Exploring connections and building a global network with China.

Professor Bill Nimmo, Professor of Energy Engineering and Sustainability, visited China at the end of last year, on a month-long exercise to forge mutually beneficial collaborations between Sheffield and the higher education sector in China.

Prof Bill Nimmo

The visit, sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) President's International Fellowship Initiative (PIFI), a funding program designed to establish scientific cooperation and promote research communication around the globe, aimed to foster dialogue and partnership between key Chinese institutions and the University of Sheffield, while also addressing the ethical considerations in academic research.

Hosted by CAS ICC (SKLCC), Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, where research activity supports clean power technology as China transitions from reliance on fossil fuel usage, the visit involved activity with five Chinese universities and research institutes regarding opportunities for research and education collaboration. Greenhouse gas emissions from Chinese industry are likely to peak in 2025/26, in line with the IEA World Energy Report 2024 analysis.  

As an example of outcomes, encouraging talks were held with Wuhan Institute of Technology which included discussions of programme models and format enabling students to earn both an undergraduate and postgraduate degree within four years. Within the faculty, this would involve undergraduates attending a relevant institute in their field and subsequently applying to pursue an MSc at Sheffield for one year, subject to specific criteria. Areas of interest included postgraduate study in Energy.

Curriculum development assistance from Sheffield was also discussed as preparation for the programme, including English language teaching. Models of the ‘2+1’ and ‘1+1+1’ have proven to be both cost effective and time efficient to the student and the faculty where examples exist, and further opportunities with other Chinese Institutions have been discussed with agencies that specialize in facilitating connections between China and other UK institutions.

Professor Nimmo was invited to give a Plenary presentation hosted by TYUST at the ‘International Conference on the Cooperation and Integration of Industry, Education, Research and Application (CIIERA): Energy Chemical and New Materials Sub-Forum’ and presented a series of lectures on “Sustainable Power Technology - Future Options”. This activity also presented the opportunity to showcase the University of Sheffield.

Prof Bill Nimmo

As part of his editorial interests as Editor in Chief of the journal FUEL, Professor Nimmo also conducted a series of interactive workshops on ‘Research Integrity & Publishing Ethics'. This encompassed the 10 most prevalent mistakes that authors make while publishing their work and how to avoid breaches of ethics, a topic covered in the Sheffield curriculum.

Ethics and integrity in research paper writing are essential for maintaining credibility, trust, and accuracy in scientific work. They ensure that data is reported honestly, sources are properly cited, and research participants are treated respectfully. By adhering to ethical guidelines, researchers contribute to the advancement of knowledge and avoid misleading or harmful outcomes, while also complying with legal and institutional standards.

Professor Nimmo said: “I’m looking forward to returning to China later this year to continue the talks and I am hopeful that students will be able to come to Sheffield and get embedded into our research group. Going forward, we also hope to have a Memorandum of Understanding signed at some point, as well as exploring a Summer School and start to welcome students here to continue their studies.

“It was also rewarding to share my knowledge on ethics and integrity, this is a subject that is integrated in our Sheffield teaching and an area that the host institution specifically requested.”

Prof Bill Nimmo
Four students laughing while sat at a bench, outside the Students' Union

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