UK Science Minister and Chinese Ambassador Launch Innovation China UK (ICUK)
From QMUL:
At a ceremony to be held on Tuesday 20 November 2007 at Queen Mary, University of London, Her Excellency Madam Fu Ying, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the UK and Ian Pearson MP, Minister of State for Science and Innovation will formally launch Innovation China UK (ICUK).
ICUK is a unique collaboration involving five British and over twenty Chinese higher education institutions. Led by Queen Mary, University of London, ICUK is the first collaborative research and knowledge transfer partnership between the two countries. It will act as a springboard for UK businesses to access resources in China. Academics based in the UK will have access to leading scientists, expertise and facilities, easing entry into the potential markets of China. Its activities will enhance the profile and visibility of UK science and technology, and the international reputation of UK universities.
Professor Adrian Smith, Principal of Queen Mary, University of London commented:
'This project came about as a result of past experience working with UK and Chinese universities, where it became evident that many research-intensive higher education institutions already have significant UK-China R&D collaborations. However, outcomes of such joint research are rarely commercialised as a result of the significant cultural barriers and the lack of dedicated support for UK-China technology transfer. ICUK aims to deliver dedicated UK-China technology transfer support, lower barriers and facilitate the commercialisation of UK-China research outputs.'
China now has the biggest Research and Development (R&D) workforce, and the third biggest R&D investment in the world. ICUK supports collaborative research in areas such as energy; sustainable environment; aerospace; e-science; marine technology; and drug developments and therapies for infectious diseases.
The project has been awarded £5 million in funding by the UK Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF), which supports knowledge transfer and increased business engagement in universities. China is providing funding through its Ministry of Science Technology (MoST) in partnership with the Chinese Ministry of Education.
