Staff from the world's leading university for Olympic and Paralympic medallists, Beijing Sports University, visited the University of Worcester for talks on co-operating to promote education and involvement in Paralympic and inclusive sport.
Worcester, which has earned the reputation as the world's most advanced University for inclusive sport, welcomed the Vice President of the Beijing Sport University, Professor Gao Feng, along with Shen Jian, Director of the Student Affairs Department, and Lynett Tian, Deputy Director of its International Education College. The Chinese University leaders met University athletes, lecturers and leaders, saw key facilities and discussed educational programmes.
The two universities have a history of co-operating with the exchange of teachers and students for further study as well as working together on research. Following a visit to Beijing Sports University in October 2016, by Professor David Green, Worcester's Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive and Mick Donovan Worcester's Deputy Pro Vice Chancellor for Inclusive Sport and Education the two universities are now working together on a major conference on inclusive sport this autumn in China.
Professor Gao Feng said: "We got a deep impression about how much you care about the students who study here " how much you care about them and their future career.
"We visited the students" disabled dormitories and they give us a very deep impression. You do lots in this area not only in the facilities but you care about the students."
The visitors were also struck, he said, by the amount of time spent outside the classroom on putting skills learnt into practice and the combined use of facilities like the indoor sports hall for badminton and basketball.
"Our facilities are bigger than here but actually you use it very well, it's very effective," said Professor Gao Feng.
"We will learn a lot from you and it gives us new ideas and helps us in the future on how to make plans for our university.
"It's very important and valuable in the plans for the two university partners that we should learn from each other."
Professor Gao Feng also expressed a wish to work more closely on the training of young football players, bringing over lecturers from the University of Worcester to Beijing to talk about their training and sending its coaches to Worcester to learn more.
Professor Green said: "The Beijing Sports University has produced the most Olympic and Paralympic gold medal winners of any University on our planet. Their work is internationally outstanding in many fields.
"It was a privilege to welcome their Vice President and his delegation to visit the University and to see the work we are doing " particularly in regards to student welfare generally and in inclusive sport in particular."