The University of York International Reach Brochure

A GLOBAL UNIVERSITY THE UNIVERSITY OF YORK IN THE WORLD

Times Higher Education University of the Year 2010 Over 3,000 international students from 106 countries 80,000 alumni in more than 133 countries

FOREWORD

CONTENTS

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he University of York is a global university, not only in our strategic outlook, and world-ranking research, but in our core values and culture. Staff and students from all over the world create our rich and diverse international community. But our internationalism goes much further than that. To prepare students to succeed in today’s global economy, teaching programmes at York have an increasingly international and inter-cultural dimension. Every student has opportunities to study, work, or volunteer abroad. As the presence of over 80,000 York alumni in more than 133 countries attests, those who study at York really do become global citizens.

Internationalisation is one of the University’s four themes for development and growth over the next ten years. We encourage academic staff mobility, to develop and sustain York’s international networks, and enable world-class, often multi‑disciplinary, research collaboration. Global partners include IBM, GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, Rolls Royce and Unilever. We are members of the Worldwide Universities Network which supports world-class research across 16 universities around the globe.

We have made rapid progress in recent years, but there is more to be done. We want to create new opportunities for exchange and research with high quality institutions around the world. This will not only enrich the lives of our students, but also increase the positive impact that York can bring to communities at both home and abroad.

John Local Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research

Hilary Layton Director of Internationalisation

The University of York’s ‘Internationalisation Champions’

Research at the University of York Global challenges

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Improving public health

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Life-changing technologies

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Environmental impact

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A changing society

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Strategic alliances International outreach

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The Jiangning Foundation

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Worldwide Universities Network

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Global citizens An international community

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A cultural education

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Visiting student programme

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Global York

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York: an international city A city of contrasts

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‘My city’

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The International Relations Office Building partnerships

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How to contact us

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Research at the University of York

Tackling malaria with fast track plant breeding

GLOBAL CHALLENGES York is one of the world’s best research-intensive universities.

In the latest official government Research Assessment Exercise over 90% of our research was judged to be internationally excellent or world-leading. We work with public, private and third sector organisations across a broad range of research activities, putting particular effort into achieving international impact in four major areas: Health, Technology, Environment and Society.

York researchers make a substantive contribution to helping find solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges, in collaboration with partners such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the United Nations, and the World Bank.

The case studies that follow show the difference York researchers are making in the world. This involves tackling disease, working with industrial partners to improve medical technology, revolutionising environmental air sampling techniques, and helping change society for the better.

Learn more about our research priorities here: www.york.ac.uk/research

KEY FACTS Times Higher Education University of the Year 2010 81 in the 2010-11 THE World University Rankings 96 in the 2011–2012 QS World University Rankings Consistently in the top ten in UK university league tables Total income 2009/10

£243 million

Total research income 2009/10

£83 million

Third highest research income per academic in England £750 million invested in campus extension Total staff 2009/10

3,331 (20% international)

Total students 2009/10 14,074 (20% international) Two hours by rail from London International airports nearby at Manchester and Leeds/Bradford

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Centre for Immunology and Infection

IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH Scientists at the University of York, working with international partners, have made a recent breakthrough in identifying new treatments to tackle the parasitic disease commonly known as sleeping sickness.

Lead poisoning in Kablare (Kosovo) under discussion in the World Health Organisation’s Global Health Histories seminar series

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This disease proves fatal for tens of thousands of people in Africa each year. Fears over the decreasing efficacy of current drugs have led the World Health Organisation (WHO) to shift its priorities towards a treatment

for the second stage of the disease.

In response Professor Debbie Smith and research teams at York’s Centre for Immunology and Infection, alongside international collaborators, carried out new research which will contribute towards the development of effective, orally administered, low toxicity drugs.

Research into the history of global health has valuable application in helping the international community respond to modern-day public health challenges. Dr Sanjoy Bhattacharya, a Reader in the History of Medicine in York’s Department of History, works closely with United Nations agencies such as UNICEF and with the World Health Organisation on their Global Health Histories initiative. This multilateral collaboration contributes towards the objective of achieving a healthier population, paying particular attention to those most in need.

