The University of Manchester, entering its third century since its founding, has unveiled a new long-term strategy, "Manchester 2035." President Duncan Ivison gave an interview in Hong Kong in Mar. and redefined the university's identity from the ground up. He said the University of Manchester is a "civic university," deeply rooted in the city yet open to the world.
President Ivison said, "Manchester as a city has a very distinct identity, and that shapes us into a university that is rooted locally and oriented toward the world," adding, "Great universities bring these two dimensions together." The University of Manchester said it has bases in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Dubai, and Singapore, and that about 40% of its students are from overseas.
Founded during the Industrial Revolution, the University of Manchester produced achievements such as Ernest Rutherford's work on atomic fission and Alan Turing's research in computing and artificial intelligence. President Ivison reframed these historical legacies as today's tasks of climate change and migration, geopolitical tensions, and technological transformation. He said, "The founders asked what knowledge and what leaders were needed during the upheavals of the Industrial Revolution," adding, "Now we must ask the same question." Ivison went on to say, "We need to shorten the time between discovery and its impact on the world," adding, "If there is ever a time when a university should not be an ivory tower, it is now."
To that end, the University of Manchester has launched a new innovation platform unit, Unit M. Serving as a pathway to bring research outcomes to market, from clean energy to health care, the plan is to rework how research is translated into applications through industry-academia collaboration, policy engagement, and commercialization. With Peking University in China, it runs a dual-degree program in medicine that trains students as they move between China and the United Kingdom. In clean energy, it is expanding cooperation based on strengths in materials science and nuclear research.
In artificial intelligence (AI), it emphasizes responsible use. President Ivison said, "For this technology to be used in ways that help society, neither corporations nor governments can do it alone. Universities must play a decisive role."
The University of Manchester has established a base in Hong Kong to drive the new strategy. The East Asia Centre, located on the 33rd floor of Lee Garden One in Causeway Bay in central Hong Kong, opened in 1992. It is the university's oldest overseas base. The University of Manchester Hong Kong East Asia Centre is one of the university's four global education hubs, along with Shanghai, Dubai, and Singapore. Students studying in Hong Kong can take electives at other hubs in Dubai or Singapore or go to the main campus in Manchester. Olivia Chan, East Asia managing director, said, "The East Asia Centre is not a simple branch; it is closer to an intelligent hub."
The flagship program is the Global MBA. It has produced more than 5,000 graduates to date and admits about 100 students each year, with an acceptance rate of around 20%. Director Chan said, "These are not traditional MBA students," adding, "They are motivated professionals who lead teams, run businesses, or are preparing for their next leap." Most students are mid- to senior-level professionals ages 35 to 45, gathering from Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Macau, Hong Kong, and the greater Taiwan region.
The coursework is tailored to working professionals, with about 70% delivered online. Intensive weekend workshops in Hong Kong are added on top. The center said students can continue their studies without leaving their companies and families. Holders of professional qualifications such as the CFA or CPA can shorten certain components. Academic standards, however, are strictly maintained. The center added that in the final MBA assignment, the "real-world business project," students build a business plan from scratch—covering everything from financial modeling to market strategy—and apply it directly to their own companies or startups.
Richard Cotton, director of international strategy and global influence, said, "In East Asia, innovation happens not just in technology and research but in education itself," and proposed a "city-to-city" collaboration model linking the innovation ecosystems of Manchester, Hong Kong, and the broader Taiwan region.
Even as technological discourse dominates higher education, the university also stresses the weight of the humanities. Angelia Wilson, associate vice president for humanities, said, "Artificial intelligence can draft emails, but it cannot teach critical thinking or emotional intelligence. Without those, you cannot be a good leader." Although the University of Manchester is renowned for science and engineering, about two-thirds of its students belong to the Faculty of Humanities. Computer scientists collaborate with humanities scholars in digital narratives, and with institutions such as Tokyo University of the Arts it explores intersections of creativity, health, and society. The university is also expanding a "global classroom" that connects students in several countries through lectures and discussions. President Ivison said, "In an era when technology is changing the world, human capacities such as critical thinking, communication, and the ability to engage people face-to-face are becoming more important."
Alongside this strategy, the University of Manchester has also launched its first global fundraising and volunteering campaign, "Challenge Accepted." The plan is to raise 400 million pounds (about 800 billion won) and log 1 million hours of volunteer service, engaging more than 500,000 alumni and partners worldwide across research, student support, innovation, and culture.