Bin Wu ｜ 武斌
Since 1995, I have built an academic career specialising in transdisciplinary research, platform building, and international cooperation in areas such as rural sustainability and entrepreneurship, agricultural research and innovation.
Reseacher｜ Explorer ｜ Supporter
研究者 | 探索者 ｜ 协助者
Publications Highlighted
How does global agricultural research and innovation cooperation influence agricultural R&l system transformation in the South? Evidence from UK-China cooperation
We conceptualise global agricultural R&I cooperation (ARIC) to examine how the changing nature of the cooperation between major players from the North and the South influences agricultural R&I system (ARIS) transformation in the South. We propose a local–global nexus (LGN) framework to reveal multiple processes involving researchers and non-academic actors for joint knowledge production and social impact across scales. We explore LGN’s feasibility through a case study of UK-China cooperation to illustrate the necessity and key factors influencing the participation of non-academic actors including smallholder farmers in ARIC.
How does reverse entrepreneurship facilitate community transformation in rural China： Evidence from the Yellow River
We pay special attention to how reverse entrepreneurs identify critical resources and innovation opportunities for community participation and facilitate effective communication and cooperation between community and stakeholders to develop common interests and long term cooperation. This paper contributes to rural revitalisation debates by presenting a conceptual model, “resource-vision-identity" to illustrate the process of community transformation facilitated by reverse entrepreneurship.
Social capital for rural revitalization in China: A critical evaluation on the government’s new countryside programme in Chengdu
Bringing together social capital, government intervention and other capital, we argue that rural revitalisation can be viewed as a process of the interaction between land transfer and community building leading to multiple gains of all stakeholders. Firstly, we post a triangular model by bringing together government intervention, social and other capital to emphasize the interwoven nature of the relationship between land transfer and community building for better understanding of the intrinsic dynamics within the communities and their interests interfaced with external stakeholders. Secondly, with respect to the impact of land transfer on sustainable livelihoods, we propose an evaluation framework to account and compare the roles of social capital against government intervention and other conditions in land transfer decision making. Thirdly, applying the above framework to sample villages, we identify three types of rural restructuring: government-led, farmer self-organising, and returned entrepreneur-oriented.
Transdisciplinary Experience
2020
This pilot project aimed to explore and test the feasibility of transidiciplinary research by combining research, training and impact pathway for international participation in poverty alleviation in ethnic dominated areas (Tibert and Yi Monorities), one of the poorest region of China.
Empower Small Farmers in the Poor Areas of China
2021
The project offered unique opportunity to develop and apply transdisciplary methodology for designing and delivering a training course to early career researchers (ECRs) from the UK and China in the domain of sustainable agricultural and rural development.
Systematic Innovation Approach for ECR training and stakeholder engagement
2022
This project demonstrates the necessity of transdisciplinary research and innovation cooperation between the UK and China in responding to global challenges and sharing good practices for sustainable agri-food transformation.
UK perspective of Agricultural Research and Innovation Cooperation
About Me
As a transdisciplinary scholar, I am interested in stakeholder-engaged research and knowledge co-creation in rural innovation and sustainable development, university-community partnerships and international cooperation in the global south. These interests are deeply rooted in my personal background in “social universities”—as a farmer in the countryside, an army solider, and blue-collar worker before I received the tertiary education in China.
Following my retirement in 2025, I continue to pursue my transdisciplinary research and publications focused on inclusive innovation and rural sustainability in China, the Global South and other areas within my expertise.
