Swansea University has strong links with China and particularly with Wuhan as its Wuhan Union Hospital was founded in 1866 by Swansea-born missionary, The Reverend Dr Griffith John.

Wuhan is a fast growing city of 10 million people on the central China Plain and is on track to become the third-largest city economy in China by 2015. It’s Hospital, one of China’s biggest, has over 5,000 in-patient beds and each year cares for 4.05 million outpatients and admits 175,000 patients.

At the end of last year leaders from Swansea University attended the launch of a Swansea-Wuhan joint medical centre at Wuhan Union Hospital. The Centre will promote clinical and life sciences research, and build student and staff exchanges and education collaborations through the annual Medical Forum, the UK-China Medical Association, publications and collaborative projects.   

The forum, hosted speakers from Wuhan Union Hospital, Oxford University, Cardiff University and Swansea University Medical School.

The seminar sessions covered topics ranging from bone tumours and bone diseases through to gynaecological cancers and 3D printing technology for tissue regeneration.

Professor Keith Lloyd, Dean & Head of Swansea University Medical School, opened the forum with the appointment of honorary professorships to Professor Zengwu Shao, Head of the Orthopaedic Hospital within Wuhan Union Hospital and specialist in bone cancer and oncological conditions and Professor Weijia Kong, Specialist ENT Surgeon, Vice President of Wuhan Union Hospital. Professor Kong works with SU Medical School for medical education, medical student electives in Union Hospital, and potential joint postgraduate programme.

Professor Lloyd said "It is a great honour and privilege to be able to welcome our friends from Wuhan to the UK to further strengthen the links between our Universities and hospitals"

Prof. Shao and Prof Guo (specialist in Orthopaedic Trauma) also met the Director of ABMU Clinical Director Mr Hamish Laing to discuss potential clinical collaboration, and had a tour of Morriston Hospital.

Swansea Museum held an exhibition about Dr Griffith John. However more information is available from their web site at http://www.swanseamuseum.co.uk/whats-on/past-exhibitions/griffith-john .

Established in 2004, Swansea University Medical School is an internationally-recognised centre of excellence in medical research, education and innovation.  The Medical School has three main activities: learning and teaching, research, and business and innovation. Read about the history of the Medical School at http://www.scribd.com/doc/235047725/History-in-the-Making-College-of-Medicine-Swansea-University-10th-Anniversary-2004-2014

Swansea University Medical School has had spectacular success in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014. Achievements include; joint 1st in the UK for research environment rated as 100% world-leading and 2nd in the UK for research quality in our unit of assessment, scored 100% world-leading in terms of impact and 95 % of the research submitted was assessed as world-leading (54%) or internationally excellent (41%) Find out more about the REF2014 results of the Medical School at https://www.scribd.com/doc/250478133/College-of-Medicine-results-in-the-Research-Excellence-Framework-REF-2014

Visit one of the UK’s fastest growing medical schools at http://www.medicine.swansea.ac.uk

Pictures

1. UK-China 2015 – All speakers from the Seminar
2. UK-China 2015 – Keith Lloyd presenting Professor Zengwu Shao with his Honorary Professorship.