Ms Elliott was optimisitic about the promising mutual cooperation and delivered the willingness to promote the communication among the youngsters between Leeds and Hangzhou.

Judith Elliott, Mayor of Leeds, addressed the school-opening ceremony of 2009 postgraduate program, co-hosted by Leeds Metropolitan University Business School and Zhejiang University of Technology.

In 2003, the project between Leeds Metropolitan University Business School and Zhejiang University of Technology to cultivate postgraduates was officially approved by the Academic Degree Office of the State Council and was started from June, 2004. As of now 186 students have graduated form the project, which functions as the training base of Zhejiang private enterprise managers and qualification evaluation organization of Professional Managers in Zhejiang Province .

Earlier this week week five education chiefs from Hangzhou visited Leeds to establish partnerships between schools in the two cities.

By Lucy