University of Nottingham says cutting China relationship could cost them £70m a year

The University of Nottingham claims it could have lost more than £70 million a year if a relationship with a Chinese city had come to an end. Newly released documents show that Nottingham’s two universities called for the city council to urgently seek Foreign Office advice on ending its relationship with Ningbo, saying the decision would cause “embarrassment” and “insult”.

Both universities also claimed the decision would create a “hostile environment” for Chinese students, visitors and businesses. Figures show that across both Nottingham universities, 4,237 of its students came from China during the 2021/22 academic year.

Nottingham City Council considered ending its formal twinning relationship with Ningbo in 2023 after protestors raised human rights concerns about the actions of the Chinese state. The new documents, which Nottingham City Council was forced to publish after a recent court ruling, now reveal the strong opposition raised by both the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University.

Nottingham’s relationship with Ningbo began when the University of Nottingham opened a 14-acre campus there in 2004, the first foreign independent university campus to be established in China. Opened by then deputy prime minister John Prescott, the Ningbo Campus includes a lake and its own version of Nottingham’s Trent Building.

The relationship with Ningbo has continued to grow since the formal twinning arrangements were established in 2005. The extension of Nottingham’s tram network saw the steel bridge spanning the city’s ring road named the Ningbo Friendship Bridge in 2014.

A petition calling for this relationship to be reviewed created by the Nottingham Stands with Hong Kong group was signed by more than 1,500 people. Concerns included the passing of a controversial national security law in Hong Kong which gave Beijing more powers in the country than ever before.

Whilst considering the petition, an impact assessment was prepared for Nottingham City Council by both the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University. The city council refused access to this assessment and other materials surrounding its decision not to end the relationship with Ningbo following a Freedom of Information request by freelance journalist Reagan Yip.

The First-tier Tribunal rejected these arguments in a decision notice given on February 7 and Nottingham City Council published all the required documents late on Friday (March 14). The impact assessment was signed off by Professor Robert Mokaya from the University of Nottingham and Professor Cillian Ryan from Nottingham Trent University.

Their impact assessment reads: “Civic, cultural and economic relationships with China take many years to develop because of the importance they place on the symbolism of partnership. At a local level, the decision would cause significant embarrassment, insult and generate considerable anger amongst businesses, citizens and the local authorities in Ningbo – where the University of Nottingham maintains its campus.

“Due to the aforementioned international diplomatic consequences, we strongly suggest the city council seek the [Foreign Office’s] advice and consideration as a matter of urgency. It is to be expected that the media and social media attention in China will portray Nottingham as a distinctively hostile environment in which to study, live and do business.”

The assessment claims that the decision to end Nottingham’s relationship with Ningbo would result in a decline of around 40% in terms of Chinese students enrolling in the city, with a worst case estimate of 80%. For the University of Nottingham alone, the assessment predicts this would result in an annual loss of between £37 million and £70 million plus.

“The impact of this rapid and unplanned income decline on the University would be extremely serious”, the assessment says. The assessment also claims that ending the relationship with Ningbo could have shrunk Nottingham’s economy by £100 million for each cohort of students reduced by the impact of the decision.

Figures in the assessment show that the number of Chinese students at the University of Nottingham is much higher than at Nottingham Trent University. During the 2021/22 academic year 3,592 Chinese students studied at the University of Nottingham, compared to just 645 at Trent.

China consistently accounts for the highest number of international students at both Nottingham universities. The 4,237 Chinese students at both Nottingham universities for the 2021/22 academic year compares to just 200 students from Poland, the next highest country for Nottingham students.

The impact assessment concludes that addressing human rights concerns, which also included human rights abuses in Xinjiang, would be best addressed by “leveraging” the UK’s relationship with China. A letter from both universities to Nottingham City Council’s leader at the time, David Mellen, said: “Cancelling twinned status with the city of Ningbo presents a risk to the core operating model of the University of Nottingham, which has a campus in the city with over 7,000 students, 1,000 members of staff, and has served as a vital link for business and academia between our city and China.

“We hope this decision will not be rushed into, and that all the benefits of twinning arrangements can be carefully considered, together with partner stakeholders, before any decision is made.”

Reacting to the publication of the documents, Reagan Yip, the freelance journalist who first requested them, said: “I am delighted that the documents shed light on the council’s rationale and considerations in its decision to retain ties with Ningbo.

“Whether that decision is correct or not is a matter for the public, but this disclosure does mean greater transparency and accountability which we journalists always strive to uphold.”

The decision not to end the Ningbo relationship came following a Nottingham Labour group meeting where options included ending the relationship immediately, allowing it to lapse when it was due to come to an end in two years or keeping the relationship.

Explaining its decision not to end the relationship with Ningbo at the time, a Nottingham City Council spokesperson said: “Nottingham’s twinning arrangement with Ningbo has been reviewed by the city council. We are satisfied that retaining the relationship between Nottingham and Ningbo is important for both our cities.”