DENMARK: A university centre in China

Denmark has signed an agreement with China to establish a Danish-Chinese University Centre. In Beijing last month, Danish Science Minister Charlotte Sahl-Madsen signed the agreement with the President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dr Bai Chunli.

The Danish University Centre in Beijing will be housed at the Graduate University of the academy on a new campus to be built 60 kilometres north of Beijing at Lake Yanqihu, close to the Great Wall.

It is expected to accommodate 300 masters and 75 PhD students as well as 100 researchers at a cost around EUR13 million (US$16.5 million) a year. The university will be financed jointly by the academy, Danish universities and the Danish state.

The project is part of Denmark's plans to establish a foothold in China based on research consortia between Danish and Chinese universities.

* From International Focus, the newsletter of the UK International Unit.