The University of Exeter is developing new research and teaching links with a number of leading Chinese universities. With more than 500 students studying at Exeter, China is the University’s single biggest overseas market.

Applications from Chinese students are up by more than 260% for courses beginning in September this year. The University has students from more than 100 countries so Chinese students are part of an increasingly internationally diverse student population.

A delegation to China led by Exeter’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Steve Smith visited universities in Shanghai and Beijing, including top ranked institutions Fudan University (Shanghai) and Tsinghua University (Beijing). Reunions were also held with over 200 Exeter alumni living in China.

Professor Neil Armstrong, Exeter’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of internationalisation, said: “We had a fantastic welcome from colleagues in Chinese universities: there is a real desire to work more closely with the UK. We came away hugely impressed by the scale of investment in universities in Shanghai and Beijing. It underlines how important it is for UK universities like Exeter to think globally and demonstrates why the investment we plan in our own campuses is vitally important if we are to compete on the world stage.”