The 111 Project
The Higher Education Discipline Innovation Project, also known as the 111 Project, was jointly launched in 2005 by the Ministry of Education and the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, China.
The aims of the 111 project are to:
- Establish 100 R&D and education bases in the Chinese universities supported by the 985 Project and 211 Project
- Invite 1000 overseas talents from the top 100 universities and research institutes worldwide
- Form top-level research teams, foster development of frontier disciplines and strengthen the innovation capability all helping to improve the overall competitiveness in China’s leading universities
Each of the 100 bases/programmes lasts for five years with overseas scholars invited to work together with the corresponding Chinese partners for a secondment of 1 week to 6 months.
What is the collaboration between the University of Nottingham and the 111 Project?
At the University of Nottingham there is a 111 Project based in the Faculty of Engineering. The 111 Project aims to provide a platform to exchange academic ideas and enhance mutual communication between researchers in deep underground engineering. The project is based at the State Key Laboratory for GeoMechanics and Deep Underground Engineering at the China University of Mining and Technology (CUMT).
It aspires to invite experts from the University of Nottingham (UoN) plus other international universities to encourage domestic and foreign researchers to apply for joint funding based on common scientific interests.
This particular 111 project runs from 2014 to 2018.
The Principal Investigator (PI) at UoN is Prof. Hai-Sui Yu and the PI at CUMT is Prof. Guo-qing Zhou.
What research does the collaboration focus on?
Mechanical behaviour and constitutive models of deep soils (frozen soil)
- Physical and mechanic properties of deep soils (frozen soil)
- Constitutive models of deep soils (frozen soil)
- Computer methods and advances in Geomechanics
Stability theory and techniques for deep underground engineering
- Interaction between deep soils and underground structures and arching effects
- Key technologies for stability control of deep and weak rock/soil aquifer
- Stability of deep shaft lining
Key technologies of mining area environmental geotechnical engineering
- Damage mechanisms and predictions of mining area environmental geotechnical engineering
- Geological and geotechnical environmental monitoring technology
- Treatment technologies of mining area environmental geotechnical engineering
Testing and monitoring technologies of deep underground engineering
- In situ testing of underground engineering
- Physical modelling of underground engineering
- Modern monitoring technologies of deep shaft lining
What can the researcher expect?
The length of the secondment is flexible from one week to 1-2 months. Each year CUMT provides ¥ 114,000 for foreign researchers covering international travelling expenses, housing and the provision of subsidies. Foreign researchers are expected to give presentations, attend workshops, research publications and apply for joint funding.
Case Study: Dr Lee Stevens
Dr Lee Stevens, completed a one month secondment to CUMT as part of the 111 project. He collaborated with Dr Xiang-yu Shang and his PhD student Jian-Xiang Gu working on soil sample compression tests amongst other investigations. He also gave two lectures on his work on Gas Adsorption Isotherms to engineering and chemistry students.