The University of Nottingham

The University of Nottingham’s Sino-UK Geospatial Engineering Centre is one of only 20 research collaborations in the world to have been awarded International Joint Research Centre status by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology.

The Geospatial Engineering Centre is a joint Sino-UK operation between The University of Nottingham and the Chinese Academy of Surveying and Mapping, the sole research arm of China’s National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation (NASG).

Based at The University of Nottingham Innovation Park (UNIP), the Sino-UK Geospatial Engineering Centre operates in both China and the UK. The Chinese arm of the centre was launched towards the end of 2011 in Beijing, and the Nottingham arm was opened in summer 2012. It offers annual Executive Training courses for Chinese leaders working in the top surveying and mapping companies, in areas such as technology, management and business.

The Centre integrates the resources of the University with those of the Chinese Academy of Surveying and Mapping. It will also act as a world-leading incubation centre to realise the results of research and development, production and commercialisation, and will enable technology transfer to take place in businesses.

Speaking about being awarded the status of International Joint Research Centre, Dr Xiaolin Meng, Associate Professor of The University of Nottingham and UK Director of the Sino-UK Centre, said: “It is a great honour that the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology has chosen the Sino-UK Geospatial Engineering Centre as one of its International Joint Research Centres.

“So far, 127 Chinese executives have already taken part in seminars here at The University of Nottingham and we are also working closely with our partners in China on a number of groundbreaking research projects in the geospatial sector. We are looking forward to a long term collaboration with our Chinese colleagues, which will be of mutual benefit both to China and the UK.”

The Sino-UK Geospatial Engineering Centre is working proactively in China. It recently co-organised a high profile workshop on Geospatial Technologies for Precision Agriculture in Qingdao, Shandong Province. The workshop was held under the guidance of the National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation of China (NASG) and the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and sponsored by both governments. The workshop was attended by over 60 prominent Chinese officials, academics and business people.

Professor Chris Rudd, Pro-Vice Chancellor at The University of Nottingham, added: “The Sino-UK Geospatial Engineering Centre is one of a number of significant collaborations that we have established with Chinese organisations. Through the work of our colleagues at The University of Nottingham Ningbo Campus and our Asia Business Centre here in the UK, we have already developed research partnerships with major Chinese businesses involved in food and drink, automobile, aerospace and locomotive manufacturing. We are also helping British businesses take advantage of opportunities in China.”

In addition to its research collaborations, The University of Nottingham has been training a number of talented young Chinese managers through the Chevening Young Leaders Programme, and recently opened the Shanghai-Nottingham Advanced Academy, which provides specialised executive education to business people in China.