A high-powered delegation of scientists from China are touring the University of Aberdeen today (Thursday, September 30) to find out more about the leading research taking place here.
It is hoped the visit will lead to even more collaboration between Aberdeen and universities in the Far East.
The visitors are from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) which is a huge organisation responsible for funding science and technology research in Chinese universities.
Delegates are on a ten-day tour of the UK visiting laboratories at highly acclaimed research institutes and universities with expertise in life sciences. They hope to gain an understanding of the latest developments taking place in research and also explore possible links for co-operation in specific fields.
The University of Aberdeen's Professor Dominic Houlihan is hosting the visitors' tour of the University, where they will be given an insight into medical and biological research.
Professor Houlihan, Vice-Principal (Research and Commercialisation), said: "We're delighted to welcome our guests from China as it is one of a number of countries already linked with the University. We hope this visit will lead to even more collaboration with China for our researchers."
For one of the visitors - Professor Zuoyan Zhu, who is Vice-President of NSFC - today is a return visit to Aberdeen. An internationally recognised specialist in fish biology, Professor Zhu is a former lecturer at the University of Aberdeen.
Hoewever, he still has links with the University - research scientists from his lab in China are currently working here.
The NFSC visit has been organised by the Royal Society and includes meetings with representatives from the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, Cancer Research UK and the British Council.
The University of Aberdeen - which has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Petroleum University of Beijing - has already received three Chinese professors who are staying in Aberdeen for six months.
Next month more than 22 delegates from the Chinese National Offshore Oil Co-operative are visiting the University of Aberdeen for oil related training.