China: Ministerial visit focusing on science and education
Published 6 May 2014
© Crown copyright 2014
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/china-science-and-education-david-willetts-visit-april-2014/china-science-and-education-david-willetts-visit-april-2014
0.1 Summary
David Willetts advances cooperation on the Newton Fund, promotes a multi- million pound commercial satellite deal, discusses co-operation on the Square Kilometre Array and witnesses the signing of a raft of science and education collaboration agreements. The Minister and Chinese partners support our ambition to increase the number of UK students in China.
0.2 Detail
David Willetts visited China from 22-24 April, leading on the education and science elements of the ceremonial People to People Dialogue, chairing the Education Summit and participating in a range of events recognising UK and Chinese science and education partnerships. His visit saw immediate outcomes in the following areas:
Newton Fund
Vice-Premier Liu Yandong’s endorsement of the fund in the formal dialogue gave Chinese partners a clear signal for discussions the following day at working level between UK delivery partners (BIS, Royal Society, British Council, RCUK) and their Chinese counterparts (Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Ministries of Education and Science and Technology).
Earth Observation
The Minister visited China’s “Space City” and the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) ’s impressive satellite construction and testing centre, and met the newly appointed Head of the China National Space Administration (CNSA). With CAST leaders and the CNSA the Minister discussed the progress of a multi million pound deal signed in December between one of their affiliated commercial companies and the UK’s Surrey Satellites Technology Ltd (SSTL).
After witnessing the signing of an MOU between Nottingham’s Sino-UK Geospatial Engineering Centre and the Ministry of Science and Technology’s National Remote Sensing Centre of China, the Minister discussed the Square Kilometre Array with the DG of the NRSCC, who is responsible for China’s international co-operation on the SKA. They expressed enthusiasm and support for UK-China collaboration on the SKA project, and informed us that head of the SKA Office Philip Diamond would be in Beijing next month.
Education: Maths and Chinese Teaching and Student Mobility
Chairing the seventh UK-China Education Summit, David Willetts and Chinese Vice Minister for Education Hao Ping applauded the breadth and strength of education collaboration. Following up Elizabeth Truss’s visit in February, a new DfE agreement was signed on maths teaching exchange to improve UK school maths standards, drawing on Shanghai’s internationally recognised performance.
David Willetts announced mobility plans to increase the number of British students in China to 80,000 by 2020 and requested co-operation on recognition of internships in China’s visa regime to support this. The Minister also requested we work together on mutual recognition of vocational qualifications. He addressed events celebrating two-way student mobility, including a Vice Chancellors’ Higher Education Roundtable and a Student Forum. He witnessed a total of 13 education signings, including an MOU on new research into the Chinese language learning in the UK. The findings will inform the future policy and investment needed to meet the Prime Minister’s target of 400,000 Chinese language learners in the UK by 2020.
0.3 Comment
As well maintaining our healthy education relationship, this visit has been vital in supporting two high value science projects – enabling our flagship Newton science and innovation fund to move nearer to implementation in June, and setting Surrey Satellites’ high value collaboration on track.
0.4 Disclaimer
The purpose of the FCO Country Update(s) for Business (”the Report”) prepared by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is to provide information and related comment to help recipients form their own judgments about making business decisions as to whether to invest or operate in a particular country. The Report’s contents were believed (at the time that the Report was prepared) to be reliable, but no representations or warranties, express or implied, are made or given by UKTI or its parent Departments (the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS)) as to the accuracy of the Report, its completeness or its suitability for any purpose. In particular, none of the Report’s contents should be construed as advice or solicitation to purchase or sell securities, commodities or any other form of financial instrument. No liability is accepted by UKTI, the FCO or BIS for any loss or damage (whether consequential or otherwise) which may arise out of or in connection with the Report.