A University of Nottingham research centre focusing on the effects of globalisation is to expand into Asia.

The Leverhulme Centre for Research on Globalisation and Economic Policy (GEP) is to open a new branch in Malaysia, at The University of Nottingham's campus in Semenyih, near Kuala Lumpur.

The establishment of a Malaysia branch is a major development for GEP — which is already one of the biggest centres of its kind in the world — and underlines the centre's reputation for cutting-edge research into globalisation.

'GEP in Malaysia' will be officially launched by the Vice-President of The University of Nottingham in Malaysia, Professor Brian Atkin, and the Head of the School of Economics, Professor Chris Milner, at a ceremony at the Semenyih campus on January 16.

Professor David Greenaway, Director of GEP, said: “The Malaysia Campus was the first ever branch campus of a UK University abroad. The campus serves as an international community of students from more than 50 countries with Nottingham's high educational standards.

“Opening up a branch of GEP in Malaysia will help us develop exciting research opportunities for GEP staff to generate and study new sources of data in Malaysia and South-East Asia that could shed light on issues that affect many other countries in Asia and across the world.”

GEP is the major centre in Europe studying the impacts of globalisation and economic policy, with linked research programmes in the following areas: Theory and Methods; Globalisation and Labour Markets; Globalisation, Productivity and Technology; and China and the World Economy.

Since its establishment in 2001, the centre has built an impressive international reputation and its academics have advised the Treasury, the OECD, the World Bank and WTO.

The launch of the Malaysia branch of GEP will coincide with a two-day GEP conference at the Campus on 'Asian Regionalism: Responding to Globalisation and China', January 16-17, with speakers attending from Korea, Australia, the USA, Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia itself.

The conference will include two keynote lectures, by Professor Richard Baldwin from the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva who will present the Boustead Annual Globalisation Lecture, and Professor Kym Anderson of the World Bank and the University of Adelaide, who will present the 2008 World Economy Lecture.

University of Nottingham speakers will include Daniel Bernhofen, Chris Milner, Shujie Yao and Zhihong Yu; and also Lee Chew Ging from the Malaysia Campus. Other international speakers will include: Innwon Park of Korea University; Richard Pomfret, University of Adelaide; Euston Quah, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Shandre Thangavelu, National University of Singapore, Wing Thye Woo, University of California at Davis; and Eden Yu, City University Hong Kong.

Dr Cassey Lee, Associate Professor of Industrial Economics at the Malaysia Campus, said: “GEP's resources and network of researchers put it in a unique position to organize an event like this.

“The GEP Conference will provide an opportunity for scholars and policymakers in Malaysia to access and examine the latest research on trade-related issues.”

GEP supports both scientific and policy-focused research. Its core staff comprises a group of Research Fellows based at Nottingham, a network of External Fellows from a number of Universities in Western Europe, North America and Australia, and a number of Policy Associates based in the policy-making community. GEP publishes its own Research Paper Series, sponsors a weekly seminar series regular workshop programmes and conferences and supports a range of other outreach activities.

The University of Nottingham opened its purpose-built 101-acre Campus at Semenyih, 30km south of Kuala Lumpur, in 2005. It now has 2,650 students from more than 50 countries.

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Notes to editors: The University of Nottingham is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 70 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and Times Higher (THES) World University Rankings.

It provides innovative and top quality teaching, undertakes world-changing research, and attracts talented staff and students from 150 nations. Described by The Times as Britain's "only truly global university", it has invested continuously in award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia. Twice since 2003 its research and teaching academics have won Nobel Prizes. The University has won the Queen's Award for Enterprise in both 2006 (International Trade) and 2007 (Innovation - School of Pharmacy).

The University's students are much in demand from 'blue-chip' employers. Winners of Students in Free Enterprise for three years in succession, and current holder of UK Graduate of the Year, they are accomplished artists, scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, innovators and fundraisers. Nottingham graduates consistently excel in business, the media, the arts and sport. Undergraduate and postgraduate degree completion rates are amongst the highest in the United Kingdom.