How Chevening alumni are strengthening UK-China partnerships  

Across China, Chevening alumni are turning the connections they built in the UK into new partnerships that are tackling shared challenges. Supported by the Chevening Alumni Programme Fund (CAPF), alumni have brought together researchers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, conservationists and creatives to strengthen collaboration between the UK and China. 

Turning expertise into collaboration  

Chevening alumni are using the knowledge and networks they have developed in the UK to create spaces where ideas can be shared across the country.  

In Beijing, the Chevening Energy Market Reform Fellowship Research Forum brought together experts from government, academia and industry to explore the future of clean energy. Chevening Fellows presented fresh perspectives on energy policy and market reform while creating new opportunities for collaboration under the UK–China Clean Energy Partnership.  

In healthcare, alumni helped create a similar platform for collaboration. The Chevening Health Research Forum connected researchers, policymakers, and industry leaders, including representatives from the University of Oxford and the British Chamber of Commerce in China, to discuss shared challenges including healthy ageing, antimicrobial resistance, and the relationship between climate change and health. 

This is a critical mass of Chinese health professionals who are willing and interested in engaging with the UK in policy, research, or commercial opportunities. – Matt Moody, Minister Counsellor (Innovation) at the British Embassy Beijing

Meanwhile, the Chevening LSE Research Roadshow in Beijing and Chengdu brought UK and Chinese experts together to discuss sustainability, climate change and social science, highlighting how education and research continue to build lasting international partnerships. 

Finding common ground beyond the conference room  

Not every Chevening conversation starts around a meeting table.  

In Beijing, alumni joined British bird expert Paul Holt for a morning of birdwatching in Nanhaizi Park, spotting more than 30 bird species while learning about Beijing’s rich biodiversity and the story of the Milu deer, whose successful reintroduction to China began with support from the UK 40 years ago. 

In Guiyang, alumni from fields including green finance, agriculture, media, energy and local government came together for an immersive rural revitalisation workshop. Through visits, discussions and collaborative activities, participants explored how sustainable development can support rural communities while protecting local culture and ecosystems, laying the foundations for future cross-sector collaboration. 

Since then, they have continued working together on sustainable development education through SDG training, youth workshops, and the Future Craft 2026 Sustainable Development Education Conference in Beijing, co-initiated by Chevening alumni from Kunming, Beijing and Chengdu. 

Opening new conversations 

In Shanghai, Chevening alumna Bao Wenwei drew on her experience as an exhibition curator at the Shanghai Museum to take fellow alumni behind the scenes of museum-making. Using real exhibition case studies, she showed how exhibitions evolve from an idea into a public experience, opening conversations about cultural exchange and the role museums play in connecting people across borders. 

Elsewhere, alumni explored topics ranging from women’s leadership and entrepreneurship to trade and investment opportunities in Northern Ireland, creating new opportunities for collaboration.

Continuing to grow the Chevening network  

Across China, Chevening alumni are using the knowledge, confidence and networks they developed in the UK to continue building professional relationships through regional communities, shared interests and new collaborations. 

Through CAPF-supported initiatives, they are strengthening partnerships, encouraging dialogue and creating lasting connections between the UK and China.