WMG signs Memorandum of Understanding with Beijing university

Professor Zhang Xinxin, USTB President and Professor Lord Bhattacharyya. Photo: Warwick Media Library 

Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB), with the agreement aimed at establishing a long-term connection between the two universities.

The MOU was signed at the start of November and creates an intellectual partnership between USTB and the University of Warwick’s manufacturing department.

It will lead to shared research and development opportunities and aims to achieve this by working with companies in China and Europe.

The idea of a Memorandum of Understanding between USTB and WMG originated with the appointment of Professor Sridhar Seetharaman, who works within the Materials Processing and Electrochemistry group at WMG.

Professor Seetharaman was appointed as ‘top overseas honorary professorship’ at UTSB earlier this year, which established the link between the two universities.

Doctoral research will be supported by the MOU, despite not directly benefitting undergraduate study at the University of Warwick.

However, Warwick’s head of communications Peter Dunn commented that: “We believe that all research links across the university help inform and enhance undergraduate teaching.”

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya, chairman of WMG, said of the MOU: “I am extremely delighted that we have signed this MOU with this highly regarded research driven university.

“I look forward to working with USTB on joint collaborative research projects investigating the environmentally effective creation of innovative materials and their applications.”

The president of USTB, Zhang Xinxin, also expressed his opinion on the MOU, stating: “As a top research-oriented university, USTB is keen on international collaboration.

“I’m glad to sign the MOU with the University of Warwick and I hope we can soon start cooperation in personnel cultivation and joint research projects in materials science and the related disciplines.”

WMG was set up in 1980 in order to carry out world-class applied research. It is an academic department within the University of Warwick, which endeavours to work with industry in order to generate cutting-edge technology and innovation.

In addition to the new partnership with USTB, the University of Warwick also has strong links with Monash University in Australia and New York University, USA.