Swinburne University of Technology’s students and staff will experience greater mobility and research opportunities in China, as the result of new agreements signed in Beijing and Shanghai last week.
Swinburne has expanded its partnership agreements with several of China’s leading universities including the Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), Beijing Foreign Studies University, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Shanghai University and Tongji University.
Swinburne’s Vice-President (International and Future Students), Jeffrey Smart, said the agreements would promote stronger links in education and research, and provide staff and students with broader exchange and mobility options.
"These partnerships set the stage for research collaboration, dual degree arrangements, research conferences and projects, and student and staff mobility between the universities,” Mr Smart said.
''We have new student exchange agreements with all five universities, providing greater mobility for students at our Melbourne and Sarawak campuses and for students at our partner universities in China.
''For example, our expanded partnership with BIT now includes a PhD agreement, which will allow Chinese and Australian PhD students to undertake research towards doctoral studies at both institutions,” he said.
The BIT partnership includes the second annual BIT-Swinburne Science, Technology and Innovation Research Conference, to be held in Melbourne in September.
Swinburne also signed an agreement with Tongji University in Shanghai to expand cooperation in student and staff mobility, dual degrees and research.
''Tongji and Swinburne already enjoy a close relationship in engineering research and through the Design Factory - both universities are members of the Design Factory network with Aalto University in Finland,” Mr Smart said.
''We are both regarded as leading universities in design, ICT, engineering (civil, automotive, rail and ocean) and social sciences, and share a strong commitment to innovation.”
The Swinburne delegation to China included Professor Leon Sterling, Dean of Faculty of ICT, and Brian Zhang, China Engagement Executive.