The vehicle will support small-scale experiments and prototypes and give researchers linked with both institutions the opportunity to exchange ideas.

Imperial College London and Tsinghua University joined forces on Friday to seed a $300,000 fund called the Tsinghua-Imperial Research and Innovation Fund to back early-stage scientific research.

Tsinghua-Imperial Research and Innovation Fund will support small-scale experiments and prototypes while giving researchers from both institutions the opportunity to exchange ideas. Imperial has approximately 9,600 Chinese students and alumni who include Chen Jining, the mayor of Beijing.

Imperial and Tsinghua will consider expanding the vehicle “significantly” if it is successful. The announcement…