UCL expands China collaborations through Shanghai alumni reception and Bartlett School initiatives

With support from the Office of the Vice-President (Advancement) at UCL, the Bartlett School of Planning held a UCL alumni reception at the residence of Matt Burney CMG, His Majesty's Consul-General in Shanghai. In bringing together alumni, partners and Shanghai friends from the financial, technological, health and built-environment sectors in the city, the event also strengthens UCL Shanghai engagement. It raises the standing of long-standing UCL-China partnerships as UCL heads towards its bicentennial in 2026.

Matt Burney opened the reception by emphasising the role of cities in creating spaces of creativity and inclusive growth, the role of education in climate and digital transitions, and the increasingly close ties between the UK and China in urban planning. The event, in some ways, showed how British Consulate General Shanghai UCL channels supported university diplomacy in China, where UCL develops links to the communities around it.

On behalf of UCL, Prof Lauren Andres expressed her gratitude to the respective consular and alumni teams for their contributions to building an international community for UCL in Shanghai. Alumni from finance, architecture, policy, technology and life sciences reflected the UCL China alumni network's strength and the interdisciplinary reach of the University itself. Other notable guests included representatives from RIBA China Chapter, Jiang Architects and Engineers, HATCH Architects and Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, which continues to show the wide net of cross-cultural academic partnerships linked with UCL.

Professor Andres described alumni as a vital link between London and Shanghai, carrying UCL's values into business, research and public service. She stressed UCL's focus on bringing disciplines together to address global challenges, a key part of global engagement at UCL, where the institution is taking UCL +/- to the next level. Speaking for The Bartlett, Professor Mike Raco pointed out the university's leadership across architecture, planning, development and heritage. He perpetuated the legacy of the Bartlett School of Planning (BSP) since its inception in 1913; this legacy has greatly influenced the planning process in both the UK and overseas. The institution's tradition and contemporary analysis show how in-depth the UCL Bartlett School of China collaboration goes.

BSP continues to welcome many students from China who now shape planning and governance across major cities. Some of these projects involve collaboration initiatives with Peking University and Shanghai University around artificial intelligence, urban regeneration, and sustainability, an example of how UCL partnerships in mainland China are expanding. During this visit, UCL also renewed cooperation with Shanghai University and Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences and engaged with Tongji University on AI and future cities.

Comparing the two cities, Professor Raco said that both giant cities of the globe face similar challenges when it comes to housing, basically infrastructure and the pressures the environment puts on both cities. Thus, he observed the two strengths of Shanghai in large-scale delivery and data-driven governance that complement London's experience in heritage preservation and public realm design. These shared concerns highlight some of the advantages that are being derived through UCL's engagement with Shanghai communities and, indeed, the value of consulate-university collaboration.

Offering alumni chances to co-create public art, community projects, and the Generation UCL initiative before the UCL 200th celebrations in 2026 was an invitation by Professor Andres to Benefact UCL in 2026. In this context, the upcoming celebrations were also linked to the Grand Challenge of Inequalities five-year program that targets the inequities created by economic and digital forces. This work demonstrates the strategy UCL is adopting for consolidating relations in the mainland with a big footprint on the impacts of such partnerships on research and education.

UCL participated in strengthening ties with Shanghai communities through the British Consulate General, and how these events by consuls would expand with UCL Bartlett in Shanghai. Such events also belong to what UCL's engagement strategy in Shanghai means for alumni and research partnerships, and why UCL is deepening its activities in Shanghai through a combination of diplomatic and community channels. UCL is also grateful to Consul-General Burney and the British Consulate-General team for the reception held, as well as to alumni and partners who continue to support ongoing engagement between UCL and China.

Editor’s Note:

The Bartlett School of Planning, in collaboration with UCL's Office of the Vice-President (Advancement), recently hosted an alumni reception in Shanghai, highlighting the increasing importance of internationalisation in higher education. Held at the residence of His Majesty's Consul-General, the event successfully gathered alumni, partners, and community leaders from diverse fields, including finance, technology, health, and the built environment. This event, magnificent with UCL's long-standing partnerships within China, attests to UCL's commitment to strengthening such ties as the university makes its passage into the bicentennial celebrations scheduled for 2026. Such contributions by alumni and partners speak to UCL's interdisciplinary reach and the role of its members as shapers of business, research, and public service beyond borders. The speeches from Professor Lauren Andres and Professor Mike Raco reflect not only the legacy but also the emerging future direction of UCL. They emphasised the university's leadership in the fields of planning, architecture, and heritage, while also indicating future works in the new areas of artificial intelligence, sustainability, and urban regeneration with leading Chinese universities. The event also served to illustrate how consulate-university interaction helps in linking London to Shanghai. It seems that both houses harbour quite similar problems relating to housing, infrastructure, and environmental pressure, so the knowledge exchange will benefit both cities.

Skoobuzz highlights that as UCL prepares itself to enter the celebration of its 200th anniversary, initiatives such as Generation UCL and the Grand Challenge of Inequalities illustrate how alumni, along with international partnerships, will remain at the core mission of the university. Therefore, the reception in Shanghai was not only a celebration of community but a statement of UCL's global outlook and its commitment to addressing some of the most pressing challenges through education, research and diplomacy.

FAQs

1. What is UCL doing in Shanghai to engage with the local community?

UCL is strengthening ties with Shanghai through alumni receptions, research collaborations and community projects. Events such as the Bartlett School of Planning alumni gathering connect graduates, partners and local organisations, showing how UCL engages directly with Shanghai’s financial, technological, health and built‑environment sectors.

2. Why did UCL host an event with the British Consulate in Shanghai?

The reception was organised with the support of the British Consulate‑General to highlight UCL’s international partnerships and deepen its presence in China. Hosting the event at the Consul‑General’s residence symbolised the role of diplomacy in supporting university engagement and building bridges between London and Shanghai.

3. How does UCL engage its alumni in China?

UCL engages alumni in China by creating networking opportunities across disciplines such as finance, architecture, policy, technology and life sciences. Alumni are invited to contribute to initiatives like Generation UCL and public art projects, ensuring they remain active partners in UCL’s global mission.

4. What partnerships does UCL have with Chinese institutions?

UCL collaborates with leading universities including Peking University, Shanghai University, Tongji University and the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. These partnerships focus on areas such as artificial intelligence, urban regeneration, sustainability and future cities, reflecting UCL’s commitment to interdisciplinary research.

5. How is UCL expanding in China through its Bartlett School?

The Bartlett School of Planning is central to UCL’s expansion in China. It continues to welcome many students from China who now shape planning and governance in major cities. The school also leads joint projects on AI, heritage, and urban development, reinforcing UCL’s role in addressing shared challenges between London and Shanghai.