A Cranfield University delegation has visited China and Singapore as part of the University’s ambition to expand its impact and influence internationally, and to connect with its alumni and business communities.
Sir Peter Gregson, Cranfield’s Chief Executive and Vice-Chancellor, was joined by Professor Simon Pollard, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the School of Water, Energy and Environment; Professor Phil John, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing, and Professor Iain Gray, Director of Aerospace, among others.
Sir Peter presided over graduation ceremonies for Cranfield students from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and the new Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC).
Cranfield staff visited Beihang University in Beijing to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), broadening the collaborations between Cranfield and Beihang to include research into the future of air transport systems. Further visits to partners in Beijing and Shanghai, including Shanghai Jiao Tong University, were focused on deepening existing collaborations in postgraduate education research.
In Singapore, the delegation signed MoUs with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Nanyang Polytechnic. Cranfield and NTU share interests in clean energy and environment, engineering, and nanotechnology, and both host Rolls Royce University Technology Centres. Cranfield and Nanyang Polytechnic will collaborate in manufacturing and development and staff/student exchanges.
These signings followed Sir Peter joining a series of Ministerial visits in China alongside the UK’s Universities, Science, Research and Innovation Minister, Jo Johnson; and the UK’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Mark Walport. The visits focused on Higher Education and the relationship that universities have with key stakeholders such as alumni, government, and businesses.
Cranfield has over 1,600 alumni based in Singapore and China working in business and technology for a range of global companies including Costco, China Eastern Airlines, and Singapore Technologies Engineering Ltd. As part of the visit, alumni receptions took place in Beijing, Shanghai and Singapore.
Sir Peter Gregson commented: “We are a global university and welcome over 4,500 postgraduate students from more than 100 countries to Cranfield each year. It was a pleasure to meet some of our alumni and to visit more former students at Unilever’s global talent and development campus in Singapore. Expanding our relationships in academia and business allows us to collaborate with leading institutions that have similar research interests to Cranfield and thus to make ground-breaking developments in the future of technology and management.”
Science Minister Jo Johnson said: “The future of science depends on collaboration and sharing expertise and China is an important science partner for the UK.”
While in Shanghai, Sir Peter attended the Pujiang Innovation Forum which included discussions about the future of science, international development trends and how countries can work together to enhance the partnership between science and technology.
About Cranfield University
Cranfield University is a specialist postgraduate university that is a global leader for education and transformational research in technology and management.
