Jun Cao

🟢 What policies should be introduced at the national and local levels to continue to drive the development of climate investment and financing? 🟢 What progress has there been on the development of biodiversity risk management standards for financial institutions? 🟢 How does green finance promote regional low-carbon, high-quality development? Lan Hong (Deputy Director, Ecological Finance Research Center and Professor and Doctoral Supervisor, Department of Environmental Economics and Management of the School of Environment, Renmin University of China) answers these questions and more in her interview with PI's Green Finance Center in the latest in our Green Team Speaks to series: https://lnkd.in/gmPck-yA

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#climateadaptation: Recent findings from Oxfam have cast a spotlight on the reported figures of climate adaptation finance in Asia, with implications for the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) climate financing efforts. Oxfam's analysis suggests significant discrepancies in the reported numbers, raising questions about the accuracy and transparency of climate finance reporting. According to Oxfam's report, titled "Unaccountable Adaptation: The Asian Development Bank's overstated claims on climate adaptation finance," the ADB's actual finance numbers for major climate adaptation projects may be overstated by as much as 44%. In response to PTI queries, the ADB has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering USD 100 billion in climate financing by 2030, with a significant portion earmarked for adaptation and resilience efforts. Read my story here: https://lnkd.in/gRQQZWyN

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UCL Sustainability Leadership Conference 2024 Supporting and training our brilliant dynamic students who want to go in sustainability roles after the graduated. As companies and organisations are struggling to transition to the new #netzero #greeneconomy and need the new generation with their knowledge, energy and passion to make a real difference. Thanks to Sustainable UCL and Open Planet

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How should academia balance deep inquiry with societal relevance? Professors Martin Parker and Robin Holt tackled this question at our recent event, "Engagement & Relevance - Point and Counterpoint." Our recent blog post delves into the thought-provoking session where Professors Parker and Holt share their distinct perspectives on how demands for relevance and engagement are reshaping academic research and teaching. Are these trends beneficial for academia and what does this mean for the future of research and education? Read more in the blog 👇 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ePB95xfH #BusinessSchool #AcademicResearch #HigherEducation #ResearchEngagement #SocietalImpact

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I was recently interviewed by Danielle Keen from The Institute of Export & International Trade about the UK's higher education sector, focusing on issues in internationalisation and transnational education (TNE). Times Higher Education recently won The King's Awards for Enterprise in the category of international trade, and we work across the UK sector supporting institutions, agencies and businesses to enhance their 'education exports'. There's no doubt that it has been a challenging time for UK universities, often at odds with a government that has not provided clarity or stability for the sector. Five years ago, the launch of the Department for Business and Trade's International Education Strategy signalled a positive global outlook to support UK universities in the wake of Brexit. But despite the best efforts of university leaders, policymakers, civil servants and education companies, the last two years have been chaotic, with international students impacted by negative signals and actions from the government, and some universities in the sector moving into retrenchment. One consistent positive I see in my work is the high regard for UK universities across different markets. Many foreign governments, institutions and students still place the UK amongst the apex of international higher education, due to high quality research, teaching and skills development. The reputation of the UK HE sector- despite best efforts to sabotage it- remains high, and institutions must leverage this to create positive impact globally. A key area of development is TNE. There has never been a greater demand for UK universities to set up campuses, develop joint/dual degrees and contribute to the expansion of access, choice and quality for the international students of the future in foreign countries. My key message in the article is to pursue these TNE opportunities and ensure that the pipeline for international student recruitment is secure, even if that is largely delivered in other countries. Alongside this, UK universities should act as responsible agents in the pastoral care of international students, supporting their well-being, ensuring affordability and future career prospects.

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“A strategy is not a ‘plan.’ It is a framework that must be adaptable and open to reconsideration.” Over the last year, we have consulted with our staff, researchers, partners, board members, funders and experts from across the global research community in preparation for our CIFAR Strategy: Bold Exploration to Transform Futures. Learn about our new directions: https://cifar.ca/strategy/

