A WORLD-LEADING heritage and conservation research centre is being created as part of an international agreement involving Stirling University, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and The Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, in Beijing, China.
The Forbidden City is a World Heritage Site and houses the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world and the new partnership will establish an international research centre for heritage and conservation at the university.
The centre will allow researchers to investigate issues facing built heritage and the impacts of climate and wider environmental changes on a global scale. It will host an international conference in September.
Professor Richard Oram, Dean of Arts and Humanities at the university, said: “We’re delighted to formally commit to a long-term partnership with Historic Environment Scotland and the Forbidden City in China.
“This agreement is a ground-breaking advance in British and Chinese intercultural relations in the fields of cultural heritage and conservation and brings together international expertise in the impacts of climate and wider environmental change.
“Stirling are global leaders in the area of cultural heritage, and our expertise will help ensure this collaboration has a transformational impact in identifying and addressing worldwide challenges in heritage conservation.”
The university, recently named one of the best in the world, is celebrating Stirling’s past, present and future in a series of events this year to mark its 50th anniversary.
The university is also a centre of sporting excellence and swimmers enjoyed success over the weekend at the British Swimming Championship when 19-year-old sports studies student and double Olympic medallist Duncan Scott became a new British record holder in the 100m freestyle.
He picked up silver in the 200m freestyle. Ross Murdoch was crowned British Champion in the men’s 200m breaststroke event, while Danielle Huskisson took the women’s 1500m freestyle title.
Three Stirling athletes, Duncan Scott, Ross Murdoch and Kathleen Dawson, have now been selected to represent British Swimming at the World Championships in Budapest this summer and are part of a 29-strong squad representing Team GB at the competition.
Stirling University has published a report today which highlights how alcohol producers worked to circumvent legislation designed to protect children during the Uefa Euro 2016 football tournament.
Researchers found over 100 alcohol marketing references per televised match programme in three countries – France, the UK and Ireland. Most marketing appeared in highly visible places, such as pitch-side advertising during the matches. This was the case, despite the fact that the tournament was held in France, where alcohol TV advertising and sports sponsorship is banned under the loi Évin.
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