News
Professional Institutions bring closer collaboration with China
9th February 2007
From January 2007 David Hughes (President of CIBSE) takes over from Michael Brown (Deputy Chief Executive of the CIOB) as Chairman of PI-UK. Conceived in 2004 as a collaborative venture between a number of related Institutions, PI-UK China was officially launched in September 2006, and ratified its Constitution in December .
This is a unique initiative which recognises China as a key focus for built environment, construction and engineering activity internationally. Its aim is to provide access to a range of knowledge on the built environment and engineering professions, and to develop opportunities for collaboration between Chinese and UK professionals.
There are 16 PIs in membership, covering the principal disciplines across the spectrum of landscape, construction engineering and the built environment, and together representing more than 500,000 individual members. There is an active and committed Board of Management which meets regularly in London, and an equivalent, but smaller body in Shanghai under the leadership of Professor James Ding of Tongi University.
PI-UK will work with government, universities, associations and firms in China to enhance professional relationships and collaboration and provide access to UK professional qualifications. With major construction and environmental projects under way, and a commitment to sustainable development under the Kyoto protocols, China is a huge and rapidly growing market , and Chinese students and professionals are keen to share knowledge and expertise with world class practitioners in the UK.
One of PI-UK’s ongoing projects is a study of career paths in China and the comparison between UK professional training and Chinese qualifications and accreditation systems. On completion of a feasibility study early in 2006 , and with the help of colleagues at the British Council, PI-UK established an office in Shanghai : Geena Xie is Project Manager there.
With mutually supportive links to China experts at the DTI, UK Trade and Industry, and the China Britain Business Council, PI-UK is forging valuable relationships with key players in Chinese government, higher education, associations and industry.
A bilingual website, www.piuk-china.com, gives news, contacts and information about each Institution, with links to all the participating organisations.
Commenting on the launch of PI-UK China Michael Brown said:
‘China has the largest construction industry in the world. UK professional institutions are recognised as world leaders in their disciplines and collaboration with Chinese professionals is vitally important in being part of the international built environment and engineering industries. PI-UK China is unique in providing a common voice and point of influence when working with the Chinese government, higher education institutions and industries.'
Nigel Thorne FLI president of the Landscape Institute and Professor Kathryn Moore, past president of the Landscape Institute will be visiting China in April this year. The Landscape Institute has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chinese Society of Landscape Architecture (CHSLA).
Source: PIUK/LI