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New Lancaster University Management School and Sunway Business School #Podcast on Building a Sustainable Future 🌏 Link: https://lnkd.in/drm2kz_m In this episode co-hosted by the Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business Director Jan Bebbington and Content Manager Paul Turner, Lancaster University Management School Associate Dean (International) Marwan Izzeldin and Sunway Business School Deputy Dean (Research and Sustainability) Yuka Fujimoto and yours truly discussed on the state of sustainability and what lies ahead for the planet and its people🎙 The world has many problems, which are growing, not shrinking, as seen by the increase from 8 Millennium Development Goals for 2015 to 17 Sustainable Development Goals for 2023, and very likely another 50 for 2050, as we are regressing, not progressing, on sustainability 📉 What the world needs is a reimagination in the ways we approach sustainability - new ways, whether we like it or not, that would move the elephant in the room: the 80% of people, be it consumers or companies, that remain reluctant and resistant, albeit with some logical reasons like cost and quality 🐘 We need - more than ever - to make doing good less cumbersome and less expensive, and to do so requires us to address the basics like creating economies of scale and delivering superior value 🌟 The power of education cannot be understated as it is with education that people become more aware, critical, and innovative, which are the key attributes needed to deliver the solutions we require to improve the state of the world 🛠 We also need to recognize that though challenges like climate change and poverty resonate globally, the context of these challenges may be very different locally (poverty is greater in rural areas in the global south, which is the opposite in the global north), indicating that what we need are local solutions (rural versus urban) to address global challenges (like poverty)💡 Sunway University Sunway Business School #aclassabove #campuswithaconscience #discoveryourdestiny #livelearnlead #mosthappeningcampus #mosthappeingschool #mosthappeninglecturers #mosthappeningprofessors #mySunwayfamily

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The LSE never lacks for ambition and once again hosted a great event (very different in spirit to the one it held five years ago) analysing how the Labour disaster of 2019 has turned into what some are now calling the “Starmer tsunami” of 2024. Several factors no doubt played a role. But one that probably paid hardly any role at all was foreign policy. Indeed, as many speakers earlier in the event suggested, the ‘global’ hardly figured at all in a campaign dominated by domestic issues. However, as the five speakers on the excellent panel in which I participated made clear, even if the main parties said hardly anything of great significance about the current state of our disorderly world, there is little doubt that the world is going to shape the choices of the incoming Labour government in significant ways. As a London ‘Times’ editorial pointed out just a few hours after the election, from day one ‘the outside world’ is going to press in on Starmer. Within a short space of time it was already beginning to do so. Thus a few hours after the vote, Biden was calling Starmer to congratulate him on “one hell of a victory”. A day later Jeremy Corbyn was reminding the new PM that Labour lost votes (and five seats) because of Gaza. And on the 9th July, Starmer will be attending a key NATO summit in Washington. Meantime, four big questions animated our own discussion. One, obviously, was Europe, and whether or not Labour can achieve its growth plan without a new deal with Brussels? Another focused on developments in the United States, and what impact a Trump victory in November might have on that all- important ‘Special Relationship’? A third much wider problem is whether or not Labour going forward has the bandwith, expertise or even resources to deal effectively with the myriad of geopolitical threats facing the UK from the refugeee crisis to the climate emergency, the Middle East, the war in Ukraine and (inevitably) China? And last but not by no means least, how will Labour set about dealing with perhaps the biggest existential challenge of all: how to restore Britain’s reputation amongst allies and friends after at least a decade of neglect? To be fair, the LSE team didn’t try and provide any easy answers. But judging by the size of a very engaged audience who came along to listen and ask a bundle of searching questions, it is pretty clear that people out there are looking for answers! We can only wait and see how the new government addresses them.

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Recently did a piece for Office for Investment / DBAT with Xiaocan Yuan on how inward investment policy can be better targeted to foster regional development. Full paper, a briefing note with some data, and a blog all can be found here The Productivity Institute The three pieces are now live: (Briefing) The UK’s Foreign Investment Position post Brexit and COVID: Briefing 4 https://lnkd.in/eHei67t8 (Productivity Insights Paper 33) A framework for understanding transformation FDI https://lnkd.in/eW82PU2d (Blog) How can inward investment become more transformational? https://lnkd.in/ewSnT6bK

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Contemplating studying abroad and deciding to leave your home country for a year or more is far from straightforward. It is among the most significant life choices that involves a lot of planning and a leap of faith. Speaking from personal experience, I can say without a hint of doubt that the journey is immensely rewarding. Given the opportunity, I would definitely make the same decision again. The UK universities, in particular, offer warm and inclusive environment, unparalleled support and opportunities for international students. If you're considering studying abroad, the UK is an excellent choice where you will find both academic excellence and a welcoming community. #international #StudyAbroad #InternationalStudents #HigherEducation #GlobalEducation #StudyInTheUK #UniversityLife #StudentExperience #EducationAbroad #AcademicJourney #FutureLeaders #GlobalOpportunities #StudentSuccess #UKUniversities #EducationForAll #StudyOverseas

