Peking University opens UK campus to celebrate 120th anniversary

Peking University, the leading institution of higher education in China, has officially opened its first offshore campus in Oxfordshire, England, as part of a series of events marking the beginning of celebrations commemorating PKU's 120th anniversary this year.

Chinese ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming delivers a speech at the inauguration ceremony of the Peking University UK Campus in Oxfordshire, England on March 25, 2018. [Photo: China Plus]

Located about five kilometers from Oxford University, the 15-acre Peking University UK Campus is the first independently built and run Chinese university campus overseas.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming called the campus "a visionary gift for the 120th anniversary of Peking University" and an important milestone in the history of China's education exchanges with the rest of the world.

The UK Campus of Peking University locates in Oxfordshire, England. [Photo: China Plus]

"China-UK education cooperation needs to scale new heights to deliver more 'golden fruits'. China and the UK need to scale new heights in forging an exemplary new type of state-to-state relationship," Liu said.

The launch of the UK Campus also included a two-day academic symposium, which is the highlight of PKU's anniversary celebratory events and a significant platform for Sino-British academic exchange.

Nobel Laureates Thomas Sargent and Sir John Gurdon made speeches at the symposium, while scholars from the two countries discussed issues ranging from international relations, finance, and economics to humanities and history, science and technology.

The late 19th-century manor was purchased by Peking University in 2017 as the site for its UK campus. [Photo: China Plus]

The UK Campus began operations this spring and mainly serves students from the UK and Europe. Courses focus on professional knowledge of China's economy, the financial market and corporate management.

Students will spend their first year on the UK Campus and their second year on the PKU Shenzhen campus in south China.

Additionally, all students enrolled in the Shenzhen program can apply to spend one semester studying at the UK campus.

As the initiator of this overseas campus, Peking University HSBC Business School in Shenzhen is responsible for the main administration duties of the UK Campus.

According to Times Higher Education, Peking University ranked 27th in the 2018 world university rankings.