The ceremony was attended by colleagues from the UK and China, including Mr Zheng Lei, Director of the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Education, Professor Chen Yeguang, President of Nanchang University, Professor Colin Bailey CBE, President and Principal of Queen Mary, and Professor Wen Wang, Vice-Principal and Executive Dean for Science and Engineering at Queen Mary.
Professor Colin Bailey said:
"The launch of the Joint Education Institute between Queen Mary and Nanchang University, marks a bold new chapter in our long and successful partnership. Queen Mary and Nanchang University each have proud traditions of excellence in research and education, and together we are creating a world-class environment for learning and discovery. This collaboration will give students an international experience grounded in academic rigour and innovation, preparing them to become the next generation of scientists, doctors, and medical leaders who will shape the future of global health."
The new Nanchang University Queen Mary School will expand the partnership's academic offer from September 2026 with two new undergraduate programmes-Precision Medical Sciences and Biomedical Data Sciences-and a postgraduate degree in Advanced Human Genomics delivered in London, with a continuation course in Nanchang.
The initiative builds on Queen Mary-Nanchang Joint Programme, first delivered in 2013, which has welcomed nearly 4,000 students and seen more than 2,000 graduates progress to further study and employment around the world in Biomedical Sciences/Clinical Biomedicine. The collaboration has been recognised as a model of transnational education combining the strengths of British and Chinese higher education.
During the visit to China, Professor Bailey also delivered a keynote address at the World University Presidents Forum in Hangzhou on Saturday 8 November 2025, held at the Hangzhou International Expo Centre. Speaking to the theme of AI and the future of higher education, he outlined Queen Mary's approach to responsible AI, talent development and research translation, and met university leaders to explore opportunities for international collaboration.
