Chinese New Year: Key milestones from the last twelve months

Imperial alumni in Shanghai hosted 2020 New Year Gala

As we approach Lunar New Year, we look back at some of the biggest milestones in Imperial-Chinese collaboration from the last 12 months.

Imperial is the UK’s top STEM research collaborator with China, publishing more than 900 joint research papers every year.

Our Chinese community is growing every year and we currently have more than 220 staff making scientific breakthroughs, more than 3,100 students at our London campus and more than 9,000 alumni living in China.

Here are some of the highlights of the last year:

China's Minister of Science and Technology visited Imperial

China's Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang visited Imperial to meet our scientists and students.

The visit showcased Imperial’s deep ties with China as well as the College’s research strengths, international collaborations, and industry partnerships.

Minister Wang Zhigang said that he was delighted to learn that Imperial had “established solid collaborations” with its Chinese partners, and that the College is seeking to deepen and strengthen them.

Read the full story about the Minister's visit

Imperial and China’s Tsinghua University launched a new energy research centre

The Imperial-Tsinghua Research Centre on Intelligent Power and Energy Systems will focus on tackling common challenges faced by the UK and China in providing secure, low-carbon power systems.

The centre, which will bring together academics from several departments, will focus on using next-generation technologies and intelligent control strategies to drive a, cost effective, transition to a low-carbon power and energy system.

Read the full story about the new Centre

Developing flow batteries to power cities

Imperial’s Dr Qilei Song made headlines across China when he won a significant ERC grant to research next-generation cost-effective redox flow batteries – large energy storage devices that could power cities.

The Chinese academic said the research, which involves collaborations in China, could help accelerate developments in renewable energy, mitigate climate change and solve the mismatch between intermittent supply of renewable energy and the variable power grid.

Read the full story about the battery research

New academy to academy to train next generation of geophysical engineers

Imperial and China’s Sinopec, one of the world’s largest energy companies, launched a new partnership to drive cutting-edge research and training in geophysical sciences.

The Resource Geophysics Academy, based at Imperial, will train scores of PhD students undertaking original research into geophysics and its applications in the hydrocarbon sector.

Read the full story about the new partnership

Imperial academic co-chairs World Economic Forum in China

Imperial engineer Dr Enass Abo-Hamed co-chaired the World Economic Forum in China in the summer.

Dr Abo-Hamed, a Royal Academy Enterprise Fellow from the Department of Earth Science, played a vital role in shaping the agenda of the Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian.

Read the full story about the event

Chemical Engineer awarded prestigious Schwarzman scholarship to study in China

An Imperial chemical engineering graduate was awarded a prestigious Schwarzman scholarship to study in China.

Jana Tian (Chemical Engineering, 2016) was selected for the graduate fellowship at Schwarzman College, based at Tsinghua University in Beijing.

The scholars will pursue a Master’s degree in Global Affairs with a core curriculum that is focused on three pillars: China, global affairs, and leadership.

Read the full story about Jana

Chinese alumni

Imperial has over 9,000 alumni living in China. In December, Imperial College South China Alumni Association (ICAASC) hosted an annual event together with UCL, Manchester and Durham, in Shenzhen with over 200 guests. It was their first annual gala with other leading UK based universities.