LONDON, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- The University of Birmingham announced Wednesday it has signed an agreement with China's Hebei University to set up a joint research institute to help tackle major global problems linked to environmental pollution and injustice.
Delegates from Hebei University travelled to Birmingham to meet their British counterparts and define the next steps in setting up a center, which will focus research on precision toxicology, environmental health and environmental justice and governance.
The institute will combine science and social science research, setting a global policy agenda by combining understanding of how individuals and economy respond to environmental policy with scientific research identifying problems and how they might be solved.
Led by Hebei University President Dr. Le Kang, the delegation met the University of Birmingham's Provost Professor Tim Jones.
The two signed an agreement to open the International Center for Precision Environmental Health and Governance.
The new institute will bring together scientists, lawyers, engineers and health experts in Baoding, north China's Hebei Province, to create a hub for the international Environment Care Consortium, for postgraduate education and for research training, pursuing research funding opportunities in China and the UK and speeding up the development of new and sustainable industries in both countries.
Professor Jones said: "We believe a collaboration with Hebei University to establish this international Institute will offer leadership at making the environment safe from chemicals and at defending people's rights to a healthful environment."
A spokesperson for the University of Birmingham said the Institute will focus on investigating solutions to a range of issues, including pollution from multiple sources, public health crises caused by environmental toxicity concentrated among the poorest and the most vulnerable populations and the failure of regulatory efforts to tackle these issues.
