meeting the sustainability challenges faced by every nation. The creation of new and lasting links between Chinese and British research institutes, government agencies and business, should result in policies and best practice to lead development and future design in China, the UK and worldwide."

    Professor Grant said: "The Thames Gateway Institute for Sustainability is an exciting new venture that will bring together powerful research teams from the private sector, universities and other research organisations, with global co-operation - particularly with our partners in China - to address some of the most pressing problems confronting the world today."

    To find out more, use the links at the top of this article

    Image: Memorandum of Understanding signatories and witnesses.