Essex Vice-Chancellor visiting partners in China and Hong Kong

Meeting established partners, developing new links across education and research, and connecting with our alumni community are the focus of our Vice-Chancellor’s visit to China and Hong Kong this month.

With international travel now possible following the pandemic, our Vice-Chancellor is keen to reconnect with international partners.

His visit will include meeting the British Council in Beijing, visiting the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) and travelling to Northwest University in Xi’an before joining alumni at a celebration in Hong Kong.

Professor Forster said: “I am so pleased to be able to return to China and Hong Kong to meet our partners once again. We’ve developed important partnerships with universities in the region during my time as Vice-Chancellor and we’re proud to welcome many students from China and Hong Kong each year.

“I am excited and proud to be able to visit Northwest University in Xi’an where we established our first joint degree course with a Chinese university. I really value the chance to meet with colleagues at Northwest to review our progress and see how we can build on this prestigious programme.”

The four-year programme between the University of Essex and Northwest University is approved by China’s Ministry of Education. Students following the programme study in China and the UK and students who successfully complete the course are awarded a BSc in Electronic Systems Engineering from Essex and a BSc in Electronic Information Science and Technology from Northwest.

Professor Forster added: “I’m really pleased to have the chance to meet Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange. We have enjoyed strong links with CSCSE and I hope my visit will develop further opportunities to work in partnership to offer outstanding opportunities to Chinese students to come to study in the UK.”

Professor Forster is also looking forward to meeting alumni in Hong Kong: “I’m always so amazed by the enthusiasm of our alumni community in Hong Kong and we’re very grateful for the support they provide to our students and graduates by volunteering as guest speakers, mentors, careers advisors or recruitment fair volunteers.