School of Chemistry forges new partnerships with Chinese universities

Five academic staff members from Cardiff School of Chemistry, including the Head of School, Prof Rudolf Allemann, travelled to China to participate in bilateral conferences with members of the Chemistry departments at the North West Polytechnic in Xi’an and Xiamen University. Dr Stefano Leoni and Professors Thomas Wirth, Angela Casini and Phil Davies also attended, representing four of the five research sections in the School.

The aim of the meetings was to build upon the relationships already developed between Cardiff and the two departments, in order to foster future collaboration in education and research. In Xi’an Prof Allemann signed a Memorandum of Understanding, paving the way to establish formal links that will help students transfer between institutions, creating new opportunities for students to broaden their studies. This was followed by a lively meeting at which a varied and exciting range of research was presented. In Xiamen the Cardiff delegation attended the First Xiamen-Cardiff Bilateral Conference on Catalysis, Energy Materials and Biological Chemistry Frontiers, jointly organised by the two Universities. This strongly contributed to reinforcing scientific collaboration, which in turn will increase the potential to establish bilateral PhD exchanges, as well as student mobility within existing undergraduate degree schemes.

Dr Stefano Leoni, Director of International School activities, said, “The trip was hugely successful, not only in expressing the mutual respect and reinforcing the formal agreements put in place so far, but also as a starting point for scientific collaborations between two excellent universities. The delegates were indeed able to find matching research directions in Xi’an and Xiamen, which will generate the necessary critical mass for a continuous and successful activity. The activity of the School is closely coordinated with the College of Sciences and Engineering and its International unit.”

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