HKUST(GZ) signs two key cooperation agreements
On the morning of October 24, HKUST(GZ) held two key agreement signing ceremonies. The Administrative Committee of Guangzhou Nansha Development Zone and HKUST(GZ) signed an agreement on comprehensive collaborative innovation cooperation. The Guangzhou Science and Technology Bureau, the Administrative Committee of Guangzhou Nansha Development Zone and HKUST(GZ) signed an agreement on Guangzhou university-enterprise co-funded projects of basic and applied basic research.
The two cooperation agreements enjoy common important background and have major implications. They are both tangible initiatives to implement the “Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area” and the “Overall Plan for Deepening Globally Oriented Comprehensive Co-operation amongst Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao in Nansha of Guangzhou”. They also represent part of efforts to facilitate Nansha to speed up the construction of major strategic platforms that is based on the Greater Bay Area, support Hong Kong and Macao and looking into the world. They both aim to help HKUST(GZ) to be built into a world-class research university, address major scientific problems in the basic and applied basic research, nurture scientific and technological talent, and enhance original innovative capacity and internal influence.
Lu Yixian, Municipal Committee Member of Guangzhou and Party Secretary of Nansha District, Ma Shu, Deputy Secretary General of Guangzhou, Gong Hongwu, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the Guangzhou Science and Technology Bureau, Wu Yang, Deputy Party Secretary and Head of Nansha District, Wu Hanrong, Deputy Director of Guangzhou Science and Technology Bureau, Xie Wei, Deputy Secretary of Party Working Committee of Guangzhou Nansha Development Zone, Ouyang Liubin, Secretary of the Administrative Committee of Guangzhou Nansha Development Zone, Ouyang Jianhua, Deputy Head of Nansha District, Chen Guoqing, Deputy Head of Nansha District, Lin Ping, First-level Researcher of Guangzhou Education Bureau, Prof. Lionel M. Ni, President of HKUST(GZ), Prof. Wu Jingshen, Vice-President of HKUST(GZ), Prof. Wen Weijia, Acting Dean of the Function Hub of HKUST(GZ), Prof. Zong Fuji, Acting Dean of the Information Hub of HKUST(GZ), Prof. Kaishun Wu, Associate Vice President of HKUST(GZ) and other leaders, attended the ceremonies, which were hosted by Dr. Bin Li, Special Assistant to the President of HKUST (GZ) and Director of the President’s Office of HKUST (GZ).
According to the “Agreement on the Comprehensive Collaborative Innovation Cooperation Strategy between the Administrative Committee of Guangzhou Nansha Development Zone and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou)”, HKUST (GZ), based on its disciplinary advantages, and Nansha, based on its location advantages, will engage in collaborative innovation cooperation in the following six fronts, namely jointly building major platforms for science and technology innovation; Jointly tackling key problems in science and technology; Strengthening transfer and transformation of scientific and technological achievements; Jointly nurturing top-notch talent and developing specialized talent policies of HKUST (GZ) as well as support for them to conduct high-level talent independent review; Creating cooperation platforms for youth entrepreneurship and employment; boosting international science and technology exchanges and cooperation.
Prof. Wu Jingshen, Vice-President of HKUST(GZ), said that the Administrative Committee of Guangzhou Nansha Development Zone and the Guangzhou Science and Technology Bureau have long been important partners of HKUST(GZ). HKUST(GZ) attaches great importance to the cooperation and would build high-quality cooperation platforms with high standards at a high base, as well as achieve every target of the cooperation. The strategic position of Guangzhou Nansha has climbed from a national new area, a pilot free trade zone to a demonstration zone for Guangdong-Hong Kong- Macao comprehensive cooperation. In the future, it is believed that with the concerted efforts of HKUST(GZ) and Nansha, a new momentum for win-win cooperation between the university and local government will be fostered, pouring strengths into the development of the Greater Bay Area and beyond.
Wu Yang, Deputy Party Secretary and Head of Nansha District, said in his speech that the signing event would provide an opportunity to fully leverage the multiple effects of strategic function positioning of Nansha and advantages of HKUST(GZ) in the cultivation of international talent and transfer of scientific achievements. Next step, the establishment of the cooperation development committee and the special working group should be accelerated, with routine communication mechanisms put in place, in a bid to facilitate in-depth cooperation of both sides. It is hoped that the university and Nanshan can give play to complementary advantages for collaborative innovation, join forces to build a new highland of science and technology innovation, and write a new chapter of cooperation between a university and local government in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao.
Under the witness of leaders and guests present, Xie Wei, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee of Guangzhou Nansha Development Zone, and Dr. Bin Li, Special Assistant to the President of HKUST (GZ) and Director of the President’s Office of HKUST (GZ), signed the comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement on behalf of both sides.
Then came the second event on the agenda. On behalf of each party, Hanrong Wu, Deputy Director of Guangzhou Science and Technology Bureau, Wei Xie, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee of Guangzhou Nansha Development Zone, and Prof. Kaishun Wu signed the “Cooperation Agreement on Guangzhou University-Enterprise Co-funded Projects of Basic and Applied Basic Research among the Guangzhou Science and Technology Bureau, the Administrative Committee of Guangzhou Nansha Development Zone, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) ”.
Heads of relevant departments from the Guangzhou Science and Technology Bureau, Nansha District, the Guangzhou Nansha Industrial Park administration bureau and HKUST(GZ) attended the ceremonies.
