26 September 2013 Returning Chinese delegation gives hope for future partnership

Lincoln University has hosted a delegation representing the Yangling Agricultural High-tech Demonstration Zone from China’s Shaanxi province. The delegation was headed by the President of the Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Dr Liang Gui.

The Yangling Agricultural High-tech Demonstration Zone is a 135 square kilometre region with over 1,000 registered businesses of which 59 are identified as hi-tech enterprises. The region focuses on areas such as biopharmaceuticals, environmentally sustainable production methods and seed technology, as well as maintaining a range of demonstration farms.

In association with the Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, the Demonstration Zone also plays an important role in both education and training, and research and development.

Not only does the Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University have an ongoing Memorandum of Understanding with Lincoln University, this is the fourth visit by a Yangling Agricultural High-tech Demonstration Zone partner in the last year alone, along with a reciprocal visit by Lincoln University to Yangling.

The ongoing dialogue is fuelled by a recognition of mutual commercial interests. Opportunities now being discussed include staff and student exchanges and research collaboration, particularly in light of the New Zealand Government’s plan to develop a world-class agricultural research and education facility - The Lincoln Hub.

The delegation was taken on a tour of the Lincoln University Dairy Farm and was given a profile of educational and research activity at Lincoln University.

By way of a welcome and introduction, Lincoln University’s Vice-Chancellor, Dr Andrew West, emphasised Lincoln University’s relevance in a world challenged by food security and pollution.

“Lincoln University makes a significant contribution to New Zealand’s success as a producer of high value, high quality food. Although New Zealand can only feed 20 million people itself, we have the expertise to teach other countries to better feed themselves,” says Dr West.

“As such, we see a genuine opportunity for future co-location between Lincoln University and Yangling Agricultural High-tech Demonstration Zone. Just with the Lincoln Hub alone there is now the chance to make this a truly international centre,” he said.