UK-China Partners in Science (PiS)

Many of activities that we are working on are made possible by UK and Chinese support for a programme we initiated nearly three years ago called UK-China Partners in Science. The first phase of this initiative ran though 2005 and concluded in March 2006.

It led to more than 100 events and resulted in more than 500 UK participants visiting China. More than 50 UK and Chinese partner organisations were involved, including all leading scientific organisations of both countries. Outcomes included:

All of the UK’s science Research Councils strengthening links with Chinese science organisations
Six science and technology MoUs, including milestone agreements between the UK’s Research Councils and counterpart Chinese organisations
First ever China/UK workshops on astronomy and polar research
18 live public debates with UK and Chinese speakers
Major symposium on the use of science and technology in rural development

In the second phase of UK-China Partners in Science we have focussed on six priority areas. These were updated at the last UK/China Joint Commission on Science and Technology (London, April 2008). These are:

Climate change, engergy and the environment
Infectious diseases
Innovation Policy
Materials and Nanotechnology
Space technology
Stemcells and the modernisation of traditional medicines

Following through on the opportunities identified in the first phase has been a key driver of Phase II. Therefore Phase II activity include a mix of joint research projects involving Phase I partnerships; networking activities to seed new partnerships; and media work to disseminate key messages about the projects and UK science strengths.

A number of collaborative research projects funded under Phase II are still ongoing. These include joint UK/China research into:

How China’s vulnerability to flooding will change over the next few decades as Chinese cities expand and climate change unfolds
Tools to enable Chinese farmers to cut back on fertiliser use and hence reduce China’s nitrogen pollution problem
Future patterns of infectious disease in China
A prototype lunar rover capable of being adopted in future Chinese launches to explore the Moon

One line of visits and networking activities has focused on building partnerships in infectious disease. This has enabled UK scientists to join a major Chinese clinical trial of the most promising H5N1 vaccine to date. The Medical Research Council (MRC) is funding the UK end of the collaboration (£100,000 initially).

Innovation is of growing importance to the UK and China. This is reflected in the second phase of UK-China Partners in Science by a joint project looking at China’s impact on manufacturing and global value chains. We hope it will establish a sustainable UK/China research partnership in this important field.

Communicating about science and innovation to the wider public is also of growing importance to the UK and China. Here we have worked with partners in China to establish a UK/China science journalism prize scheme which offers talented journalists in China the chance to win an expenses-paid trip to visit science institutions in the UK.

We believe UK-China Partners in Science has made a real difference to the volume and quality of research cooperation between the UK and China. On the UK side there have been three main sources of funding: Office of Science and Innovation (now GO-Science); Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Global Opportunities Fund and FCO Public Diplomacy Fund. And many Phase II projects have benefited from co-funding administered by other partners (for example: Department for International Development (DFID), Research Councils, Chinese partner organisations).