Key facts & information
China and Hong Kong
Introduction
Edinburgh Napier established a permanent office in Beijing in 1999 and were one of the first UK
universities to do so. A second permanent office in China, at partner institution the Shandong
University of Finance, was opened in 2006. Our presence in Hong Kong dates back 20 years and
in 2009 almost 600 students graduated with Edinburgh Napier qualifications delivered with our
partner institutions.
Internationalisation is a key strategic priority for Edinburgh Napier and an activity in which it has a
long-term record of success. Our approach to internationalisation is not simply focussed on
recruiting international students, but is also based on a partnership approach with institutions
overseas. The emphasis on our international reputation and indeed our partnerships continue to be
reflected in our 2009-2015 Strategic Plan, through our objectives, ‘To be an international university’
and ‘To be a preferred partner’
Key facts
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3, 813 (24%) international students from over 100 countries.
There are around 2500 students studying Edinburgh Napier programmes delivered with our
partners in Hong Kong and China: 1219 are from the Republic of China and 825 are from
Hong Kong.
Over 400 students from China and Hong Kong studied at our campuses in Edinburgh in
2009.
In 2009, 600 students graduated with our qualifications in Hong Kong
One of the first universities in the UK to open an office in China
Principal and Vice-Chancellor awarded Henan province Yellow River Friendship award.
In 2009 the University celebrated the tenth anniversary of Beijing Office
Edinburgh Institute launched in Hong Kong 2009
Edinburgh Napier had the joint fourth highest number of Chinese students in Scotland in
2007/08 with 8.2%. The University of Edinburgh was top with 15.5% of all Chinese
students.
Version 1: last updated February 2010
A more detailed version of this factsheet is also available – see http://staff.napier.ac.uk/corescripts
*EH postcode
Key Edinburgh Napier activities in China and Hong Kong
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Recent achievements
Working collaboratively with partners and institutions
Scholarships and exchanges
Research and knowledge transfer
Future developments
Recent achievements
A notable achievement for Edinburgh Napier during 2008 was the award of the prestigious
International Yellow River Friendship Award by China’s Henan province to our Principal, Professor
Dame Joan K Stringer, DBE. The honour was conferred on Professor Dame Stringer at a
ceremony held in Zhangzhou. Professor Dame Stringer is the first British citizen to receive this
accolade and it is in recognition of both her individual commitment to developing higher education
in China and our long standing links with both the Henan province and China as a whole.
The Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University led a delegation of Principals and other senior
staff representing the modern universities and further education sector in Scotland to China in
November 2007. The delegation explored opportunities for further and deeper collaboration in
education as well as sharing perspectives on key issues such as employability and knowledge
transfer which are concerns in both countries.
Working collaboratively with partners and institutions
Collaboration
We collaborate with partner institutions in China and Hong Kong and are continually expanding the
number of such partnerships. These trans-national relationships allow the University to make
courses available in overseas locations and to develop articulation routes which allow students to
begin their studies in their home country and complete them in Edinburgh. Collaborative
programmes are mainly in the areas of Accounting, Financial Services, Marketing and Business,
Hospitality, Life Sciences, Computing and Civil Engineering. There is also collaboration in research
and, importantly, in exchange programmes for both staff and students.
We currently run BA Communications, Advertising and PR programme at Hong Kong University
School of Professional and Continuing Education (HKU SPACE); this launched in September 2009
with 68 students. The BA Hons Accounting and Finance programme started in October 2009 with
37 students.
Version 1: last updated February 2010
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Scholarships and exchanges
Scholarships
Extending and building on our presence and reputation in China and Hong Kong the University is
now developing fund-raising overseas for scholarships to enable, inter alia, home students to study
abroad and to prepare them for careers in a global environment as well as to boost student
exchange activity.
The University offers a Scholarship to the Chinese Peoples’ Association for Friendship with
Foreign Countries and has initiated two governmental scholarships with the Henan and Shandong
Provincial Governments. These scholarships reflect the University’s recognition that we can play a
broader role in developing relationships between the UK, Scotland and China at National and
Provincial level.
Edinburgh Napier has recently provided funding support through our Strategic Investment Fund to
a project led by our International College in collaboration with our Business School and Faculty of
Engineering, Computing and Creative Industries to provide English language tuition in China. We
wish to ensure that language is not a barrier to learning and believe that this initiative will enhance
the learning experience of some of our Chinese students as well as supporting their social
integration upon arrival in Scotland.
The Ian Kay Scholarship Fund will be used to provide scholarship to help Chinese students to
study at Edinburgh Napier, and to help students from Edinburgh Napier to study in China. The Ian
Kay Scholarships are available at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Exchanges
The University has secured philanthropic support to enable us to run a programme of staff
exchanges which are designed to ensure that our staff are able to deliver the best culturally
sympathetic learning experience to our Chinese students and that staff in our partner institutions
are better able to prepare their students for study overseas.
