HKUST(GZ) Concludes 2024 Global Outreach Trips with Visit to Ireland
HKUST(GZ)’s fourth Europe-bound delegation, led by Professor Ting Chuen Pong, Vice-President (Administration & Business) this time, completed their visit to Ireland, wrapping up a two-week academic trip filled with university visits, professor-level talks and flagship events.
The delegation’s Ireland trip was highlighted by a reciprocal visit to University College Dublin (UCD) on December 13, following Professor Paul Fanning, UCD International Dean for China and Provost of UCD’s three joint international colleges in China, visit HKUST(GZ) one month earlier.
Neil Hurley, Head of UCD’s School of Computer Science, and Paul Curran, Head of the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, presented their respective schools’ curriculum and student training models. John Lonsdale, CEO of CeADAR, Ireland’s National Centre for Applied Data Analytics, along with Business Development Manager Daphne Hosford, shared examples of industry-academia collaboration in the Irish model to enhance academic research capabilities. The delegation also learned about UCD’s Innovation Academy, which offers credit courses to develop students' technological literacy and foundational research skills in the AI and digital media era.
Professor Pong noted the similarities in student training philosophies between the two universities, highlighting significant potential for collaboration in areas such as digital technology, media arts, smart manufacturing, and innovation and entrepreneurship. Dr. Neil Hurley and Dr. Paul Curran expressed their commitment to promoting practical cooperation between their respective schools and HKUST(GZ).
The delegation also had in-depth discussions with Chinese Ambassador to Ireland Xiyuan Zhao during a visit to the embassy on that day. The ambassador said he expected HKUST(GZ) to play an active role in promoting China-Europe youth exchange. Xikun Zhu, First Secretary of the Chinese Embassy in Ireland, attended the meeting.
Following visits to Sweden, Greece, and the UK, HKUST(GZ)’s fourth European tour of the year, came to an end. Participants in the Ireland activities included Professor Yang YANG, Associate Vice-President (Teaching & Learning), Professor Lei CHEN, Dean of Information Hub, Professor Shi-Wei LEE, Dean of Systems Hub and Mr. Jing FU, Head of the Global Affairs Department.
On the sidelines of the trip, the delegation also went to Belgium and Germany for meetings at KU Leuven, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, RWTH Aachen and University of Cologne.
Looking Ahead to 2025
Since its inception, HKUST(GZ) has placed a strong emphasis on international cooperation, providing students with more opportunities for global exchange and broadening their international perspectives. The university actively recruits outstanding talent worldwide and establishes mutually beneficial partnerships with top-tier universities, aiming to become a highly internationalized world-class research institution.
At the end of 2024, President Ni and other university-level management made seven visits leading delegations composed of Hub Deans and Thrust Heads to countries including Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Greece, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Japan, and South Korea. These visits aimed to promote HKUST(GZ), expand partnerships, and attract high-level talent.
Professor Ni stated that intensive visits are a necessary path for the internationalization of the university in its early development stages. Over the past year, several universities have returned the visit to our university. We have reached undergraduate exchange agreements with more than ten world-class universities and signed comprehensive cooperation agreements or established cooperation intentions with numerous leading global universities, with the results of global expansion increasingly evident.
"Looking forward to 2025, HKUST(GZ) will continue to be student-centered, identify more global strategic partners, broaden cooperation channels, deepen partnerships, and enhance the construction of our university's global influence and reputation," said President Ni.
