UoN vice-chancellor awarded Ningbo honorary citizenship

Shearer West, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Nottingham. [Photo/UNNC]

Professor Shearer West, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Nottingham (UoN), was recently awarded Ningbo honorary citizenship due to her significant contributions to the city's higher education and international communication.

Professor West is the seventh president and vice-chancellor of the University of Nottingham, taking up office in 2017. Since then, she has introduced high-quality teaching and research resources to the city.

With her support, the Nottingham Ningbo China Beacons of Excellence Research and Innovation Institute, which brought scientific innovations and talent from the University of Nottingham, was established in Ningbo in May.

She also helped the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) to serve as a bridge between Ningbo and Nottingham.

In March 2020, UNNC held an online conference during which medical workers in Ningbo shared their experience in the medical diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 with medical workers from the UoN School of Medicine.

Coordinated by UNNC, another online conference focusing on the experience in epidemic prevention, the resumption of work and production and the reopening of schools was held in June 2020 between Ningbo and Nottingham.

Ningbo honorary citizenship is the highest honor that Ningbo authorities bestow to certain groups of people, including residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, overseas Chinese, expats, people born in Ningbo but live outside the city, and those who are not from Ningbo but contribute to Ningbo's development in terms of economy, science and technology, and international communication. So far, a total of 211 people have been awarded the title.