With Common Interests,Deeper Cooperation Will Bring Significant Mutual Benefit

By Jim McDonald

Professor Sir Jim McDonald: Vice-Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde, President of the UK Royal Academy of Engineering. The picture shows that with Professor Sir Jim McDonald (the first one on the left), Britain’s Queen visited the Technology and Innovation Centre in the University of Strathclyde in 2015.

In both China and the UK, there are strong and common strategic objectives related to the creation of excellence in engineering and technology. This applies to basic and translational research, industrial innovation and the production of high－quality graduates and technicians by means of education and skills training. Through engineering and technological R&D, innovation processes and world-class talent, a modern economy can develop rapidly to support industrial competitiveness and productivity, as well as support national and international Governments’ approach to global challenges such as decarbonising energy systems, ageing population, health, food security and creating resilient infrastructure.

Such national and international imperatives are highly dependent on the creation of incentivisation and models of collaboration between industry, universities and government agencies. Similarly, the effectiveness and impact of such endeavours are enhanced greatly by international cooperation, joint investment and shared strategic agenda.I want to identify three themes around which a collaborative China-UK agenda can be constructed and a programme of joint actions can be established.

Initially, I want to address the Proposition of Joint China–United Kingdom Programmes in Engineering and Technology Research and Innovation.

There has been a positive experience of co-funded research activity between China and the UK through initiatives such as the Newton Fund (the Sino-British Joint Science Innovation Fund) and, more recently, schemes such as the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) – NSFC, UK-China Collaborative Research on Sustainable Power Supply.

Given the mutual interests in collaboration and shared practice in engineering and technology, there would be value in the organisation of discussion sessions between MOST, NSFC, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the UK Royal Academy of Engineering, EPSRC and other appropriate organisations to explore and design an equivalent arrangement of co-design and co-investment in a cooperative programme in engineering and technology.

The objective here would be to propose the funding of a Joint China–United Kingdom Programme in Engineering and Technology Research and Innovation which would be consistent with the objectives and principles of the China-UK Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Strategy from 2017. However, the focus would be specific to engineering topics of agreed mutual priority.

Secondly, I want to address the establishment of a Sino-British Engineering and Technology Seminar Series.

In order to underpin a strong, common agenda for collaborative research and innovation in engineering and technology, there is an opportunity to create a forum for Chinese and UK academics and researchers, innovators and R&D policy makers to have regular exchanges and to share experience. There has been a positive experience of this approach in the Biennial Sino-US Engineering and Technology Seminar which has achieved good outcomes. Helpfully, the Royal Academy of Engineering will actively participate in the 13th Sino-US Engineering and Technology Symposium in 2020.

It is proposed that consideration is given to establishing the Sino-British Engineering and Technology Seminar Series. This would be coordinated in the UK by the Royal Academy of Engineering with the involvement of other organisations as appropriate. It is assumed that the design and planning for this Series would involve MOST and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), with other Chinese organisations involved as deemed necessary.

The Royal Academy of Engineering already has significant experience of such international event delivery in partnership with the CAE and the US National Academy of Engineering, most recently in London in September 2019 at the highly successful Global Grand Challenges Seminar.

Finally, I would like to turn to the crucial question of our Engineering Talent, Skills and Capacity, and reflect on one model that we, in the UK, have found to be of immense value, the Degree and Graduate Apprenticeship Model.

T he UK Gover n ment est abl i shed t he Deg re e Apprenticeship Model (and the equivalent Graduate Apprenticeship Model in Scotland) in order to encourage business and industry to invest in strategic skills development and to create more jobs in key areas critical to the success of the UK economy; not least in the areas of engineering and technology.

It is proposed that a joint meeting is organised to share experience of both the Degree Apprenticeship Model and the Graduate Apprenticeship Model, and Chinese models for collaborative skills and talent development. Business and academic involvement would be included to understand the benefits and practicalities of supporting students and trainees to be involved in part-time education whilst experiencing the work environment and undertaking professional activities. New approaches to “Work-based Learning” are being trialled in the UK, and there is growing experience of this underway in Scotland.

There would also be the potential to consider internationalising parts of the engineering and technology programmes, dependent on the sectors’ and industrial participant’s requirements.

The Royal Academy is well placed to contribute to this exchange through its Education Committee activities and, not least, because of its highly successful “This is Engineering” campaign and resources developed in partnership with Engineering UK. This is aimed at growing significantly the number of young people interested in pursuing engineering as a career.

There are many areas of considerable common interest here, where there would be significant mutual benefit in engaging more closely over the coming years. Indeed, securing these benefits will be very difficult without a strong partnership between China and the UK.

I, therefore, conclude, by emphasising that I, and my colleagues in the United Kingdom, would be delighted to collaborate further in building substantive partnerships with your Chinese colleagues, and would suggest that the intensification of our joint engagement around these three themes might be our next and urgent challenge.