Cardiff China Centre
Introduction
Cardiff University is committed to developing and maintaining strong links with the People’s Republic of China. As a sign of this commitment, the University, in collaboration with the City Council, established the Cardiff China Centre in 1984.
The Centre’s Aims
The Centre aims to:
- act as a focus for the University’s links with China
- encourage and facilitate research with top universities in China
- encourage substantive and sustainable links with Chinese partners
- engage all Schools within the University in Chinese activities
- assist the University in developing an international strategy in relation to student recruitment from China
- strengthen alumni links with former Chinese students
1984 was also when Cardiff became officially linked to its sister city Xiamen, in Fujian Province, making Cardiff the first city in the UK to undertake such a partnership with China.
Since then, the University has hosted a number of visiting scholars as well as students from Xiamen and enjoyed a series of return visits. The link continues today through collaboration in teaching and research, the development of joint degree programmes and the exchange of teaching staff.
Other established links
The University has many other well-established links with Chinese institutions.
Initiatives include projects with Tsinghua, Shanghai Jiaotong and China Communications universities, joint research with organisations such as the Baoshan Steel Corporation, and the provision of a Cardiff-based training course for Chinese professors of Law.
Between 2003 and 2005 the University delivered a series of training programmes for Vice Presidents of leading institutions, Cardiff having been specially selected by the Chinese Ministry of Education as an example of a dynamic, developing institution.
The University is also a member of the International Strategic Technology Alliance (ISTA), a group of 21 leading, mainly Chinese, universities that aims to facilitate extensive collaboration in the commercialisation of results from the research and technologies developed by its members.
Cardiff’s interest in China is further evidenced through its provision of Mandarin language courses to students and the local community.
A number of schools within the University carry out research into China including Cardiff Business School, the School of History and Archaeology, the School of Engineering, and the School of City and Regional Planning.
Cardiff University boasts a flourishing Chinese community, with more than 30 Chinese staff employed by the University and more than 500 Chinese students studying on campus.
Courses popular with Chinese students include Business, Engineering, Journalism, City and Regional Planning, Computer Science and Law, but Chinese students are also enrolled on programmes in 19 of the University’s 28 academic schools.
Cardiff alumni now hold many senior positions within Chinese organisations, including the presidency of Beijing Normal University and the controllership of CCTV International.
The University welcomes applications from Chinese students to all of its programmes and values the contribution they make to the student community.
Making a home in Cardiff
The city of Cardiff is home to a thriving Chinese community, which established in the late 19th century, is one of the oldest Chinese communities in the UK. There are numerous Chinese restaurants and specialist shops within the city, and events such as Chinese New Year are celebrated in grand style.