Ahead of EUROCORR 2026 in Dublin, ICorr President Dr Yunnan Gao hosted a delegation of leading Chinese corrosion and materials scholars for a programme of academic and research exchanges in London and Manchester in September 2026.
The delegation brought together renowned researchers from South China University of Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Northeastern University and Southwest Petroleum University, including Professor En-Hou Han, Professor Zehua Dong, Professor Dake Xu and Professor Junlei Tang.
The visit provided an important opportunity to strengthen links between the UK and Chinese corrosion communities and to explore opportunities for future academic collaboration and joint research
Photo 1: Chinese Scholars Delegation at NPL, London
The programme began in London with a visit to the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), where the delegation undertook academic exchanges and gained an insight into the UK’s national measurement and research capabilities.
The delegation also visited the laboratories of Imperial College London, providing further opportunities for technical discussions and exchange of expertise in materials and corrosion research.
Photo 2 Chinese Scholars Delegation at Imperial College London
The programme continued at the University of Manchester (UoM), where the delegation was hosted by Professor Xiaorong Zhou, Professor Dirk Engelberg and Dr Rob Lindsay, colleagues in the University’s materials, metallurgy and corrosion research community.
The programme included an introduction to Corrosion@Manchester and ICorr, discussions on future collaboration and joint research programmes, and a series of technical plenary lectures by the visiting Chinese scholars.
Photo 3: ICorr President Dr Yunnan Gao Presenting ICorr at the University of Manchester
Dr Yunnan Gao presented an overview of the Institute of Corrosion (ICorr), its international activities and its role in connecting corrosion professionals, researchers and institutions internationally. The exchange highlighted the opportunities for further engagement between the UK and Chinese corrosion communities.
A key part of the Manchester programme was a technical seminar featuring plenary lectures from the visiting Chinese scholars. Professor En-Hou Han, Professor Zehua Dong, Professor Dake Xu and Professor Junlei Tang each delivered a 30-minute presentation followed by questions and discussion.
Photo 4: Professor En-Hou Han Delivering a Plenary Lecture at the University of Manchester
The plenary session provided an opportunity for researchers and academics to exchange knowledge on current developments in corrosion science and engineering and to identify areas of shared research interest. The academic programme was complemented by detailed discussions on potential collaboration and joint research programmes, reinforcing the importance of international academic links in addressing the increasingly global challenges associated with corrosion and materials degradation.
Photo 5: UK-China Corrosion Research Exchange at the University of Manchester
The delegation subsequently visited the University of Manchester’s advanced research facilities, including the Corrosion Laboratory, Electron Microscopy Centre and Royce M4DE facilities. The visit provided an opportunity to exchange knowledge on advanced materials characterisation and corrosion research capabilities.
Photo 6: Chinese Scholars Delegation Visiting Corrosion Research Facilities at the University of Manchester
The visit demonstrated the value of direct engagement between researchers, universities and professional organisations across the UK and China. It also provided a platform for identifying areas of common research interest and developing further opportunities for collaboration in corrosion science, materials performance, advanced characterisation and corrosion engineering.
For ICorr, strengthening international collaboration is an important part of its continuing commitment to advancing corrosion science and engineering and connecting the global corrosion community.
With the international corrosion community coming together at EUROCORR 2026 in Dublin, the London and Manchester programme provided a timely opportunity to reinforce UK–China academic and professional connections and to look towards deeper cooperation in corrosion research, education and professional development.
The Institute of Corrosion is grateful to the participating Chinese scholars and to colleagues at NPL (Dr Alan Turnbull, Dr Shengqi Zhou, Dr Sophie Zhang), Imperial College London (Dr Mengjun Gong, Dr Zhenyu Shi, Xiaoxi Ruan) and the University of Manchester (Professor Xiaorong Zhou, Professor Dirk Engelberg, Dr Rob Lindsay and Dr Ali Kosari) for their contributions to this successful programme and for their commitment to strengthening international collaboration in corrosion science and engineering.
