Vice-Chancellor celebrates culture and diversity at ‘Taste of Hunan’ event

November 2024

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Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Michael Harkin, attended the prestigious ‘Taste of Hunan’ event in London, celebrating the rich culinary traditions and cultural heritage of China’s Hunan province. Professor Harkin was accompanied by Lewis Walker, Head of Birmingham College of Food and Luke Huo, Director of International.

The event brought together chefs, dignitaries, cultural ambassadors and Hunan government officials to showcase and experience the unique flavours and artistry of Hunan cuisine, renowned for its bold spices, aromatic ingredients, and vibrant presentation.

In his speech, Professor Harkin praised the initiative as a valuable opportunity to foster international connections. He said: “University College Birmingham is an institution that holds cultural exchange and culinary excellence close to its heart.

"We are committed to training and inspiring the next generation of global hospitality and culinary leaders and have a highly decorated track record in doing so. We take pride in welcoming students from across the world, including China, who enrich our community with their culinary perspectives and cultural heritage. Events like these help us diversify our curriculum and further the reach of our world-leading culinary education."

With internationalisation embedded in everything it does and already having one of the most diverse and multicultural student community, the University signed a letter of intent with Changsha Commerce and Tourism College (CCTC) to explore ways to offer more inbound and outbound mobility opportunities for students at both institutions, focusing on University College Birmingham-accredited courses.

University College Birmingham is a leading provider of specialist training for the food and hospitality industries, with students learning in our award-winning training restaurant and industry-standard kitchen facilities.

Discover our courses within our Department of Hospitality and Tourism and Birmingham College of Food.