Keele University has become a founding member of a new international alliance linking institutions based in some of the world's most significant canal regions.

More than 520 canals across over 50 countries link some 3,000 cities worldwide, forming major corridors of trade, culture and cooperation.

The Canal-city University Cooperation Mechanism, launched at a symposium in Yangzhou, China, brings together 23 universities from 10 countries.

It includes partners located along China's Grand Canal, the Suez Canal in Egypt, and waterways in Portugal's Aveiro region and Brazil's Rio de Janeiro.

Keele was invited to join the network due to its proximity to the historic canal network running through Stoke-on-Trent.

The Canal-city University Cooperation Mechanism brings together 23 universities from 10 countries (image via Keele University)

The Trent & Mersey and Caldon Canals played a central role in the development of the pottery industry from the late 18th century, enabling the transport of raw materials and finished goods and underpinning the rise of manufacturers such as Josiah Wedgwood.

The new partnership aims to promote research collaboration, cross-cultural exchange and opportunities for student and staff mobility.

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A five-year action plan will steer joint work on environmental protection, sustainable urban development and innovation across canal regions.

Representing Keele at the launch, Dr Mirna Maarabouni, Dean of Internationalisation and Partnerships in the Faculty of Natural Sciences, said the initiative offered a "strategic platform" for deepening international engagement.

"As a founding member, Keele joined 22 other universities in signing the CUCM Charter, establishing a structured framework for long-term international collaboration across canal cities," she said. 

"Building on our existing collaboration with Yangzhou University, we look forward to expanding our engagement through this new global network for the benefit of our students, partners and communities." 

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