Chinese delegation

Mr Hao Peng, Division Chief of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, presents a gift on behalf of the delegation to Professor Wayne Powell, Director of IBERS

Mr Hao Peng, Division Chief of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, presents a gift on behalf of the delegation to Professor Wayne Powell, Director of IBERS

31 July 2013

Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences welcomed a delegation from some of China’s leading agricultural research institutes on Wednesday 24 July.

The 25-strong delegation was led by Mr Hao Peng, Division Chief of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, and included representatives from major agricultural research centres including the Beijing Dairy Cattle Centre, Tianjin Institute of Animal Husbandry Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Poultry Science and Huazhong Agricultural University.

During the day long visit members of the delegation visited research facilities at IBERS Gogerddan, including the farms and the recently opened £6.8m National Plant Phenomics Centre.

Presentations were provided by IBERS staff led by the Director Professor Wayne Powell, Professor Nigel Scollan, Dr Pippa Moore and Dr Mike Rose. These focused on livestock research and teaching, and aquatic, behavioural and evolutionary biology.

The visitors learned of the major strengths in Aberystwyth on pastoral agriculture with world-leading expertise in plant genetics and breeding, ruminant agriculture and microbiology along with major activities in industrial biotechnology.

Professor John Doonan, Mr Alan Gay and Dr Matt Hegarty presented the work of the National Plant Phenomics Centre and the Translational Genomics Laboratory.  The visitors learned how investment in these new facilities in Aberystwyth will help to further enhance delivery of improved forage and cereal varieties to the industry.

Professor Nigel Scollan, said: “This was an excellent opportunity for leading scientists from China to learn at first-hand about the outstanding research and teaching in IBERS and the exciting developments recently announced with the development of a new Innovation and Diffusion Campus for food and renewable energy at Gogerddan.

“The development of strong international research and teaching relationships is essential to help address the large challenges in the world today related to food, energy and water against a backdrop of large increases in our global population and increasing variability in our climate.  We are delighted to welcome international delegations to Aberystwyth, which help to build on our existing linkages and to map out new opportunities.”

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