Loughborough College has been announced as the official Teaching Base for Dongguan Polytechnic and welcomed a delegation from the Chinese city to unveil a plaque marking the occasion.
Earlier this year the UK's Minister of State for Trade and Export Promotion, Baroness Fairhead and Her Majesty's Ambassador to China, Baroness Woodward witnessed the signing of an agreement between the College CEO John Doherty and the Polytechnic Executive Principal Yimin Zhu at the Silk Road International Expo in Xi'an, China. The Memorandum of Understanding set a path to a new global partnership between Loughborough College and polytechnics across Dongguan, worth more than £1 million, to support apprenticeship delivery and enhance vocational education in China.
John Doherty said he was pleased that Mo Qiang, Zhang Xiaoguang and Lyu Bingqin from the Polytechnic were able to visit Loughborough to celebrate the latest exciting opportunity for the two colleges and invited Mo Qiang to join him in removing a red cloth from the plaque, as is Chinese tradition. Amongst those in attendance were students from the Polytechnic who are studying at Loughborough College.
"We are delighted to support Dongguan Polytechnic in becoming an international centre for technical skills and we are very much looking forward to further progressing our partnership, backed by our outstanding-rated apprenticeships and our teacher training. We look forward to welcoming more students to study with us at Loughborough College," said John Doherty. "Our relationship offers outstanding opportunities for the students and staff in both our colleges and beyond."
Head of International at Loughborough College, Angela Mogridge added: "This unveiling marks another important stage in Loughborough College's valued relationship with Dongguan Polytechnic. It confirms the commitment from each institution to work closely together in what we hope will be a long-standing partnership benefiting both our student communities."
The partnership will feature teaching at the Polytechnic (in Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering), apprenticeships and teacher training. This presents opportunities for further Dongguan students to study at Loughborough College and for some College students to study short term at Dongguan Polytechnic.
Pictured: Plaque unveiling marks announcement of Loughborough College as official teaching base for Dongguan Polytechnic (from left) students Abby Zhou and Susan Ye, College Advanced Manufacturing, Technology and Creative curriculum manager Ndumiso Nsingo, Lyu Bingqing, College Head of International Angela Mogridge, College teacher training’s David Andrew and CEO John Doherty, Mo Qiang, Lam Zhang and Zhang Xiaoguang