Newcastle University hosts Southeast University President for launch of UK-China Intelligent Healthcare Research Centre
19 October 2025
Welcoming a strategic partner
Newcastle University was honoured to host a high-level delegation from Southeast University (SEU), China in October.
The visit in October 2025 marked the formal launch of the Southeast University UK-China Intelligent Healthcare Joint Research Centre, based at SEU in Nanjing: a major step forward in global research collaboration.
It brought together senior leaders, researchers, and academics from both institutions to develop the strategic partnership, strengthen relations between the two institutions, and celebrate the establishment of the new centre.
A new centre for global innovation
The newly established Joint Research Centre in Nanjing, China is designed to serve as a dynamic platform for interdisciplinary research in intelligent healthcare, combining expertise in medical sciences and engineering. It will focus on advancing technologies in areas such as:
- wearable healthcare
- medical robotics
- neuroprosthetics
- biomedical imaging
- systems and control for biology and medicine
- artificial intelligence for medicine
Strengthening international collaboration
As the lead UK institution, Newcastle University will contribute a team of around 15 academic and research staff from the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FMS) and the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering (SAgE).
This includes experts from the Newcastle University Biosciences Institute (NUBI), the School of Engineering, and the Biomedical Engineering Centre of Research Excellence, with representation from across Newcastle’s campuses in the UK, Malaysia, and Singapore.
The SEU research team includes academic and clinical staff from the School of Instrumental Science and Engineering and Zhongda Hospital, spanning departments such as:
- wearable and robotics healthcare
- critical care
- emergency medicine
- rehabilitation
- cardiology
- psychology
This diverse and expert team will work closely with Newcastle researchers to integrate engineering capabilities with clinical and biomedical research needs.
Developing intelligent healthcare solutions
Together, the two universities aim to integrate engineering capabilities with clinical and biomedical research needs. The aim is to develop intelligent healthcare solutions and produce high-impact research outcomes with global relevance.
Commenting on the partnership, Professor Chris Day, Vice-Chancellor and President of Newcastle University, said:
“We were delighted to welcome our colleagues from Southeast University to Newcastle. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to advancing education and research that improves lives globally. The establishment of the Joint Research Centre is a testament to the strength of our collaboration and the potential of international cooperation in tackling some of the most pressing challenges of our time.”
The collaboration is further strengthened by the leadership of Professor Chengyu Liu, Dean of the School of Instrumental Science and Engineering at SEU. He brings a personal connection to Newcastle through his previous postdoctoral research at the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
A partnership for the future
The visit to Newcastle not only celebrated the launch of the new centre but also laid the groundwork for future cooperation.
Colleagues from both universities’ schools of engineering came together to discuss collaboration on education programmes and wider research, part of a partnership committed to fostering long-term academic exchange and joint research that addresses pressing global challenges.
The visit reflects Newcastle University’s commitment to fostering global partnerships that drive innovation, excellence, and impact.