Membership agreement

Disclaimer & Terms

This is the agreement every CBIC member accepts and signs at registration. Version 2026-07-29.

Registration Disclaimer

The amount paid at sign-up is a registration fee only. It secures your membership of the China Business & Innovation Consortium (CBIC) and your CBIC ID. It is not payment for any specific service, placement, sponsorship, training, tour or opportunity, and it does not reserve a place on any programme.
No service is guaranteed by registration. All CBIC services — including study tours, final-year project sponsorship, expert workshops, technical training, internships and job placement — are allocated on merit, following screening, assessment and, where applicable, interviews conducted by CBIC and its partners.
CBIC reserves the right to grant, decline, limit or withdraw any service at its sole discretion, including where an applicant does not meet the required standard, where partner capacity is limited, or where information provided at registration is found to be inaccurate.
Services depend on policies and procedures implemented in China and may be altered or stopped if those rules or policies change. CBIC's programmes operate through Chinese universities, enterprises and institutional partners, and are subject to their regulations as well as to Chinese government policy on education, immigration, business and technology transfer.
CBIC will fully comply with its Chinese partners' policies and procedures and will change the structure of its services accordingly. Where a partner amends or withdraws a programme, CBIC will adjust or discontinue the corresponding service. Such changes are outside CBIC's control and do not constitute a failure to deliver.
Registration fees and subscription payments are non-refundable where a service is declined on merit, or where a programme is altered or withdrawn for the reasons set out above.

Terms & Conditions of Membership

1. Definitions

"CBIC" means the China Business & Innovation Consortium, its office-bearers, staff and authorised representatives.
"Member" means any individual (student, graduate or professional) or institution (university, college, technical institute, nursing college, training centre or team) whose registration has been completed and accepted by CBIC.
"Services" means any programme, facility or benefit offered by CBIC, including study tours, project sponsorship, workshops, technical training, the digital learning portal, mentorship, internships and job placement support.
"Partners" means the Chinese and Pakistani universities, enterprises, institutions and agencies through which CBIC delivers Services.

2. Registration and membership

Membership begins when registration is completed, the registration fee is received, and CBIC issues a CBIC ID.
A CBIC ID is issued to one Member and is not transferable. It may not be shared, sold or used by any other person or institution.
The Member warrants that all information supplied at registration — including name, CNIC or registration number, institution, contact details and project details — is true, current and complete, and undertakes to keep it updated.
CBIC may suspend or cancel a membership, without refund, where information is found to be false, misleading or materially incomplete.
Institutional registrations are subject to document verification before any payment is requested. CBIC may request registration certificates, regulatory approvals, tax registration or other evidence, and may decline a registration where verification is not satisfied.

3. Nature of the registration fee

The registration fee is an administrative fee for processing, membership records and access to CBIC's member platform.
The registration fee does not purchase any Service and does not create any entitlement, priority or guarantee in respect of any Service.
Individual members pay a one-time registration fee. Institutional members pay a recurring monthly subscription, which continues until cancelled in accordance with clause 8.

4. Allocation of services, merit and selection

All Services are allocated on merit. Selection may involve written applications, project screening, academic assessment, technical evaluation, interviews and partner review.
Selection decisions are made by CBIC together with the relevant Partner. Such decisions are final and CBIC is not obliged to disclose the reasons for any decision.
Applying for a Service does not guarantee selection. Places on any programme are limited by partner capacity, cohort size and eligibility criteria.
CBIC may set additional eligibility conditions for any Service, including academic standing, discipline, language ability, travel documentation and conduct requirements.

5. Dependence on Chinese policies and partner procedures

CBIC's Services are delivered through Chinese Partners and are linked to the policies and procedures implemented in China. They are subject to Chinese government policy and to Partner regulations, both of which may change without notice to CBIC.
Where those rules or policies change, a Service may be altered, suspended, restructured or stopped. This includes changes to visa and immigration policy, education and exchange regulation, export, technology and data rules, health and travel restrictions, and Partner-level programme changes.
CBIC will fully comply with its Chinese Partners' policies and procedures and will change the structure of its Services accordingly. The Member accepts that such changes may affect the content, timing, format, location, duration or availability of any Service.
A change or discontinuation arising under this clause is not a breach by CBIC and does not entitle the Member to a refund, substitute service or compensation, except where CBIC decides otherwise at its discretion.

6. Study tours, travel and visas

Selection for a study tour does not guarantee the grant of a visa. Visas are issued at the sole discretion of the relevant authorities and CBIC has no control over, and accepts no responsibility for, visa refusal, delay or cancellation.
Unless expressly stated in writing, tour fees are separate from membership and do not include airfare, visa fees, insurance, personal expenses or any cost not itemised in the tour offer.
The Member is responsible for holding a valid passport and travel documents, meeting health requirements, and complying with the laws of Pakistan and of the People's Republic of China throughout any travel arranged or facilitated by CBIC.
The Member must comply with the conduct rules of CBIC and of any host institution. CBIC may remove a Member from a programme, at the Member's cost, for conduct that endangers others, breaches host rules or brings CBIC or its Partners into disrepute.