Research at the University of York

LIFE-CHANGING TECHNOLOGIES The University of York regularly collaborates with external organisations and industry to develop novel technologies. These partnerships involve a range of activity from music technology, to creating new drugs and processing new crops.

Recent developments in imaging and chemical analysis show these collaborations at their best. Scientists at York have developed a new process which manipulates the nuclear spin of atoms to bring materials into a hyperpolarised state. This new ‘hyperpolarisation’ technology could dramatically increase the scope of medical imaging and will make analysis in hospitals and laboratories much easier and quicker.

The research has attracted interest from several large international pharmaceutical companies such as GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca.

Bruker Biospin of Germany, market leader in NMR, has already developed a prototype polariser with York.

“The outcome of this combined effort will enable a breakthrough in localised

“The outcome of this combined effort will enable a breakthrough in localised diagnostics by opening exciting new possibilities in analytical imaging,” said Head of Psychology, Professor Quentin Summerfield. “This technique shows that the gain in sensitivity is so great that data can be acquired in seconds rather than weeks.” diagnostics by opening exciting new possibilities in analytical imaging,” said Head of Psychology, Professor Quentin Summerfield. “This technique shows that the gain in sensitivity is so great that data can be acquired in seconds rather than weeks.”

The Department of Computer Science has a strong international reputation, with active research links to international companies including IBM, Airbus, GP F1 Team and GlaxoSmithKline. The Department’s High Integrity Systems Engineering research group recently established a joint Railway Safety Research

Centre alongside the Key State Laboratory for Railway Control and Safety, part of Beijing Jiaotong University. As China sets to expand its high speed railways, with 5000 miles of high speed track due to be installed over the next decade, the University of York will work alongside researchers at the Centre to provide guidance on its development.

State-of-the-art facilities in the new Computer Science building which enable internationally-respected research and teaching

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Research at the University of York

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT The University of York has one of the largest congregations of environmental researchers in the UK. Recognising the diversity of interest, activity and talent, the University created the York Environmental Sustainability Institute (YESI) led by Professor Sue Hartley. YESI brings together over 90 of York’s world-leading researchers from a range of departments to ensure that they can operate in an inter-disciplinary setting to undertake the research needed to tackle major environmental issues.

Professor Alastair Lewis with the new handheld device which incorporates injectors, columns, interfaces and detectors in a single microfabricated unit

Professor Alastair Lewis is a member of YESI and leads a team researching the chemistry of the atmosphere at sites across the world, looking at the distribution of pollutants and their contribution to climate change.

Instruments used by atmospheric researchers are large, heavy, and difficult to use. Alastair Lewis is miniaturising his equipment into a simple, handheld device, powered by rechargeable batteries or a small solar panel, and able to pick out particular atmospheric components crucial to understanding the interactions leading to greenhouse warming.

The technology has many exciting potential applications. Sampling air from trucks or shipping containers may reveal drugs, explosives or people trafficking.

Another YESI researcher, Callum Roberts, Professor of Marine Conservation, and his team helped make history when the world’s first network of high seas marine protected areas was declared in the North Atlantic. The oceans are under increasing pressure and this will help rebuild depleted populations of commercially important fish, as well as protecting other wildlife and habitats.

This work, involving 15 countries, has inspired further international collaboration to set up more protected areas on the high seas, which as yet has almost no protection despite escalating threats to marine life there.

The Stockholm Environment Institute at York is a major environmental research initiative. Located in the Environment Department, this is an independent international research organisation committed to supporting global sustainable development.

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Research at the University of York

Professor Bette Chambers

Professor Sultan Barakat

Dr Ziad Elmarsafy

A CHANGING SOCIETY York’s research on society is wide-ranging and novel. We have invested more in the people and infrastructure to support this than any other UK university in the last ten years. The Humanities Research Centre is just one example of this investment. This £11m imposing building in the centre of the campus holds a lively and exciting community of academics, staff, students and visitors from over 40 countries. It aims to support world-class interdisciplinary research which changes the way people think.

The international impact of this research is increasingly significant.

