09 November 2022 Lincoln's links with China highlighted during Embassy visit

Research and collaborative relationships were on the agenda when representatives from the New Zealand Embassy of the People’s Republic of China paid a visit to Lincoln recently.

Education Counsellor Dong Zhixue, and Secretary Wan Ding, both of the Department of the Education, Culture and Science & Technology, along with Jian Shen, Education Consul of the  Consulate General in Christchurch were greeted by Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Student Life Damian Lodge and other Lincoln staff.

The meeting in the University’s Council Chambers addressed a range of topics including the NZ Water Research Centre hosted by Lincoln, one of three Centres funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation Employment (MBIE).

Headed by Professor Hong Di, it coordinates collaborations between New Zealand and Chinese scientists from multiple organisations to mitigate water contamination, safeguard water quality, and increase water use efficiency.

It also has the goal to develop enduring partnerships between New Zealand and Chinese scientists on water quality and quantity research.

Research co-authored by Dr Sharon Lucock , a Senior Lecturer in Agribusiness Management, “Sustainable Land Use and Livelihood Dynamics in Henan County on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau—A Transdisciplinary Systems Perspective” was also discussed. The aim of the research is to develop an understanding of the relationships between changing land use and the livelihood dynamics on an ecologically fragile land.

Lincoln partnerships and connections with Chinese Universities through national park research was also a topic of conversation. Lincoln’s School of Landscape Architecture (SOLA) had a 2017 National Park exhibition with Beijing Forestry University and Tsinghua University, led by Professor Mick Abbott, while the University was also a recipient of the New Zealand-China Tripartite Fund’s 2019-20 round.

It received $30,000 to progress research with university partners in China in areas such as cancer research, national parks and conservation, and media and information.

The New Zealand-China Tripartite Fund is an ENZ-sponsored initiative that has been seeding research collaborations between New Zealand and Chinese universities over the last 15 years.

The visitors also had a meeting with current PhD students Juan Liu, Jinbo Li and Vicky Zhang,  toured the campus, and gained some insights into student experiences at Lincoln University.