The University of Cambridge has announced a new partnership with AstraZeneca and Beijing municipal parties, including the Beijing Science and Technology Commission and the Beijing Economic and Technological Development Area. The agreement aims to strengthen collaboration between Cambridge, AstraZeneca, and the life sciences sectors in both Cambridge and Beijing.
This initiative builds on ten years of collaboration between the University of Cambridge and AstraZeneca, as well as AstraZeneca’s 30-year presence in China. The partnership will focus on sharing expertise through education, training programs, bilateral delegations, forums, and talent exchanges. Institutions involved will include hospitals, universities, research institutes, start-ups, and scale-ups from both regions.
Cambridge Enterprise, the university’s innovation arm, will provide training on research commercialisation and spinout creation. It will also organize reciprocal study visits. Additionally, clinicians from hospitals and medical schools around Beijing’s BioPark will receive medical leadership training via the Cambridge University Medical Education Group (CUMEG), part of the School of Clinical Medicine.
Patrick Maxwell, Regius Professor of Physic and Head of the School of Clinical Medicine at the University of Cambridge said: “We recognise that China – and Beijing in particular – is an emerging centre of innovation in the life sciences. This new partnership creates exciting opportunities for the University and the wider Cambridge Cluster to further develop their capabilities by connecting with Beijing’s rapidly growing pharma and medtech sector."
Cambridge is recognized as having Europe’s largest life sciences ecosystem. It includes two universities along with research institutes, hospitals, biotech companies, and other organizations that facilitate rapid collaboration across sectors.
Beijing is highlighted as a leading center for biopharma and medtech development in China due to government investment in infrastructure as well as a growing base of clinical researchers and entrepreneurs.
AstraZeneca recently opened a new R&D center at Beijing International Pharmaceutical Innovation Park (BioPark), which follows a similar model to its strategic R&D facility at The Discovery Centre located within Cambridge Biomedical Campus.
Shaun Grady, Chair of AstraZeneca UK said: “Collaboration sits at the heart of AstraZeneca’s mission to help transform healthcare and deliver potentially life-changing medicines. With the opening of our new R&D centre in Beijing and The Discovery Centre established in Cambridge, we are proud to help deepen connections between these two leading innovation hubs. This partnership is a fantastic opportunity to share expertise, advance innovation in both regions, and amplify our collective impact – accelerating scientific progress and advancing global public health.”
Dr Jim Glasheen, Chief Executive of Cambridge Enterprise said: “This partnership with AstraZeneca exemplifies our commitment to building bridges between academia and industry, empowering innovators, and driving global progress in healthcare. By connecting Cambridge’s unique ecosystem with leading partners in Beijing, we are strengthening pathways from lab to clinic, championing improved connectivity and innovation opportunities for the benefit of all.”
The aim is for both regions to learn from each other by fostering deeper connections among institutions involved while advancing best practices within global networks for improved patient outcomes worldwide.
Peter Wilson British Ambassador to China stated: “This is an excellent example of a leading UK university working in partnership with a leading biopharma company to engage with Beijing’s dynamic innovation ecosystem. This kind of collaboration with China is an important way to accelerate innovation, bolster the UK’s leading life sciences cluster, support growth and help develop new treatments for patients globally.”
Earlier this year marked ten years since Cambridge began collaborating closely with AstraZeneca on scientific breakthroughs talent development initiatives benefiting not only local but international communities.