York’s Institute for Effective Education (IEE) aims to improve education for all children, in the UK and beyond.

Its Director Professor Bette Chambers, also a professor at Johns Hopkins University (US), actively lobbies for the use of research-proven programmes

in education, particularly to promote social mobility.

The Institute is also working with York’s Post-war Reconstruction and Development Unit (PRDU) on education in emergencies and post-conflict countries. The two teams are currently conducting a systematic review on behalf of

the Government’s Department for International Development to investigate sustainable low-cost schooling alternatives in fragile states. Professor Sultan Barakat, Director of PRDU, is also running a long-term project with the Institute for International Education in Washington DC to support academics displaced in the Middle East and Africa due to war and violence. Academics in York’s Department of English and Related Literature, which has been officially recognised as the UK’s best English department for research, are also investigating issues of global importance. Dr Ziad Elmarsafy has sparked debate and encouraged a better appreciation of the complex background vital to understanding the influence of Islam in today’s modern society through his most recent book, The Enlightenment Qur’an.

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Strategic alliances

INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH York prides itself on the range of partnerships, research and teaching relationships and exchange links for students and staff that it has developed with institutions of academic excellence and other bodies around the world.

These strategic alliances are expanding all the time, generating new opportunities and new perspectives.

These partnerships, developed and supported by our International Relations Office, allow us to share and access intellectual expertise and specialist equipment. They provide our students and staff with an understanding of other research and teaching cultures, making them better equipped to lead multi‑national teams and participate in the global employment market.

The development of international networks is increasingly important as a means of supporting bids to external

funding sources, building sustainable research, and engaging the next generation of scholars.

York graduates are increasingly living and working all over the world, which means that our overseas alumni community is growing fast.

There are 70,000 alumni in 133 countries, with alumni-run groups flourishing across several different continents. The main groups can be found in London, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and the US east coast.

Bergen Alberta

York

Washington, Seattle Wisconsin-Madison

Peking Penn State

Seoul

Nanjing Zhejiang Taiwan Hong Kong

Tohoku Hosei

Bangalore Singapore

Sao Paulo Cape Town

Rhodes

Western Australia

Sydney

Auckland

Waikato Location of major academic partner institutions

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Strategic alliances

Peking University, China

THE JIANGNING FOUNDATION The Jiangning Foundation was established in 2010. Its aim is to facilitate research, teaching and other links between Chinese and British cultural institutions and universities.

The Foundation is named after Jiangning Wang, a student in York’s Department of History of Art before her death in November 2009. Created by the University, the Foundation reflects the contribution to Chinese-European cultural exchange that Jiangning made as a student at York.

The Foundation sponsors scholarships for Chinese students in York’s History of Art Department. York’s academic partner in this scheme is Peking University in Beijing, China.

This partnership also promotes staff exchange, scholarship development, research and teaching collaborations.

“The Jiangning Foundation will offer wonderful opportunities for British and Chinese students and scholars. We intend that the Foundation will support exhibitions and staff appointments, as well as joint research between Britain and China. Jiangning was one of the first people from mainland China to study art history at York – she was a pioneer – and I believe she would welcome this project.”

Professor Mark Hallett, Head of History of Art at York.

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Strategic alliances

WORLDWIDE UNIVERSITIES NETWORK The University of York is a founding member of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), a partnership of 16 world class research-led universities spanning five continents. Dedicated to promoting multidisciplinary research and innovative teaching collaborations, WUN aims to develop leaders who will work across borders and disciplines to address important global challenges.

York academics are responsible for a diverse range of WUN-supported research, including projects on wireless communication, postconflict justice, civic engagement, and disease prevention. Each has a common objective to make a positive difference, whether through advancing understanding to change policy and behaviour or developing new technologies which will alter how we live and work.

York’s Centre for Medieval Studies

has an international reputation for excellence in interdisciplinary graduate teaching and research into the middle ages. The Centre’s leadership of WUN medieval research network, ‘CARMEN’, has enabled real advances in understanding regional identity and multilingual communities, providing important insight for policymakers.

