A new collaboration between the University of Sheffield and Nanjing Tech University in China has been signed, paving the way for the establishment of a Joint Institute in Nanjing.

In the same week that University of Sheffield Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Keith Burnett met with China’s President Xi Jinping to discuss higher education and university partnerships, the University has signed a unique Cooperation Agreement with Nanjing Tech University for degree programmes in Chemistry, Financial Mathematics and Materials Physics.

President of Nanjing Tech University, Huang Wei discussing the Joint Institute earlier this year.

Currently, the institutions work together to allow students to transfer to the University of Sheffield for their final year in these areas. However, the agreement with Nanjing Tech University to seek permission from the Chinese Ministry of Education to establish a Joint Institute will allow students to gain a Sheffield degree without leaving China as they will be taught by Sheffield staff in Nanjing. Students will still be able to transfer between the campuses as before should they wish to gain experience in Sheffield.

In addition, the Joint Institute will seek to develop Masters and PhD collaborations as well as joint research initiatives, starting with Green Chemistry. While many existing collaborations between UK and Chinese universities concentrate on business and engineering courses, the University of Sheffield and Nanjing Tech University are leading the way in developing such a comprehensive base for collaboration in science.

Professor Sir Keith Burnett, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said: "I am delighted to welcome the establishment of the Nanjing Tech-University of Sheffield Joint Institute, which will play a vital role in meeting the needs of both nations for outstanding science graduates able to understand and work effectively together in the UK and China.

"The Joint Institute will create a large cohort of graduates who have been taught in both the Western and Eastern traditions, forging links between our countries for the future in these very important areas. At the same time we will be able to build on the University of Sheffields already significant success in high-impact research collaboration in China, in particular in such vital areas as sustainable energy and food, health and other challenges which require the talents of both nations."

Academician President Huang Wei from Nanjing Tech University commented: "We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with the University of Sheffield by means of establishing a Joint Institute, which will become a platform that not only offers world-class teaching and research opportunities for students in China as well as other countries, but also promotes knowledge exchange between young talents and scholars of our two countries, bringing benefit to China, Britain and the rest of the world."