An agreement between the Waterford Institute of Technology and the prestigious Beijing Institute of Technology was agreed formally in Beijing yesterday.
It will result in an exchange of students and lecturers, and the setting up of joint research projects. Joint masters programmes in business will also be developed.
Beijing Institute of Technology, one of the city's top five universities, has a student population of 20,000 and specialises in telecommunications, IT, engineering and business studies. The college has been chosen by the Chinese government as a centre for expansion, and significant funds have been committed to its development.
The Waterford Institute of Technology is the largest of the regional institutes in Ireland. According to Ms Noreen O'Keeffe, it is keen to expand its links and collaborations.
Ms O'Keeffe visited China on behalf of the institute when she took part in the Irish Trade Mission led by the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, last September.
The agreement resulted from introductions made then by the local office of Enterprise Ireland, headed by Mr Michael Garvey. Education has been targeted by Enterprise Ireland under the Government's Asia Strategy adopted two years ago.