For Dr Elizabeth Tyler, Director of York’s Medieval Research School, global partnerships were crucial in achieving these results:

“By enabling close collaboration with comparable institutions worldwide, WUN has helped the universities of Bergen, Bristol, Western Australia and York achieve global impact in medieval research.

It has enabled us to transform the nature of interdisciplinary research by facilitating collaborative projects across the humanities, sciences and social sciences.”

Many WUN research groups go on to gain support from major funding bodies.

The WUN Risk group was established

by York to provide a global analysis of challenges and opportunities which new medical technologies present for society and industry. This became an EU-funded research project ‘REMEDiE’, focusing on regenerative medicine – particularly the controversial area of stem cell research.

“By enabling close collaboration with comparable institutions worldwide, WUN has helped the universities of Bergen, Bristol, Western Australia and York achieve global impact in medieval research. It has enabled us to transform the nature of interdisciplinary research by facilitating collaborative projects across the humanities, sciences and social sciences.”

Gothic Salisbury Breviary

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Professor Xongbing Xu at work in York’s Department of Electronics

The Electrifying impact of spintronics Spintronics has the potential to have as profound an impact on electronics as the development of the transistor had 50 years ago. It uses electron spin as well as charge to manipulate information processing circuits.

Spintronic devices combine the advantages of magnetic materials and semi-conductors, and are stable, versatile, fast and capable of simultaneous data storage as well as being energy-efficient.

York has established an international centre of excellence to exchange ideas and establish close collaborations in this exciting technology. Capitalising on the strong links that membership of WUN brings, York has joined with Nanjing University to establish the YorkNanjing Joint Centre for Spintronics and Nano Engineering.

Joint Directors of the Centre, Professors Yongbing Xu (pictured)

from York and Rong Zhang from Nanjing, hope to achieve major scientific breakthroughs and, through links with industry, produce devices and applications that will make a positive impact on the lives of people wherever they are in the world.

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Global citizens

AN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY An education at the University of York provides students with the intellectual and life skills they will need to be global leaders, decision makers and strategists in whatever field they choose to pursue.

York students have well-developed global communication and leadership skills in great part due to the international nature of the curriculum and the campus environment. The University of York has been welcoming students from all over the world since it was established. International students form an integral part of the York community, and just over 20% of

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our students come from outside the UK. The international profile of the student body ensures a refreshingly diverse range of ideas and intellectual approaches.

York holds graduation ceremonies in Beijing every two years.

The University has almost 2000 graduates living in China, and there are more than 830 Chinese students currently studying at York.

“York is a world-class university with an international focus, and a growing Chinese alumni base. Hosting graduation ceremonies in Beijing underscores our firm commitment to strengthening our relationships with partner institutions both in China and around the world.”

Professor Brian Cantor, Vice‑Chancellor

Global citizens

A CULTURAL EDUCATION Students at York represent a wonderful mix of nationalities, cultures and faiths from over 100 countries and as such benefit from a truly international educational experience.

Chinese New Year on campus

A diverse range of cultural activities and exchange is available on campus and in the community, giving students valuable career and life skills and experiences. There are over 150 student societies, as well as the International Students’ Association.

These groups organise cultural performances, lectures, food festivals and large community-wide events like Chinese New Year celebrations.

If a country, culture or faith is not reflected by an existing society students are encouraged to establish their own.

York students can study a foreign language of their choice, through the Languages for All programme. All first year undergraduates are entitled to take a language course free of charge.

The University provides English language and study skills support to international students through the Centre for English Language Teaching (CELT). CELT offers a range of intensive preparation courses for students before their academic course begins.

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Global citizens

VISITING STUDENT PROGRAMME Our visiting student scheme is recognised and well-respected across the world. International students choose York for their study abroad experience because of our reputation for providing high quality programmes of study tailored to the requirements of the individual.

advice about travel, visas, and living and studying in York.

For more details please contact Visiting Student Admissions on +44 (0)1904 322082; Email: vs‑admissions@york.ac.uk

Visiting students can study at York for one, two or three terms starting in October or January. They may come from one of our Study Abroad partners or be here on an individual basis. We place an emphasis on small class sizes, personal attention and guidance.

