The 2007 WUN Annual Meeting recently held in Beijing was a pivotal moment for the alliance. It brought together the whole membership at multiple levels to review the progress we have made and to recommit to the partnership we have developed. Particularly significant was agreement reached on a new strategic framework that will allow us to build on our position as the leading global research alliance and the creation of a global Academic Advisory Board to support the development of our portfolio of activities and enhance resource mobilisation to drive forward bigger research programs in areas of global significance.

It also provided an opportunity for us to deepen our engagement around The theme of "China in the World" through meetings with senior Chinese Government Representatives from a variety of Ministries (and with the much appreciated blessings and goodwill of the honourable State Councillor CHEN Zhili), diplomatic representatives from the countries where WUN has members, and corporate leaders from innovative global companies including Boeing, Huawei, IBM, Lenovo, Microsoft, Pfizer, Rolls Royce, and SUN.

Many organisations are seeking to engage with China - as a platform of leading research universities it is clear that WUN offers new possibilities and was welcomed by Vice Minister for Education, Dr WU Qidi as an example of the "new models" of collaboration that China is seeking to continue the ever faster rate of development of its Higher Education sector

In association with the event, WUN has launched a number of new initiatives including an international industrial internship programme with IBM and Rolls Royce, a global centre for the study of contemporary China, a new poverty initiative with support from the World Bank, and a global public health initiative.

David Pilsbury, CEO, WUN