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Europe-China High Value Engineering Network (EC-HVEN): Shaping Sustainable Engineering Sectors in Europe and China

Final Report Summary - EC-HVEN (Europe-China High Value Engineering Network (EC-HVEN): Shaping Sustainable Engineering Sectors in Europe and China)

Europe-China High Value Engineering Network (EC-HVEN) is an IRSES project which ran from 2012 to 2016 with the aim of establishing a framework for global network collaborations in high value engineering. The seven partners in Europe and China were Birmingham University, Cambridge University, Technical University of Denmark, Harbin Institute of Technology, Tsinghua University, Zhejiang University, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University. EC-HVEN delivered the full plan of exchanges. A wide range of collaborative research projects were developed and completed. Above 90 workshops, seminars and forum meetings were organised to support knowledge transfer, communication and dissemination of research findings. Collaborative research activities between the project partners have led to nearly 200 publications including 83 journal papers, 4 books, 1 special issue, and a large number of conference papers, working papers and research reports.

EC-HVEN has established a framework for global network collaborations in high value engineering, advanced manufacturing and innovation. The framework is underpinned by a broad theoretical model capturing the contexts, capabilities and configurations of global engineering networks. Six core research areas were identified for high value engineering research, including engineering and technology management, engineering design and innovation, international manufacturing and engineering, global engineering services, industrial sustainability and engineering, and information and telecommunication technologies for high value engineering networks. Within these core research areas, EC-HVEN provided a comparative view of the latest trends and applications in Europe and China, developed conceptual models to analyse the critical research issues, and suggested practical guidance for effective value creation through global network collaborations.

Such developments have increased the awareness of the importance and articulated the potential value of engineering in the wider economic context. The project members have been provided with a supportive environment to co-develop research projects in the core areas of high value engineering research. The overall research framework provides the foundations for continuing growth of this body of knowledge, and suggests an agenda for high value engineering research into the future.