Visiting students are fully integrated into regular undergraduate classes and we provide an extensive range of courses across the arts, sciences and social sciences. Language tuition is available for credits in a range of modern languages and full academic credit transfer to a student’s home university is usually possible.

Students can get involved in every aspect of life at York, regardless of the length of their stay. College based accommodation is available

Our Study Abroad partners include:

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for visiting students on or close to the campus, offering a focus for social life and welfare support and they are also encouraged to join a range of student societies.

York’s Erasmus Society organises events and outings for prospective, current and past Erasmus students.

Everyone is welcome from all countries, even if they are not part of the Erasmus Scheme.

Support for visiting students is a priority. Each student is assigned a supervisor who is responsible for their academic progress and personal welfare. The supervisor helps draw up a programme of modules on arrival to suit academic interests, needs and capabilities. Our international student support network provides

University of California, USA Columbia University, USA University of Pennsylvania, USA Rutgers University, USA Mount Holyoke College, USA University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA York University, Canada University of Sydney, Australia University of Hong Kong The Chinese University of Hong Kong National University of Singapore Nanyang Technical University, Singapore National Chengchi University, Taiwan As well as 86 Erasmus partners in Europe

Global citizens

GLOBAL YORK INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ‘Global York’ creates opportunities for students and staff interested in studying, working or volunteering abroad during their time at York. We also welcome and support students and staff intending to visit York on study or work placements.

York has over 80 EU-funded exchange agreements for study placements with European institutions, in addition to our undergraduate exchange partnerships with top-class universities in North America, Asia and Australia.

As well as traditional undergraduate and postgraduate study placements, York offers the opportunity for students to undertake work placements as part of some degree programmes, participate in volunteering projects and attend summer schools abroad in order to enhance their student experience.

The EU also provides York with funding for academic and non-academic staff travel across Europe through the Erasmus teaching and training mobility scheme.

York’s Interactive Careers Service helps prepare students for the global workplace, giving them access to online job vacancies, alumni profiles, and volunteering

York Study Abroad student, Luke, in Sydney

opportunities. As well as regular sessions about working in the UK, the Careers Service runs an online forum for Chinese students, where they can ask questions about employment to China-based alumni and employers.

For more details please contact the Study Abroad Office on +44 (0)1904 322846; Email: study‑abroad@york.ac.uk

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York: an international city

CITY OF CONTRASTS York’s history can be traced back nearly 2000 years, from its foundation by the Romans in 71AD, through Viking invasions, Georgian splendour and the Victorian railway revolution, to its present day role as one of Europe’s top international tourist destinations.

York is a city of contrasts, a place where modern high streets can take an unexpected twist to meet medieval cobbles or Roman walls.

York was designated the first UK ‘Science City’. The combination of its thriving bioscience, creative technologies and ICT businesses and fabulous heritage, make for an enriching cultural and social experience.

Our impact on the community The University contributes 8% of local GDP and its staff and students form an integral part of York’s population. In 2009/2010, over 38,000 volunteer hours were logged by York students at 60 local schools and 50 community partner organisations, including York Museums Trust, York Arts Academy and The Children’s Society.

Members of the community are invited to attend the dozens of concerts, lectures and learning events held on and off campus.

In addition, the Centre for Lifelong Learning continues to enroll more than two thousand individuals for continuing education courses.

Most recently, our £750 million campus expansion at Heslington East is also an investment into the local York economy, providing opportunities for work for many companies and individuals.

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York: an international city

‘MY CITY’ For Vicnan, stepping into a slice of history is just one reason why he loves living in York.

“This isn’t real,” he says. “ That was the first thought that came to mind when I entered York, and I still feel like I’m in a postcard each time I leave my room. I’m a city boy through and through – I mistook a sheep for a pig my first day in the UK. I certainly never had rabbits or ducks or horses in Singapore, nor cobbled streets.

I made the mistake of thinking York would be quiet: under the scenic movie-set (literally) beauty lies a city that parties hard; with the hundreds of pubs (more than there are days in the year), fantastic cafes and restaurants, shopping, all nestled in beautiful streets, there’s a whole lot to party.

