Nuclear MoU for Manchester

The University of Manchester’s Dalton Nuclear Institute has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for technical collaboration with a leading Chinese nuclear research centre.

A senior delegation from the Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology (INET) at Tsinghua University visited the university in March. During the visit, the institute’s director, Professor Zhang Zuoyi, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create a more strategic environment for the two parties to work together.

Technical discussions also took place on the challenges the Chinese delegation face and areas where the university can support INET in their nuclear research and development programmes.

INET is China’s leading base for nuclear research and experimentation, and the country has ambitious plans to significantly expand its use of nuclear power. To this end, it is looking for key technical collaborations to support its ambitions.

The university has existing links with INET, and the Dalton Nuclear Institute is building on these links to establish a wider collaborative framework within which to undertake research and education activities.

Following the signing of the MoU, work will now commence on the preparation of a joint research proposal in the field of nuclear graphite.

Professor Richard Clegg, Director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute, said: ‘This MoU is another example of the Dalton Institute’s commitment to developing close relationships with the world’s premier nuclear science and technology research centres.

‘We look forward to developing the MoU into joint research proposals and working closely with our colleagues in China – particularly supporting China’s civil nuclear power programme expansion and development of high temperature reactor technology.’