Chengdu, Oct.16.—Professor Trevor Davies, Pro-Vice-Chancellor at the University of East Anglia (UEA), Norwich Research Park, UK visited Chengdu for the first time with an aim to establish connections with the Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment (IMHE), Chinese Academy of Sciences. Accompany on his two-day visit were Brian Reid, an associate professor in soil science and Ms. Lisha Li, China Projects Manager at the Vice-Chancellor's Office of UEA.

Professor Deng Wei, the director of IMHE, extended warm welcome to Prof. Davies and his colleagues from UEA to visit the institute and join the talks and discussion on future cooperation and partnership between the two institutions. Also meeting Prof. Davies were Prof. Xiong Donghong, deputy director of the Divison of Science and Technology Cooperation, IMHE, and Prof. Tang Xiangyu from the institute’s Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation.

Deng Wei, Xiong donghong, Tang Xiangyu at meeting with Prof. Davies and Dr.Reid. (picture by IMHE)

The central purpose of this visit is to strengthen ties between UEA and IMHE by initiating a joint supervision program for graduate students in the fields including both nature science disciplines, for instance, geoscience, environmental science, physical geography, biology and etc., and social science disciplines such as environmental and ecological economics. Deng believes such program will definitely facilitate the improvement of creativities and research abilities of the students and thus help enhance the development of IMHE’s higher education level.

“This is amazing, and it is an excellent point to start modestly and look forward to more in the future” said Prof Davies, having agreed with Prof Deng Wei’s suggestions to let the program run as a starting point for the two institutions’ wider cooperation, which will not be limited to the academic visits and staff exchanges.

This is not going to be the first collaboration of UEA with Chinese institutions, since Prof. Davies, having been appointed in 2011 as pro-vice-chancellor of UEA with special responsibility for the University's relationship with the Tyndall Centre and Fudan University, has obtained great experiences in cooperating with top Chinese universities and at the same time keeps interest in extending precious opportunities for research cooperation with CAS institutes in China.

At the end of the meeting, both were glad to reach agreements so quickly and share extensive common interests. Further communications will follow to draft a MOU which will define practical mechanisms and implementation plan.

Dr. Reid and Prof. Tang have already years of contact and collaborations, they discussed further on possible common research plan to solve issues related to the effect of biochar application in farmland on pesticide efficiency and transport.