Professor Krishna Paudyal of Strathclyde Business School's accounting and finance department has made a high profile visit to China as part of a British Council Scotland mission to build financial services links with the country.
Professor Paudyal joined counterparts from universities in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow, as well as Scotland's colleges, and Owen Kelly, chief executive of Scottish Financial Enterprise, on a trip to the city of Tianjin, east of Beijing, from June 6-9.
Dubbed a 'new Shanghai' by some observers, Tianjin, population 12 million, is a growing centre for a range of industries and is developing its financial services sector.
The visit aimed to establish inks between higher education and business which could lead to significant flows of new investment between Scotland and Tianjin.
Following a keynote address by Mr Kelly on June 7 outlining Scotland's expertise in financial services, the academics met counterparts from Tianjin's top universities to explore collaboration opportunities which could result in students and academic exchanges, research collaborations and flows of students between the two countries.
The mission fulfils a commitment to build partnerships in the Memorandum of Understanding agreed between Scotland and the municipal government of Tianjin during a visit by First Minister Alex Salmond in July 2010.
Professor Paudyal said, "As a leading international university, Strathclyde is proud of its strong links with universities in China and I'm delighted to have met with colleagues in Tianjin to discuss our shared interest in world-class research and education.
"We believe it's vital for today's students to have an international outlook to give them the edge in global business, and we're very pleased to welcome students from more than 100 countries to Strathclyde. This visit will help us further strengthen our links with China and its growing financial service sector in Tianjin."
Julia Amour, Director of British Council Scotland, said, "Scotland's long history of excellence in the financial services industry and our proud educational heritage are key attributes that help us punch above our weight in the modern world.
"This mission is an important way to create educational and commercial partnerships between Scotland and China, one of the powerhouses of the 21st century.
"The British Council is Scotland's gateway to the world. We are working with Scotland's colleges and universities to help internationalise Scottish education so that we reap the benefits of being part of a better connected world."
Owen Kelly, chief executive of Scottish Financial Enterprise, said, "Scotland has a depth of experience in financial services that few other international centres can match. The industry collaborates closely with our several world-class universities and Scotland is home to the oldest professional bodies in the world for disciplines like banking, accountancy and actuarial science.
"This, allied to our 300 or so years' experience as a leading financial centre, makes us a very attractive partner for those at the leading edge of financial services growth, in Asia in general and in China in particular."