The Uk-China Business awards 2026

With 6,800+ Chinese nationals studying across our programmes, King's has the fifth largest Chinese student population of any British university. They represent our second largest student demographic and our ties with China run deep across education, research and partnership.

Alongside key in-country delivery including the Nanjing Vocational Health College (NVHC) which builds the local healthcare workforce in the Jiangsu province, research collaborations include the Digital International Development Education Alliance (DI-IDEA) with Peking University, and student exchange with Renmin University of China, Shanghai University and Peking.

In 2024, King’s embarked on an ambitious new ‘branch campus’ through a world-leading collaboration with SUSTech in Shenzhen, China to form the SUSTech - King’s College London Joint School of Medicine. The School of Medicine is the first Sino-British medical school in China, creating a new model of global engagement for the development of the future international medical and biomedical workforce. All programmes have been developed jointly by SUSTech and King’s, and lead to double degree awards which are recognised in both China and the UK.

Additionally, our Lau China Institute is a global centre for the research, study and understanding of contemporary China, conducting research and teaching across postgraduate and doctoral programming alongside leading research on the Chinese mainland.

King’s continues to attract over 900 new students from the Chinese mainland annually, across both our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and has developed a sector-leading ‘Careers in China’ programme of employability support, industry connectivity and experiential learning to support this population with their graduate career.

University of St Andrews, Newcastle University, University of Warwick, University of Exeter, and Durham University

Our flagship initiative Return to China Career Fairs, represents a step change in how UK higher education supports international graduate employability. By creating a cross-institutional, employer-led ecosystem, we have moved beyond traditional, campus-based careers provision to deliver direct, scalable and impactful outcomes for students seeking opportunities in China.

At the core of our approach is a unique collaboration between five UK universities, spanning both England and Scotland. This partnership enables us to achieve economies of scale, significantly expand employer engagement, and offer students access to a far broader and more diverse range of opportunities than any single institution could provide independently. Notably, we are the only UK university partnership that independently funds careers fairs in China, and the only one supporting Chinese students across both English and Scottish institutions through a unified model.

Our initiative demonstrates both innovation and sustained commitment. Now entering its third consecutive year, the programme combines online and in person careers fairs held in tier one cities (previously in Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen), connecting over 2,000 students and graduates each year with more than 120 leading Chinese employers across finance, consulting, technology, internet, manufacturing, healthcare, FMCG, and other sectors. These include major organisations such as the Big Four (PwC, KPMG, EY, Deloitte), HSBC, Citi, Huawei, Alibaba Cloud, Tencent, ByteDance, Geely, JLR, Johnson & Johnson, WuXi Biologics, Mars and P&G.

Crucially, the initiative operates on a completely free-of-charge basis for both students and employers, removing financial barriers and ensuring equitable access to high-quality opportunities. What differentiates our model is its employer-led design and continuous innovation. All participating employers are directly sourced through our internal networks, enabling stronger alignment between recruiter expectations and student aspirations, while also allowing us to track outcomes with greater precision. We have evolved the traditional careers fair into a multi-stage employability programme, incorporating pre-event workshops, labour market insights, and ongoing digital engagement. This ensures students are not only attending events but are fully prepared to engage meaningfully and competitively.

Accessibility is a key strength. Through hybrid delivery and dedicated online engagement channels, we support participation regardless of location, significantly increasing reach among international cohorts. Our tailored pre- and post-event support, including employer-informed workshops and continuous communication platforms, helps students build confidence, understand market trends, and navigate recruitment processes effectively.

The impact of the initiative is evidenced through strong stakeholder feedback. One student noted that the programme provided “a rare opportunity to submit CVs directly to employers and gain real insight into the job market,” while another highlighted the value of “engaging directly with HR representatives and connecting with peers across universities.” Employers similarly praised both the quality of candidates and the professionalism of delivery, with one reporting receiving “30 to 40 strong CVs” and progressing candidates directly to interview. By combining direct investment, cross-institutional collaboration, and an employer-driven approach, we are not only supporting employability - we are actively building the infrastructure that connects global talent to opportunity.

The University of Leeds is a top‑100 QS world‑ranked institution and is proud to educate 6,565 Chinese students in Leeds, alongside a further 1,475 students through our long‑standing Joint School in Chengdu. Our partnership with China is deep, sustained and central to our global identity.

We are strongly committed to supporting Chinese students in achieving meaningful career outcomes. This is led by a dedicated International Careers Consultant, supported by specialist Faculty advisers who provide tailored one‑to‑one guidance, mock interviews and global job‑search support. Students gain insight into recruitment practices in China, including hiring cycles, aptitude testing and emerging growth sectors, enriched through collaboration with Chinese alumni, employers, Mandarin‑speaking careers colleagues and professional mentors.

Our China‑focused employability programme has been evolving for more than a decade. We deliver bespoke workshops and events with partners including Hisense Group, PwC China, Decathlon China, Study UK (British Council), Huawei Career and LockIn China. Each year we host Discover Your Future in China during Global Careers Week and, for over eight years, have participated in the Asia Careers Insight Series, engaging major employers from mainland China and Hong Kong.

We continue to expand employer partnerships across Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Chengdu, creating new internship pathways that enhance in‑country experience. Leeds also participates in the Global University Career Development Conference, engaging with nearly 100 Chinese employers through fairs, forums and industry visits.

Building on these strong foundations, the University developed the Global Industry Programme, which we submit as our Initiative of the Year.

AMBA (The Association of MBAs) was founded in London in 1967. In its first 25 years, it served as THE global "pre-LinkedIn" platform for MBA alumni. In the 1980s AMBA developed accreditation standards for business schools (universities) with MBA/EMBA programmes. AMBA is now primarily known as a standard-setting body for postgraduate management education, graduate employability and alumni relations.