7. Projects, sponsorship and intellectual property

Submitting a final-year project or research proposal does not transfer ownership of it. Intellectual property created by the Member remains the Member's, subject to the rights of their institution and to any separate written agreement.
By submitting a project, the Member grants CBIC and its Partners a non-exclusive licence to review, evaluate and share it for the purposes of screening, sponsorship consideration and matching with a Partner.
Where sponsorship, prototyping or commercialisation is offered, the specific terms — including ownership, licensing, funding and confidentiality — will be governed by a separate written agreement between the Member, the sponsor and, where relevant, the Member's institution. These Terms do not create any such arrangement.
The Member confirms that any submitted work is their own or that they hold the necessary permissions, and that it does not infringe the rights of any third party.

8. Fees, subscriptions and refunds

Fees are stated in Pakistan Rupees (PKR) and are payable through the payment methods CBIC makes available, including its authorised payment gateway.
Registration fees are non-refundable, including where an application for a Service is unsuccessful, or where a Service is altered or discontinued under clause 5.
Institutional subscriptions renew monthly. CBIC will issue a reminder and a payment link before each renewal, by email and, where a mobile number has been provided, by SMS.
An institution may cancel its subscription by written notice before the next renewal date. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the paid period; part-months are not refunded.
Where a subscription is unpaid after its due date, CBIC may suspend access to member Services until payment is received.
CBIC may revise its fees. Existing institutional subscribers will be given reasonable notice before a revised fee applies to them.

9. Member obligations and conduct

The Member shall use CBIC's platform, materials and introductions for their own legitimate purposes only, and shall not resell, sublicense or commercially exploit access to CBIC's Partners or resources.
The Member shall not misrepresent their relationship with CBIC, or hold themselves out as an agent, representative or partner of CBIC or of any Chinese Partner without written authorisation.
The Member is responsible for keeping their account credentials confidential and for all activity carried out under their account.
The Member shall deal honestly and professionally with CBIC staff, Partners, host institutions and other members.

10. Communications and consent to contact

By registering, the Member consents to being contacted by CBIC by email, SMS, telephone and WhatsApp in connection with their membership, applications, payments, renewals and programme announcements.
Payment reminders and links may be delivered by CBIC and by CBIC's payment gateway on CBIC's behalf.
The Member may opt out of promotional messages at any time. Service and transactional messages — verification codes, payment notices, programme instructions — cannot be opted out of while the membership remains active.

11. Data protection and privacy

CBIC collects and processes personal data supplied at registration — including identity, contact, academic, institutional and project information — for the purposes of administering membership, assessing applications and delivering Services.
The Member consents to CBIC sharing relevant information with its Chinese and Pakistani Partners, host institutions and authorities where necessary to assess an application, arrange travel, or deliver a Service. This may involve transferring data outside Pakistan.
CBIC will take reasonable measures to protect personal data and will retain it only as long as necessary for the purposes above or as required by law.
Payment card details are handled by CBIC's payment gateway and are not stored by CBIC.

12. Suspension and termination

CBIC may suspend or terminate a membership, with or without notice, for breach of these Terms, for conduct that harms CBIC, its Partners or other members, for non-payment, or where required by law or Partner policy.
A Member may terminate their membership at any time by written notice. Termination does not entitle the Member to a refund of fees already paid.
Clauses concerning intellectual property, confidentiality, liability, indemnity and governing law survive termination.

13. Limitation of liability

CBIC provides its Services with reasonable skill and care but gives no warranty as to any outcome, including selection, sponsorship, visa issuance, internship, employment, salary, academic credit or commercial success.
CBIC is not liable for the acts, omissions, decisions or policies of any Partner, host institution, employer, airline, insurer or government authority.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, CBIC shall not be liable for indirect, incidental or consequential loss, including loss of opportunity, profit, academic progression or earnings.
Where CBIC is found liable notwithstanding the above, its total aggregate liability shall not exceed the total fees actually paid by the Member to CBIC in the twelve (12) months preceding the event giving rise to the claim.
Nothing in these Terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded, including liability for death or personal injury caused by CBIC's negligence, or for fraud.

14. Indemnity

The Member shall indemnify CBIC against any claim, loss, damage, cost or expense arising from the Member's breach of these Terms, from information the Member has supplied, from the Member's conduct during any programme, or from the Member's infringement of a third party's rights.

15. Force majeure

CBIC is not liable for any failure or delay in performing its obligations caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including changes in law or government policy, restrictions on travel or immigration, epidemic or pandemic, natural disaster, war, civil unrest, strike, or failure of telecommunications, banking or transport infrastructure.

16. Changes to these Terms

CBIC may amend these Terms to reflect changes in its Services, in Partner requirements, or in applicable law. The current version is always published on the CBIC website.
Where an amendment is material, CBIC will notify Members by email. Continued use of the Services after notice constitutes acceptance of the amended Terms.
The version accepted at registration is recorded against the Member's account together with the date, time and electronic signature.

17. Governing law and jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The parties shall first attempt to resolve any dispute amicably. Failing that, the courts at Lahore, Pakistan shall have exclusive jurisdiction, without prejudice to any mandatory consumer protection right of the Member.

18. Entire agreement and severability

These Terms, together with the Registration Disclaimer, constitute the entire agreement between the Member and CBIC in respect of membership, and supersede any prior representation not recorded in writing.
If any clause is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining clauses continue in full force.

Questions about these terms? Contact the CBIC team through the contact section of the website.