Edinburgh experts establish low-carbon college in Shanghai

China’s first college for the study of low-carbon technology is to open next year in a partnership involving world-leading experts from the UK.

The announcement comes as Edinburgh and Shanghai Jiao Tong University signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together.

The agreement is the first of its kind between the two institutions.

Edinburgh expertise

The relationship will create opportunities for partnerships drawing on the research expertise and innovation of Edinburgh’s School of Geosciences and the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI). Experts from China and the UK will collaborate on research projects including sustainable construction, air quality, energy efficiency and smarter cities.

Courses at the college in Shanghai will include carbon finance and management, carbon capture and storage and environmental sustainability.

The institutions will also explore opportunities for joint undergraduate and PhD education programmes and will operate an exchange programme for faculty members, support staff and graduate students.

The world QS rankings 2015 ranked the University of Edinburgh 21st in the world and Shanghai Jiao Tong University 70th in the world and 24th in Asia.

ECCI

The Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation will provide a conduit for Scottish businesses and organisations aiming to create local partnerships and introduce low-carbon products and services to Shanghai.

The agreement extends ECCI’s activities in China following the opening of its Hong Kong office by Scotland’s First Minister earlier this year.

We are delighted to forge a close relationship with Shanghai Jiao Tong University. There is a clear need for effective knowledge exchange in order to progress a lower carbon economy and society around the world. The Sino-UK low carbon college will be an active player in the low-carbon valley initiative in Shanghai’s Lingang region. The initiative aims to deploy and demonstrate low-carbon solutions nationally and globally. We are delighted that the Shanghai Lingang Municipality see Edinburgh as a key partner to drive impact through innovative low-carbon solutions.