Chinese and British students at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC), the first Sino-foreign university to open its doors in China, play ping-pong in their spare time. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Over the past two decades, Sino-British collaborative education has witnessed steady development with the establishment of two independent universities, 66 secondary institutions, and 196 other projects that help promote bilateral cooperation.
Since 2004, when the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) opened its doors as the first Sino-foreign university, students and teachers have attested to the development of Sino-British educational cooperation.
Last year, 24 new Sino-British institutions were established while 19 new projects were launched, the highest number yet and representing the most popular country-specific collaboration in China. The annual increase in undergraduate, master's, and doctoral training capacities reached 7,115, 1,260, and 37, respectively.
UNNC professor Jon Garibaldi said talent cultivation is the most prominent achievement. To date, UNNC has produced nearly 30,000 graduates, who now work in areas like the United Nations, humanoid robot research and development, and Britain-based Chinese food delivery platforms, becoming a vital force in promoting Sino-British people-to-people exchanges and economic, trade and technological cooperation. Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) has trained some 35,000 undergraduates and 9,000 graduate students.
Links between young people from Britain and China continue to expand. Kian Vahedi, a British student, fell in love with China during his short academic stay and he returned to the country to pursue a master's degree. Vahedi said daily interactions and shared experiences made the distant concept of China feel real and tangible.
The "Study in China" program at XJTLU has attracted about 800 undergraduates from the University of Liverpool to China. The students deepened their understanding of Chinese industries, improved their Chinese language proficiency and entrepreneurial skills, and many chose to stay in China long-term.
In recent years, various forms of exchanges, such as joint training, exchange students, cultural experiences, and international competitions, have facilitated intellectual exchanges and dialogues between Chinese and British youths, fostering friendship between them. In August 2025, Shandong University sent a research group of middle-level officials to Cambridge University to learn its teaching system and experiences in academic-result transfer, enhancing their awareness of innovation and transformation. In the same year, presidents of more than 10 UK universities made a group visit to China, touring universities, local administrations and research institutions in multiple Chinese cities.
A British student during an art performance rehearsal at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Scientific research cooperation is an important area for China and the UK to work together in tackling challenges such as climate change and sustainable development. The Green Energy and Materials Team at Shandong University collaborated with the University of Cambridge, the University of Birmingham, and other UK universities to conduct technological research and development centered around zero-carbon buildings, parks, and urban construction, forming a stable cooperation mechanism. XJTLU established a joint laboratory with enterprises to create a large model for energy carbon management and electricity price prediction.
Cultures are becoming vibrant through exchange and enriched through mutual learning. Teachers and students from China and the UK promote mutual learning and exchange through bilateral exchanges, injecting momentum into the development of education in both countries. Li Fuyang, a student from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, noted that young people should act as learners and communicators, injecting sustained momentum into Sino-British friendship. Kian Vahedi said educational exchanges not only shape individual lives but also strengthen bilateral ties.
Education has become one of the most resilient and constructive areas of cooperation between China and the UK, with teachers and students from both sides willing to work together to build friendships and promote Sino-British cooperation.
Han Xiaomeng also contributed to this story.
