Over the next five years, the research centre will work to promote “the innovative application of new materials, new fabrics and new designs in sportswear” through technological research and what the partners called “market transformation”.

On making the announcement, Anta chief executive, Ding Shizhong, said that for China’s sports industry to develop, and develop rapidly, it will require “independent innovations”.

The brand said that, as the official partner of the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, it will aim to apply some of the new ideas to products for China’s national teams.

Tsinghua University and Anta also jointly launched a new global design award, offering prizes totalling around $450,000 “for young designers around the world to realise their creative dreams”.