UK professional education extends the hand of friendship to universities in China

Beijing, April 16 (People's Daily Online) – "We are keen to extend the hand of friendship to universities in China", said Professor Carl Lygo, Vice Chancellor and CEO of BPP, in an exclusive interview with People's Daily Online in Beijing on Wednesday.

Lygo made the remarks before the official opening of the first China-UK professional education summit which was held in Beijing the same day.

The two-day summit aims to explore the development of high-end professional education between China and the UK with Chinese experts and elites in the field of high-end professional education, and to share experience and understandings on both sides.

BPP is a private university based in London, specializing in professional and vocational education. It is also a publisher of relevant materials which sells books in 186 countries and regions around the world.

Here are excerpts from the interview:

PD Online: Could you give us a brief introduction of BPP?

Carl Lygo: BPP Group is a specialized professional educational vocational group, we have a university in the United Kingdom, and we are also a publishing business that operates in 186 different countries around the world. I guess we are well known for accounting, finance, law, banking, and health.

PD Online: What kind of cooperation have you achieved with China's universities or institutions?

Carl Lygo: China's universities are very keen to work with us in creating sense of excellence especially around our finance and law education, we have leadership in the United Kingdom around the professional subjects of law and accounting. We are keen to extend the hand of friendship to universities in China.

PD Online: Do you understand China's education polices and Chinese students?

Carl Lygo: There is a flaw in the academic system of universities all around the world. They are geared towards research acquisition and academic knowledge. They miss the crucial part of what professionals need, which is I am to do something with the knowledge that you acquire, and so being able to put it into practice, what you acquire academically is the crucial stage. What BPP specializes in is professional education. You actually do something with the knowledge that you have acquired. I think the government in China is seeking to have more universities that are practical in applied and enable students to do something with the knowledge they acquire. So we are very much keen to support that agenda.

PD Online: Why did you choose China as your target market?

Carl Lygo: Obviously, China is a growing economy. I've been here several times and one cannot fails being impressed with the growing economy, the dynamism and energy of the people of China. We are keen to work together. Accounting is the language of business; we can see the business is growing in China. The influence of China around the world is growing, we are delighted to have been a supporter in our country of the new allied investment infrastructure bank, and we think the growing influence of China around the world is something that we could help with.

PD Online: Do you have any specific plan for your development in China?

Carl Lygo: Yes, we would like to support as many universities as we can to develop the niche professional education in disciplines such as accounting and law.