Campus itself buzzes; it’s a fantastic place to study, there are dozens of open lectures on fascinating subjects (sometimes all on the same night), and the student activities boggle the mind – a group of us are taking the opportunity to bask in the spring sun, and have taken to learn how to swing-dance on the open lawns. It shouldn’t be real but it is!”

Vicnan Pannirselvam is a first‑year Philosophy, Politics, and Economics undergraduate. He is President of the Singapore Society and has co‑ordinated youth participation at the UN Commission for Sustainable Development since 2008. He is founding president of York’s Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) chapter, a network of students, academics and industry leaders.

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International Relations Office

Department of Theatre, Film and Television

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS Department of Theatre, Film and Television

The International Relations Office helps develop and sustain York’s partnerships with organisations around the world.

We are responsible for implementing the University’s internationalisation strategy, which aims to: • Support high quality, groundbreaking research that will have an impact on thinkers, policymakers, and business leaders world-wide.

• Develop programmes that prepare students to succeed in the modern global economy.

• Create opportunities for international exchange with high quality institutions, for both students and academic staff.

• Build and diversify our business connections and alumni networks.

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We are keen to engage with institutions around the world to discuss developing high quality partnerships. We make several visits each year to countries identified as priority partners. York delegations, involving academics from a range of disciplines, have recently visited Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Republic of Korea, South Africa, Sweden, and the USA. We also welcome visitors to York from institutions who wish to build links with us. We organise targeted programmes which might include a tour of our world-class resources

and equipment, meeting academics with an interest in sharing specific expertise, or a detailed look at life on campus and the student experience.

We are keen to explore different sorts of exchanges and collaborations in order to find the right one for each individual partner.

If your institution is interested in visiting the University of York, please send details of your delegation and why you want to visit to Aukje Noorman, International Relations Office Administrator: international-relations@york.ac.uk

International Relations Office

CONTACT US The International Relations Office team has a range of expertise not only in higher education but also law, diplomacy, press and public relations. We have experience of studying, living and working in other countries, and are committed to giving our students these opportunities too. Team members with specific geographical responsibilities have a body of knowledge of the country and region, and will normally project-manage visits to and host delegations from these areas.

Hilary Layton is the Director of Internationalisation. She has responsibility for international strategy at York and for managing York’s institutional relationships with China, India, and Sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa.

Contact: +44 1904 324462 hilary.layton@york.ac.uk

Harriet Cross is the International Relations Officer. She has responsibility for managing York’s institutional relationships with Australia, New Zealand, US, Canada, Middle East and North Africa. She is York’s Worldwide Universities Network Co-ordinator and Chair of the WUN Co-ordinators’ Group.

She also works closely with British and international student groups.

Sandy Ritter is the International Relations Manager. She has responsibility for managing York’s institutional relationships with Europe, East and Southeast Asia, and South America, and works closely with academic departments on internationalising teaching and research.

Contact: +44 1904 322019 harriet.cross@york.ac.uk

Contact: +44 1904 323198 sandy.ritter@york.ac.uk

Contact: +44 1904 322845 sarah.leach@york.ac.uk

Sarah Leach is the Study Abroad Manager. She has responsibility for the undergraduate student exchange schemes as well as postgraduate and staff mobility. She is Deputy Provost of Derwent College.

Other team members have a range of responsibilities, providing support, advice and project management.

Alice Mcluckie PA to the Director +44 1904 324056 alice.mcluckie@york.ac.uk Aukje Noorman International Relations Office Administrator +44 1904 322036 aukje.noorman@york.ac.uk Claire Postill Study Abroad Administrator +44 1904 322846 claire.postill@york.ac.uk Laura Atkinson Study Abroad Advisor +44 1904 322072 laura.atkinson@york.ac.uk The International Relations Office team

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The University of York is a Fairtrade university

Photography: Harriet Cross, John Houlihan, Ian Martindale, Upper Cut Productions, Ivor Prickett  Design: balldesignconsultancy.com

York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom www.york.ac.uk