Reading - Nanjing partnership to offer UK degree places to Chinese students
Wednesday, 14 September 2016
One thousand Chinese students will be able to study in Nanjing towards a University of Reading degree by 2020, under a new deal signed earlier this week.
The University of Reading and the Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST) have signed an agreement to expand courses available at the NUIST-Reading Academy based in Nanjing, China. The academy enables Chinese students to work towards one of six accredited UK degrees in their home country over three years and then complete their degree at Reading.
Vice-Chancellor Sir David Bell signed the new deal that will see courses being taught in Mathematics and Environmental Engineering starting in 2016. The additional courses will provide 80 extra places at the Reading-NUIST college and will increase the overall yearly intake to more than 300 students each year.
The expansion of the Reading-NUIST academy was supported by the Ministry of Education and also creates opportunities for postgraduate study in Nanjing. The partnership will allow for academic exchange between Reading and Nanjing, with students being able to take full or part of their postgraduate course in either institution.
Speaking of the partnership, Sir David Bell said: “As a university with a global outlook, keen to secure exciting new partnerships, this agreement is another step in strengthening Reading's impact in Asia. Our work with NUIST allows us to take our best courses to a part of the world where there is real demand for UK degrees.
“Education is central to the UK and China’s close relations. The future prosperity of both our countries will depend on research, innovation and skills if we are to succeed as first-rate, knowledge economies.
“The rankings show that China’s universities are rising quickly, thanks to the excellence of their academics and researchers. Reading has world-class researchers and teachers too so, together, we can be stronger.
Vincenzo Raimo, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement, said:"The joint Academy with NUIST is a potentially game-changing opportunity for Reading.
"NUIST is part of our strategy to develop and grow our global reach. By the end of the decade, nearly a quarter of our total student population will be studying at Reading campuses outside the UK, in China, Malaysia, South Africa and elsewhere in the world."
The Reading-NUIST college will offer the following six undergraduate courses (courses with asterisks starting this month, the two in italics signed into agreement in September 2016) with students completing 3 years at NUIST before spending a year completing their degree in Reading):
- Applied Chemistry
- Economics
- Mathematics*
- Environmental Engineering*
- Atmospheric Sciences
- Applied English Linguistics
The courses are taught in English and the degrees are fully awarded by the University of Reading.