SIP Administrative Committee and Oxford University signed the cooperation agreement for the joint construction of Oxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research (OSCAR) Wednesday afternoon. OSCAR is the first legal-entity center of multidisciplined research, innovation and technology that Oxford University has ever set up abroad.  

Settling down in Suzhou Dushu Lake Science and Education Innovation District, OSCAR will devote itself to carrying out research through knowledge creation, innovation and development, and selecting commercially potential innovation projects for technological development and enterprise incubation. Its research orientation will match SIP's emerging industries.

The first phase of the project will concentrate on biomedical engineering, biomedicine, advanced functional materials, environment technology and energy, mathematical finance, computer application and health, and the ensuing research will gradually expand to other areas. 

Xu Huimin, member of the Standing Committee of CPC Suzhou Committee and secretary of CPC SIP Working Committee, met with the Oxford delegation headed by Professor Donal Bradley, head of the Division of Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences (MPLS) on the agreement-signing day.

Xu said that the negotiations about OSCAR project had been going on for five years; the 22-year-old SIP is quite young compared with the eight-century old Oxford University. As the flagship project of the cooperation between Chinese and Singaporean governments, SIP will give full support to OSCAR.

Professor Bradley said that Suzhou was considered as the most ideal place for the center after years of investigation and consultation.

He said, "Suzhou’s geographic advantage, advanced economy and education has brought many international famous companies to the city, and these valuable resources have laid a foundation for the center." He hoped OSCAR will establish ties with more universities and academic institutes in Suzhou, and carry out cooperation with Chinese enterprises engaged in nanotechnology and biotechnology research.   

SIP and Oxford University reportedly began their exchanges back in 2012, and the two parties signed in 2013 the Memo of Understanding to agree on the united construction of an Oxford research facility in SIP. In April, 2015, they came into agreement over major issues of the project and signed the Framework Agreement for OSCAR. After further negotiation and communication, they decided to formally sign the legal document for OSCAR on Dec 7, 2016.