1L-R Mary McCrindle (International Office, UoE), Elaine Davies (School Manager - Sport & Health Sciences, UoE), Prof Liu Zhimin (Director of International Affairs, SUS), Prof Zhao Guangsheng (Assistant to the President and Dean of the School of Martial Arts, SUS), Prof Zhang Jiancheng (Vice-President of SUS), Prof Roger Eston (Head of the School of Sport & Health Sciences, UoE), Prof Zhou Chenglin, Deputy Dean of the School of Kinesiology.

University strengthens links with China through sports science

The University of Exeter has further strengthened its links with China by forming a partnership with one of the country’s top sports science universities.

Shanghai University of Sport’s Vice President Professor Zhang Jiancheng and four senior colleagues visited Exeter to learn more about sports science at the University of Exeter.

The institutions have previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding and used the meeting to discuss in detail how they hope to work together in future. The universities aim to develop collaborative research projects and also provide opportunities for students and academics to spend time with the partner university. They have also established a scholarship programme for Chinese students to pursue postgraduate study at Exeter’s School of Sport and Health Sciences.

Established in 1952, Shanghai University of Sport was the first physical education institution of higher learning in China and is one of China’s top universities for sports science. The University of Exeter is home to one of the UK’s top sports science departments. The School of Sport and Health Sciences was ranked in the top three schools of its kind in the Guardian University Guide 2010 and first in the UK in the last two National Student Surveys.

Professor Roger Eston, Head of the School of Sport and Health Sciences said: “We were delighted to welcome Professor Zhang Jiancheng and colleagues to the University. Shanghai University of Sport and the University of Exeter may be thousands of miles apart but we share a commitment to the best teaching and research in sports science. I look forward to a fruitful relationship between our institutions”.

Date: 1 June 2009