Manchester University head seeks closer ties with Chinese academia

Duncan Ivison, president and vice-chancellor of The University of Manchester, recently completed a visit to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong to connect with partners, alumni, and universities in China.

It was his first official overseas visit since assuming the role last August. His stops included Tsinghua University, Peking University, the China Scholarship Council, the Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Fudan University and the Asia Society Hong Kong Center.

"It's all about building those connections and creating good partnerships," Ivison said about his visit. For example, at Tsinghua University, where he met with the university's president Li Luming, discussions focused on developing further collaboration in fields like electrical engineering, chemistry, astronomy, health, and environmental sustainability. He also visited the Tsinghua University Art Museum to explore potential partnerships with the Manchester Museum.