On May 25, the signing ceremony of the UK-China University Consortium on Engineering Education and Research was held in Nanjing as one of the most important activities during the 115^th anniversary of Southeast University. The establishment of the consortium is led by Southeast University and Queen's University Belfast. Nine Chinese universities with engineering specialties and six English universities from the Russell Group signed the Memorandum of Cooperation. President of Southeast University Zhang Guangjun, deputy director of Jiangsu Education Department Wang Chengbin, president of Queen's University Belfast PatrickJohnston, education consul of Cultural and Education Section of British Embassy Matthew Knowles, and leaders, honored guests, and experts of the fifteen universities attended the ceremony. The signing ceremony was hosted by Southeast University’s vice president Wu Gang.

    UK-China University Consortium on Engineering Education and Research is the first university consortium co-established by China and UK specializing in engineering education. The Chinese universities include Southeast University, Beijing Institute of Technology, Chongqing University, Dalian University of Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, South China University of Technology, Tianjin University, and Tongji University. The secretariat is located in Southeast University. The British universities include Queen's University Belfast, University of Birmingham, Cardiff University, University College London, University of Nottingham, and University of Warwick. The secretariat is at Queen's University Belfast. In September 2016, Cultural and Education Section of British Embassy, Southeast university, and UK Education Network signed the letter of intent to cooperate in Suzhou, aiming to establish a platform for cooperation and communication between Chinese and British high education. In February 2017, the representatives of Southeast University and Queen's University Belfast discussed about the preparation for the establishment of the consortium. In March 2017, the first working group meeting was held in Beijing. The meeting approved the name of the consortium, and decided to sign the Memorandum of Cooperation in Nanjing on May 25.