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🤝🗺️ Bridging Borders: ASEAN Workshop on Mainstreaming Climate Action into Sectoral Planning 🌏❗️ASEAN stresses the role of various sectors in climate adaptation and mitigation. To bring about comprehensive #climatepolicy and action on the ground requires a multi-level governance framework that includes top-down and bottom-up approaches involving various actors and sectors. 🇩🇪The Federal Government of Germany, through the ASEAN-German Climate Action Programme (CAP) Project implemented by GIZ, supported the conduct of a knowledge-sharing workshop on 25-26 April 2024 in Cambodia as part of its ongoing support for ASEAN in the realm of climate policy.   🤲🏼This event acts as a gathering place for climate practitioners in the region. It brings together regional, national, and sub-national officials to share their experiences planning and implementing climate policy. The event highlights the significance of a multi-stakeholder planning approach from regional to sub-national levels in fighting climate change. Find out more about the event on the slide below! #GIZ #ASEAN #ClimateAction #ClimateChange #KowledgeSharing

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There’s no surprise seeing that many UK universities are still over-reliant on China for their international student recruitment. But given the increased attention on this issue in recent years, signs that this reliance is going up rather than down may well heighten concerns that the sector has more of a Beijing problem than first thought. Figures from the consultancy dataHE indicate that Russell Group institutions took in about £8.8 billion in tuition fee income in 2021-22 – of which £2.3 billion (26 per cent) came from Chinese students. This was up from just £550 million (12 per cent) in 2014-15 and seven times more than India, the next biggest market. The dependence on China is especially pronounced at taught postgraduate level, where Chinese students are thought to represent about three-quarters of fee income at some institutions. This may well reflect the difficulties in diversifying an intake, particularly when the financial going gets tough. But many fear it leaves institutions vulnerable to a sudden further deterioration of relations, or Chinese economic collapse. And with postgraduate taught income from UK students only about a quarter of that from China, it might not be long before the course offerings of a university more closely reflect the wants of the People’s Republic, rather than those of its home base, according to Mark Corver, the founder of dataHE.

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Vulnerable groups exist, no matter how “advanced” the economies are. They are usually minorities that require care, and the extent to which they access adequate support is essential to the stability of society as a whole. Recycling Lives Charity & Social Enterprise, operating primarily in northwest England, provides assistance to rehabilitated people, people experiencing homelessness, and families suffering from food shortages. This report published by #AIMR assesses the impact of the initiatives it launched in 2020. #socialenterprise #socialimpact #socialreturnoninvestment #SROI #socialvalue https://lnkd.in/gy5FBz3V

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NEW: Our annual report on the financial sustainability of the higher education sector is out today, which shows a decline in financial performance in 2022-23, and increasing pressure on finances in the months to come.    Our report also explores the challenges facing the sector's financial sustainability, including the impact of student recruitment where it doesn’t meet forecast levels.    We’ve also published an Insight brief on the steps universities and colleges can take to navigate financial challenges.    Read the report and Insight brief: bit.ly/3UHPGOw

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This is vital to our future prosperity - the industrial strategy and skills England must be a UK perspective

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University bankruptcies, closures and mergers - and elite research universities' expulsion from the prestigious Russell Group of universities - are on the horizon for the UK under the sector's current trajectory. This is the prediction of Chris Husbands, former UK vice chancellor, in a new paper for the Higher Education Policy Institute. Sir Chris told Times Higher Education that the scenario would be seen by many as one of “unpalatable decline and I wouldn’t disagree with that. But it is the trajectory we are currently on.” “If there isn’t action, this is where we will end up,” he said. “You can see it happening now: universities are making some really tough decisions that involve de-specifying elements of the model, because they have got to.” We need a clear vision to project the UK university sector - a true jewel in the crown of the UK - from the political parties vyeing to form the next government. Read more on here: https://lnkd.in/eVaFEFB8

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I am interested to hear the findings from the latest SCARI computing report today at King's College London - worrying but not suprising reports of a decrease in girls taking a computing related GCSE. What do we need? ✅ Real world applications of computing skills ✅ Meaningful projects that link directly to the world around us ✅ Creativity and collaboration Our computing curriculum in England purpose of study embodies these things but they are getting lost and it is putting a wide range of learners off the subject. There aren’t any opportunities for a broader computing GCSE so the experience gets narrowed at KS3. We can do better! We will do better! See a summary in the Guardian: https://lnkd.in/e5rB-wPi #Inclusion #Computing

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