LONDON, June 4 (Xinhua) -- Engineering group China Electronics Technology Corporation (CETC) has signed a collaboration agreement that will see it carrying out research at one of the world's best-known radio telescopes, Jodrell Bank, in Britain.

The agreement opens a new frontier for radio astronomy technology, the University of Manchester said in a statement Monday.

The university announced that CETC has entered into a collaboration agreement with the university's School of Physics & Astronomy, and School of Electronic & Electrical Engineering to focus on research and development of technologies relating to radio astronomy.

The agreement paves the way for the formation of a new joint research laboratory for Radio Astronomy Advanced Instrumentation Research (RAAIR), the announcement added.

"CETC's multi-million investment in RAAIR over the next three years will fund state-of-the-art scientific and technical research projects, researchers and international exchanges with the aim of fostering a long-term relationship with the university," said a spokesman for the University of Manchester.

Professor Tony Brown, of the Microwave and Communication Systems Group (School of EEE), was the original driving force behind the new collaboration.

The Director of the new RAAIR laboratory is Prof. Michael Garrett, Director of the Jodrell Bank Center for Astrophysics (JBCA) and Sir Bernard Lovell chair of astrophysics.

"The initiative builds on over seven decades of continuous world-leading radio astronomy technology development at Jodrell Bank," the spokesman added.

Garrett said: "We look forward to jointly developing technologies that will have a major impact on next generation radio telescope projects, including the Square Kilometre Array (SKA)".

Professor Brown said: "The RAAIR moves our collaboration to a new level and will deliver world leading research in advanced technology for radio astronomy."

The university's Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Science & Engineering, Professor Martin Schroeder welcomed the University of Manchester's commitment to closer relations with Chinese science and engineering, and said benefits have already resulted from this.

CETC is a Global Top 100 company, with over 140,000 employees. The company has a strong background in research and development, and beyond radio astronomy it has expressed interest in the coming future in broad cooperation in areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data & Advance Materials.