The University of Essex welcomed business and technology leaders from Jiangsu Province in China as part of a special visit coordinated by Essex International - Essex County Council’s international trade team.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Anthony Forster said: “We were delighted to have the chance to talk to business leaders from China who are working across a number of technological fields which are also strengths at the University of Essex including data analytics, robotics, intelligent systems and artificial intelligence.

“Essex International is helping us build strong links with Chinese entrepreneurs and the Jiangsu Provincial Government. We are confident these connections will lead to new partnerships which will take forward our international mission to deliver excellence in research and excellence in education.”

The delegation included Director of Chinese-based company Wow Face, Sun Lihua; Vice President at Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute, He Liwen; President at Robotics and Intelligent Equipment Institute, Wang Rong Chuan; Vice President at Institute of Jiangnan University (Yangzhou), Shan Liang; Division Director at Jiangnan Graphene Research Institute, Ji Cheng; and Division Director at Nanjing Institute of Advanced Laser Technology Zhou Jun.

They were accompanied by the Head of Essex International, Peter Manning.

They had the chance to see some of Essex’s state-of-the-art facilities at the Colchester Campus including the Bloomberg trading floor in the award-winning Essex Business School, research laboratories in the School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering and Parkside Office Village on the Knowledge Gateway research and technology park.

The visit builds on Professor Forster’s visits to China in successful visit to Northwest University by in October 2015 and May 2016.

Essex International is Essex County Council’s international trade team which promotes economic opportunities to companies and organisations in the UK and China facilitated by the longstanding, 27 year, partnership between Jiangsu and Essex County Council.

Our picture shows Director of Chinese-based company Wow Face, Sun Lihua; University of Essex Vice-Chancellor Professor Anthony Forster; Vice President at Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute, He Liwen; and Head of Essex International Peter Manning.