25 April 2016 16:40

Lancaster University has received approval from the Ministry of Education in Beijing to establish a joint institute with its highly ranked partner Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU). The new campus, called Lancaster University College - Beijing Jiaotong University, will be located in Weihai in the Shandong province.

Chinese and international students will be offered undergraduate programmes in Computing, Design, Engineering and Environmental Science from September 2016, co-delivered by Lancaster and BJTU academics. Masters courses in Computing and Engineering will be available from 2017 and courses in Business, Accounting & Finance and Logistics are also planned. Graduates will receive a degree from both institutions.

Lancaster is committed to providing students at Lancaster University College - Beijing Jiaotong University with an excellent student experience and many of Lancaster’s resources will be available to them. Academic standards will be subject to rigorous quality assurance including continuous moderation of assessment setting and marking.

In addition to teaching collaborations with BJTU, the universities will develop research links and Chinese staff at the new campus will be eligible for Lancaster's staff development programmes such as the Certificate of Academic Practice.

Lancaster University's Vice-Chancellor Professor Mark E. Smith welcomed this new development: "I am delighted that students in China will be able to benefit from Lancaster’s and BJTU’s joint expertise which is built on internationally very strong track records of delivery in education and research.

"Lancaster has been recognised as one of the first universities in the UK to establish relationships with China, dating back to the 1970s.  That collaboration with highly regarded Chinese partners remains an important part of Lancaster’s global strategy."

Lancaster was a winner of the China Education Links Award given by UK Trade & Investment North West and has developed research, management, teaching and employment links with a wide range of institutions in China.

Lancaster University offers a number of undergraduate degree programmes with Chinese as a minor such as Linguistics, English Language and Politics , a new China Studies degree and all students are offered the chance to study Mandarin with the help of the Confucius Institute based on campus. This also offers Chinese cultural courses to schools and businesses as well as supporting enterprise in the North West. These programmes will help provide a bridge between Lancaster University and Beijing Jiaotong University.

Lancaster University’s  Environment Centre  also has long established links with China including the China Bridge Project which aims to tackle environmental issues like global food security.

Lancaster University College - Beijing Jiaotong University will provide Lancaster University with a substantial presence on the ground in China, enabling the University to better integrate its diverse research and teaching activities.