The University of Leeds, United Kingdom, Wageningen University and Research, the Netherlands and Zhejiang Gongshang University, China, signed the MOU with Massey University at the Forum of the Four University held at Gongshang University in Hangzhou, China recently. Five senior delegates from each university attended the Forum.

Distinguished Professor Harjinder Singh, Co-Director of Riddet Institute and Director of the Massey Institute of Food Science and Technology led the Massey delegation to China. Professor Matt Golding, Associate Professor Aiqian Ye, Dr Cathryn Conlon and Professor Manohar Garg (Honorary Professor, Riddet Institute) also attended.

“This international consortium will provide an excellent platform for our staff and students to enhance research capability and capacity at different universities. The combined expertise of the four highly ranked universities in food science will be attractive to international food industry and will bring in new partnerships and funding,” Professor Singh says.

The MOU is a formalisation of the four universities in order to provide consistency, and a focal point for the preparation and administration of the Consortium for collaboration and cooperation:

• To promote food science and nutrition research at the four universities in China, to both academic communities and industries;
• To exchange and share the latest research developments in food science and nutrition research being carried out at the four universities;
• To establish multi-lateral links and collaborations in research and student training programmes;
• To establish a joint knowledge base for international food companies to access the Chinese market.

Source: Massey University