Chinese medics arrive in Cardiff

The first group of postgraduate Chinese medical students to experience an award-winning collaboration which shares expert clinical knowledge and skills have arrived in Cardiff.

Ten postgraduate medical students, alongside key officials from China's Capital Medical University (CMU), will spend the next two weeks at the University's School of Medicine, where they will get a unique opportunity to experience first-hand key areas of medical practice and research.

The group, which includes seven oncologists, two surgeons and a scientist, are the first to arrive since the two medical schools unveiled a new Joint Centre for Biomedical Research, in Beijing, earlier this year.

"We are delighted to welcome the first group of postgraduate medical students to the School of Medicine," said Professor Wen Jiang from the School of Medicine.

"During the visit they will have an opportunity to discuss key areas of clinical research and practice, from community practice and genetics, as well as experience clinical attachments in cancer clinics. I wish to thank colleagues in the School of Medicine and NHS/UHB for their help and support in organising a busy schedule for our visitors and students "

The visit is part of an on-going relationship between the two medical universities.

Cardiff's cancer research partnership with CMU was awarded the International Collaboration category at the annual Times Higher Education awards in 2011.

The collaboration aims to find new approaches to detecting and treating cancer. The partnership pools the research expertise and knowledge within both institutions with the aim of making real progress in tackling a global issue – breast cancer.

Research fellows from Capital Medical have also been visited Cardiff to work alongside the School of Medicine's Professor Wen Jiang, originally from China's Shandong province.

Some 21 research fellows have come to Cardiff so far, and many of them have now returned to China as accomplished clinicians and medical researchers.

Professor Jiang is also involved in the China Medical Scholarship programme, through which Peking University and Capital Medical University identify medical scientists with bright futures, and send them to Cardiff for between four and twelve months: since 2010 some 29 scholars have been involved on the scheme

In October 2012, in his first international visit as Cardiff's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Colin Riordan visited CMU and the new Joint Centre in Beijing.