Edinburgh Napier’s Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Creative Industries established an
excellent student exchange programme with Zhengzhou University of Light Industry (ZZULI) in
2007. Last year, four Product Design students from Edinburgh Napier visited Zhengzhou. Two
worked in the Industrial Design studio and two in the Graphics and Packaging Design studio. The
visit was a resounding success and both institutions have benefitted enormously from the
exchange of pedagogic cultures.
Research and knowledge transfer
Edinburgh Napier has established the EU-China Development & Research Centre (DRC). Set up
as a University-wide initiative in October 2003 to establish long term research collaboration
between the University and Chinese institutions, the centre now includes staff in all Faculties
across the University. Its remit is to build international collaborative research capacity at Edinburgh
Napier and at our Chinese partner institutions. It also underpins the University’s operations in
China in light of the New Rules implemented by the Chinese Government in October 2006 with
respect to foreign University presence in China.
Edinburgh Institute launch
Edinburgh Napier launched the Edinburgh Institute, a partnership between Edinburgh Napier and
the University of Hong Kong, in April 2009. The Institute is based at HKUSPACE where the two
universities are already working together to deliver educational programmes. The Institute will
provide research and practical support, through experienced consultants and trainers to help
Scottish businesses develop overseas and make the most of these markets.
Version 1: last updated February 2010
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Biofuel Research Centre
Edinburgh Napier helped launch Hong Kong’s first Biofuel Research Centre in partnership with City
University Hong Kong (CityU).
Both universities signed a Memorandum of Understanding in January to form a sister to Edinburgh
Napier’s Biofuel Research Centre. The focus of the new Centre will be on the development of
renewable energy via second generation biofuels from a diverse range of non-food crops and
waste matter.
The Centre will be the first of its kind in Hong Kong and will be a key component of CityU’s new
School of Energy and Environment. The Centre will address the rising global demand for
sustainable and non-fossil-based fuels and Hong Kong’s urgent need to develop sustainable
solutions to accommodate its ever-increasing volume of waste matter.
Faculty of Health, Life and Social Sciences
In January 2009, China announced that it intends to spend $123 billion by 2011 to establish
universal health care for the country’s 1.3 billion people. Edinburgh Napier’s Faculty of Health, Life
and Social Sciences has plans for a ‘Health Academy’ in response to these major health reforms.
Transport Research Institute
Professor Kevin Cullinane, from the Transport Research Institute, is an Honorary Professor at the
University of Hong Kong and conducts research on the pricing of transport shares in Hong Kong
and mainland China in collaboration with Stephen Gong, Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Professor Cullinane also enjoys close collaborative links in China and in 2008 was awarded a
Lifetime Visiting Professorship at Dalian Maritime University. In 2003, he established the joint
English language MSc Programme in International Shipping and Transport Logistics with Nankai
University.
Skillset Screen and Media Academy
Edinburgh Skillset Screen and Media Academy has links with the Beijing Film Academy and took
staff and graduates to a screening workshop on professional film training in November 2008. In
January and February 2009 we co-sponsored, through seconding a member of staff, the 'Scottish
cinema of dreams' initiative by Tilda Swinton and Mark Cousins in conjunction with the Scottish
Government.
School of Computing
Dr Xiaodong Liu, Reader in Computing, has a partnership with HUAWEI, the largest telecom
software company in China, and the second largest in the world. HUAWEI concluded that the
FlexiCAGE™ tool can support them to effectively control the schedule and cost of outsourced
projects and greatly increase the reusability of components in these projects. The contacts include
the Director of the Application and Software Product Line Subsidiary (over 6000 employees), their
CTO and other two senior team leaders. HUAWEI has agreed to sign a framework contract with
FlexiCAGE Ltd of £300K.
Future Developments
On the academic front, future plans include offering new programmes at HKUSpace in Biological
Sciences, Biotechnology, Biomedical Sciences, Health Administration and Business Management
and Wealth Management. Over 1200 students have graduated from Edinburgh Napier’s Faculty of
Health Life and Social Science Life/Biological/Biomedical Science undergraduate programme in
Hong Kong.
Version 1: last updated February 2010
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A Joint PhD program between SAES and the School of International Trade and Economics,
University of International Business and Economics has been designed and a funding application
for its introduction was made to the Scotland-China Higher Education Research Partnership for
PhD Studies on 12 October 2009.
The Faculty of Engineering and Computing intend to develop partnerships with our existing
partners in Hong Kong which is a first for the faculty. For September 2010 we intend to run
Undergraduate programmes in BEng Engineering with Marketing and BSc Transport Management
at HKU SPACE.
In the future we will be looking at postgraduate courses in Creative Advertising and other
collaborative programmes in digital media.
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Edinburgh Napier summary
External environment
Graduate employability
Research and knowledge transfer
Diversity and accessibility
Environmental management
Estates
Edinburgh Napier in India
Edinburgh Napier in China and Hong Kong
Edinburgh Napier in Europe
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Version 1: last updated February 2010
A more detailed version of this factsheet is also available – see http://staff.napier.ac.uk/corescripts