Summary of the impact

The pioneering research of Professor N Gentz and Dr J Ward into cross-cultural engagement and of Dr J Ward on Chinese film has been the basis for a series of ground-breaking educational and cultural collaborations between China and Scotland organised by Edinburgh's Confucius Institute for Scotland (CIS). These significantly enhanced the understandings of China held both by the public at large and by stakeholders across Scotland's business, cultural and educational sectors. Work on cross-cultural engagement through film and photography operated as a particular trigger for these increased exchanges on a range of matters between China and Scotland. The positive impact of these activities has been recognised by a range of stakeholders, including, most significantly, the Scottish Government.

Underpinning research

Natascha Gentz (Professor, appointed 2006 and Director of the Confucius Institute for Scotland) is best known for introducing a transcultural perspective to modern Chinese Cultural and Media Studies. In her major publications on global knowledge circulation and transfer, she has broken conventional East-West paradigms and disentangled specific interests, agendas and agencies in historical and contemporary transcultural interactions. Her research on modern Chinese media and performance, and the ensuing contacts established in China, enabled her to bring major cross- cultural projects to China. Combining her research on modern Chinese politics and on translation studies, she has the translational capacity in relation to research that are needed by both the Scottish and Chinese governments when they are considering cultural policies and the Scotland- China plan.

Julian Ward (appointed 1998; Senior Lecturer, 2009) is an internationally renowned pioneer in Chinese Film Studies, who helped develop the field in a wide range of areas covering the whole span of Chinese cinema from its beginning to contemporary films. His research is unique in its particular focus on cinematic representations of East Asian history in mainstream or `main melody' films as well as almost entirely neglected propaganda films of the Maoist era. By combining both transnational and historical perspectives, he is one of the leading figures in Chinese Film Studies, as evidenced by his recent publication, The Chinese Cinema Book, a prestigious publication for the British Film Institute. Dr Ward is also co-editor of the international peer reviewed journal Chinese Cinemas, the first and only journal focussing on this area with a renowned editorial board of all specialists in the field.

References to the research

Details of the impact

When the Confucius Institute for Scotland opened in 2007, awareness of China among the general public and stakeholders in Scotland's educational and cultural sectors was limited and there was also limited infrastructure to support cultural exchange in place.

The transcultural knowledge transfer research focus of both Gentz and Ward has directly underpinned significant advances in addressing both problems of infrastructure and the previous lack of awareness. An important collaboration was brokered in 2007 between the University of Edinburgh (UoE)/CIS and the Beijing Film Academy (BFA) by Gentz, entitled `Cinema China 2007'. Impact has been built from this starting point during the census period.

During the census period, the CIS organised more than 300 China-related public events (see http://www.confuciusinstitute.ac.uk/events/) that had an impact on business, education, culture and politics in Scotland. The success of these events was mainly based on the China-expertise of N Gentz acquired by her research on Chinese Cultural Studies. Below, four examples of the wide range of activities of the CIS are given to point out the specific relationship between research and impact in these particular events.

In 2008, organised by Gentz and rooted in her research on transcultural knowledge transfer as well as Ward's insights on Chinese film, CIS coordinated and marketed the `China Now in Scotland' festival. This comprised over 150 events involving more than 25 organisations across Scotland from business, education, the arts, science and sport, ranging from Aberdeen City Council to the Scottish Arts Council (1). A member of the House of Lords, a Patron of the Festival, said: `The Institute's ability to unify the diverse efforts of various programme partners, coupled with the impact of the major events they ran, ensured that not only was a substantial and diverse audience reached, but several significant sustainable relationships were also established' (2). A former deputy leader of the Labour Party, commenting on the business panel, stated: `The level of interest and diversity of businesses at the China Expert Panel was impressive. The Institute had clearly tapped into the SME (Small and Medium Enterprise) sector and stimulated them to consider evolving a plan for engagement with China. It was a most worthwhile evening' (3).

In 2008 Gentz secured an agreement with Guandong Museum of Art to bring a substantial photographic exhibition to Edinburgh's City Art Centre for 10 weeks. This was `China: a Photographic Portrait', and it featured more than 600 images dating from 1951 to 2003. The Scotsman (4 July 2008) commented: `Modern China is a place of immense wealth and absolute poverty, a fact which has been captured beautifully by this massive, enthralling exhibition of hundreds of photographs' (4).

Comments from members of the public included:

• `Enlightening and very moving. Best photographic exhibition I have ever seen';
• `Gave me a feeling how China is like before I go there. Enjoyable!';
• `Excellent... makes people think...';
• `Phenomenal, moving' (5).

Building on these successes, Gentz facilitated the securing of contracts with the National Academy of Education Administration, China from 2008-2011. In 2009, 25 senior staff from leading Chinese universities attended a week-long CIS-organised university leadership programme in Edinburgh.

An Associate Professor at the NAEA commented: `We were delighted to take part in this exchange between China and Scotland. The programme gave us many ideas to take back to our institutions in China' (6). Further groups visited in 2011 and 2012.

That same research underpinned cultural links facilitated with Scottish schools. CIS organised the September 2012 visit of members of Peking University's Chinese Music Institute to 700 pupils in 5 secondary and 7 primary schools. 70 pupils from three of these joined the orchestra to play melodies on metallophones and to sing in Mandarin Chinese. The Music Coordinator for Fife Council commented: `It's hard to credit the impact of this project on the children and young people involved and memories of the event will, I am sure, stay with them all for many years to come. To foster such warm and positive relations between young people from both countries is a marvellous thing' (7).

The Scottish Government is known to be supportive of the work of the CIS, both as a catalyst and facilitator for the sector, which it says helps to create a vibrant landscape of cross cultural engagement between Scotland and China (8).

Sources to corroborate the impact

(The web links are to original webpages, but should these be unavailable a pdf of the page can be found at https://www.wiki.ed.ac.uk/display/REF2014REF3B/UoA+27.)

(1) http://chinanow-inscotland.org/aboutus.php#history. Source corroborates range of events.

(2) Contact: Member of the House of Lords and Patron of the Festival. Corroborates quote in section 4 on `China Now in Scotland'. Corroborates the quotation in Section 4 regarding diversity of the programme and audience and opportunity for establishing new relationships.

(3) Former Deputy Leader of Labour Party. Corroborates the quotation in Section 4 on `China Now in Scotland' regarding business panel.

(4) The Scotsman, 4 July 2008. Corroborates quote on `China: a Photographic Portrait' in section 4. Available from HEI on request.

(5) Visitors Book. Corroborates quotes on `China: a Photographic Portrait' in section 4. Available from HEI on request.

(6) Contact: Associate-Professor, National Academy of Education Administration. Corroborates the quotation in Section 4 regarding the University Leadership programme.

(7) Contact: Fife Council, Music Coordinator. Corroborates the quotation in Section 4 regarding engagement with Scottish Schools and the visit of Peking Universities Chinese Music Institute to Secondary and Primary Schools.

(8) Contact: Team Manager, Cultural Relations, Scottish Government. Corroborates statement in section 4 on Scottish Government's recognition of the work of the CIS.