Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki Lincoln University has been awarded funding for two joint education and research programmes through the 2026 Tripartite Partnership Fund, which it says will strength its transnational education and research model and deepen partnerships with leading universities in China.
The funded programmes bring together Lincoln University, Beijing Forestry University and Yunnan Agricultural University to advance collaboration in national park governance and landscape management, and Lincoln University with China Agricultural University and Inner Mongolia Agricultural University to undertake research focused on carbon emissions and NetZero grassland management.
The University says the two funding awards reinforce Lincoln University’s growing international education and research network and support collaborative research, student and staff mobility and postgraduate pathways.
“Global collaborations are central to the University’s strategy of connecting research, education and industry to address shared challenges across land, food and environmental systems,” says Lincoln University’s Provost, Professor Chad Hewitt.
“As New Zealand’s specialist land-based university, Lincoln University is uniquely positioned to bring together world-leading expertise, industry connections and international partnerships to address the complex challenges facing landscapes, climate, agriculture and food systems.
“Through its collaborative transnational model, the University continues to grow its global influence while delivering tangible benefits for communities, industry and the environment.”
The funded Tripartite programmes exemplify this approach by combining joint research, staff and student exchanges, postgraduate development and collaborative programme delivery to generate practical solutions for land-based sectors in both New Zealand and China.
Lincoln University’s Faculty of Environment, Society and Design Dean, Professor Emma Stewart, who is co-leading the National Park Governance and Landscape Management programme alongside Dr Hanley Guanyu Chen, says the award is an important milestone in a long-standing relationship.
Professor of Livestock Production and Agricultural Systems, Pablo Gregorini says the programme will develop a transdisciplinary framework to achieve NetZero carbon grassland management while enhancing productivity and profitability.
“We are excited to be delivering a programme that demonstrates grassland agriculture as a climate solution, producing lower emissions and enhanced soil carbon,” he said.
“This collaboration will broaden our current educational and scientific outcomes and help further develop and embed NetZero grassland design into postgraduate programmes between our partners in China and Mongolia through staff and postgraduate exchanges.”
