A high-level delegation from the Mongolian Parliament visited the University of Bath earlier this month to learn more about our shared research projects as well as ways of developing research-intensive universities.

Over recent years, the Mongolian Government has committed to developing an Education Master Plan 2020 – 2030, which aligns with implementing a national programme on research from universities. The University of Bath already has active ties in the country, including across three recent Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) projects.

Since 2016, the Statistical Applied Mathematics CDT (SAMBa), the Institute for Policy Research (IPR) and Department of Psychology have all built up links with partners in Mongolia. The initial focus of these collaborations was on developing policy interventions through data science and statistical analysis to address the severe air pollution that affects the capital, Ulaanbaatar.

Over the last 12 months - thanks to seed funding from the University, the larger GCRF investments from Research England and EPSRC, and three MoUs signed between Bath and Mongolian Institutes - this network has been extended to include the Departments of Chemistry, Social & Policy Sciences, Computer Science, Health and Civil Engineering and the remit of the collaboration will also grow.

Led by Tsogzolmaa Tsedenbal, MP for the State of Great Hural, the delegation was greeted by Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Ian White and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Jonathan Knight. Discussion sessions during the day, which involved academics from across the University, considered topics from management, funding, research vision, internationalisation, and knowledge exchange.

The delegation visit also included Otgonbayar Uuye, Director of the Institute of Mathematical Sciences from the National University of Mongolia who coincidentally was visiting the University at the same time.

Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Jonathan Knight said: “We were delighted to welcome to campus Tsogzolmaa Tsedenba MP and the delegation from the Mongolian Parliament. The visit was an excellent opportunity to share knowledge and best practice about research and Higher Education developments in the country and we look forward to new opportunities for collaboration going forward.”

Professor Andreas Kyprianou, Co-Director of the SAMBa CDT within the Department of Mathematical Sciences, who hosted the visit said: “It was an honour to have the depth of our contribution acknowledged via this direct consultative approach from the Mongolian Parliament. We hope we can use this opportunity to deepen our collaboration with Mongolian academia and civil service even further."