AMBA & BGA currently accredits 71 leading universities (with their business schools) in China, including Hong Kong and Macau: 43 schools have AMBA and 28 have BGA accreditation.

AMBA was the first international business school accreditation to enter China, by accrediting Zhejiang University in 2006 and Shanghai Jiaotong University in 2008. The US accreditation AACSB and European accreditation EQUIS followed AMBA into China a couple of years later.

Over 20 years, AMBA has accredited 43 leading universities across China (including 2 in Hong Kong and 1 in Macau).

In 2019 AMBA created a second accreditation system: Business Graduates Association (BGA), which focuses on sustainability, impact and employability at bachelor, masters and doctoral level. With this the official name of the organisation was changed to AMBA & BGA.

So far 40 business schools in China have achieved BGA accreditation, including 28 BGA-solus accredited and 12 AMBA-accredited with an add-on BGA accreditation.

In addition to the reaccreditation peer-review visits that AMBA/BGA panels conduct every 3-5 years at each accredited institution, AMBA has organised in China over 30 capacity-building workshops for Chinese business school leaders/ faculty/ staff in the period 2019-2026.

The University of Birmingham (UoB) and the University of Glasgow (UoG) are both globally leading, top 100 universities with a long-standing commitment to international collaboration and student success. Together, we educate over 80,000 students from more than 150 countries and are members of the UK’s Russell Group, with a shared focus on delivering global impact through research, education and partnership.

China has been a strategically important partner for both institutions for many years. Collectively, we have a combined alumni community of over 60,000 graduates in China, with established networks across major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu. Our engagement has historically focused on student recruitment, academic collaboration and alumni relations, supported by strong links with industry and government partners.

We recognise the increasing importance of supporting Chinese international students beyond graduation, particularly as many return to a highly competitive domestic labour market. While both institutions had established employability provision, operating independently limited our ability to engage at scale with employers and provide strong in-country support. By combining our expertise, alumni networks and employer connections, we identified a clear opportunity to create a more coordinated and impactful approach to supporting graduate outcomes.

In 2025, UoB and UoG formed a strategic partnership to enhance employability support for students and alumni from China. This has led to the development of an innovative, in-country employability model, combining the strengths of both institutions with local expertise to better support graduates transitioning from UK education into professional careers in China.

As a world-leading, London-based STEMB institution, Imperial College London has over 20 years of sustained investment in Chinese student employability. In partnership with leading UK universities, Imperial delivers flagship Careers in China events—including job fairs, alumni panels, and employer talks—connecting thousands of students with career opportunities and building long-standing employer relationships.

Imperial Business School builds on this institutional strength with a clear focus on innovation, international talent, and career impact. Each year, it welcomes around 600 students from China—one of its largest and most dynamic communities.

To support students navigating global careers while maintaining strong links to China, the School has developed a distinctive UK–China career bridge. Since 2018, on-the-ground teams in China have enabled continuous employer engagement and localised career support for students and alumni.

In 2019, Imperial Business School strengthened its sector leadership by introducing one of the UK’s first Mandarin-speaking, student-facing Career Consultant roles—delivering culturally informed, high-impact support at scale.

This approach was further accelerated in 2021, when the Business School launched its APAC Hub, integrating locally informed employer activity and industry connections to the career guidance offering.

Today, the Hub partners with over 100 employers in China and has supported more than 4,800 students and alumni—positioning Imperial as a leader in enabling Chinese talent to succeed in global careers.

Beijing Sino Campus Int’l Edu Tech Co., Ltd. is a leading provider of transnational education solutions, specialising in the development and delivery of Sino–UK collaborative programmes in higher education. The company focuses on high-quality, compliant partnerships that support long-term academic and career outcomes for students, facilitating sustainable cooperation between the UK and China.

Since its establishment, Sino Campus has played a key role in connecting the Royal Agricultural University with top-tier Chinese institutions, including Qingdao Agricultural University, Shandong Agricultural University, and Shenyang University. These partnerships cover undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels, supporting a diverse and growing student population.

Through carefully designed curricula, integrated career development modules, and mentorship programmes, Sino Campus ensures that students gain practical skills, professional readiness, and international perspectives. Graduates benefit from tailored employability support, internship placements, and networking opportunities, enabling them to pursue meaningful and sustainable careers in their chosen fields.

With a proven record of scalable programme development and strong engagement with both industry and academia, Sino Campus continues to advance the internationalisation of UK education, enhance graduate employability, and deepen UK–China educational and professional ties.

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is one of the world’s leading social science universities, renowned for its global outlook, international student community and long standing

commitment to shaping public policy, research and education worldwide. Founded in 1895, LSE is a truly international institution, with over 70% of its students coming from outside the UK and a mission centred on understanding the causes of things and addressing global challenges through social science.

LSE’s engagement with China has deepened significantly over the past two decades, reflecting China’s growing global influence, scale and significance of the Chinese student community at the School. Today, Chinese students represent the largest international cohort at LSE; approximately 15% of the student body and forms an academic community that contributes to the School’s intellectual and cultural life.

LSE has built extensive partnerships across China, including collaborations with universities in the UK and internationally, employers, alumni and society networks and government linked organisations. These relationships support student mobility and employability initiatives that connect London based study with professional opportunities across the region.

Critical to this engagement is the Annual LSE Careers in China Programme, which provides year round employability support tailored to Chinese students and those seeking careers in China. Through employer engagement, alumni panels, multi city careers fairs and Mandarin language career guidance, the programme bridges the gap between UK study and China’s progressive labour market.

This sustained, strategic engagement reflects LSE’s commitment to supporting students wherever they choose to build their futures.