A delegation from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of the People’s Republic of China visited City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) on 30 October. The two sides exchanged views on the latest developments in various fields, such as technology and innovation, and explored opportunities for strengthening cooperation, including CityUHK’s participation in the construction of the National Centre of Technology Innovation (NCTI).

The delegation was led by Mr Chen Hongsheng, Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology Achievement Transformation Promotion of the MOST and comprised representatives of 11 NCTIs, including the Greater Bay Area National Center of Technology Innovation, the National Innovation Center – Yangtze Delta, the National Center of Technology Innovation for Biopharmaceuticals and the National New Energy Vehicle Technology Innovation Center. They were warmly received by CityUHK’s senior leadership team, including Professor Chan Chi-hou, Vice-President (Community Engagement), and Professor Anderson Shum, Vice-President (Research).

Professor Shum introduced CityUHK’s advantages in technology and innovation to the delegation. He mentioned that nearly 210 CityUHK scholars are listed among the “World's Top 2% Scientists” compiled by Stanford University, the highest proportion in Hong Kong relative to the total number of faculty. Additionally, 31 CityUHK scholars were named in Clarivate’s “Highly Cited Researchers 2024”. In terms of faculty size, the percentage of the world’s most Highly Cited Researchers put CityUHK first in Hong Kong for the ninth consecutive year. Moreover, CityUHK has filed more than 1,500 technology patents around the world, spanning a wide range of fields, including electricity, chemistry, materials and physics. CityUHK is ranked among the Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted US Utility Patents and holds the top spot among local institutions for the eighth consecutive year. These achievements underscore CityUHK's outstanding performance in innovative research and its excellent and distinguished research team.

Professor Shum noted that CityUHK has multiple advanced laboratories, providing researchers with a high-quality environment and resources for innovation and technology development. He introduced the delegation to the research projects at the State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves, the State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, and the Hong Kong Branch of National Precious Metals Material Engineering Research Center, explaining how they align with national planning and strategic needs. He added that CityUHK has established various interdisciplinary platforms to promote innovation and technological exchange and development. These include the Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study, the CityUHK Academy of Innovation, the Institute of Digital Medicine and the Hong Kong Institute of AI for Science.  Professor Shum explained that CityUHK integrates talent, industrial technologies and innovation platforms that can serve NCTIs and looks forward to continuing to serve the country's needs with its unique strengths and strengthening cooperation with various NCTIs.

Mr Chen elaborated on the planning and establishment of the NCTIs. Since 2016, a number of NCTIs have been set up to promote the industrialisation of major research achievements. He stated that NCTIs actively cooperate with the innovation and technology sector and higher education institutions in Hong Kong to jointly build a deeply integrated technology innovation platform. The aim of this visit of representatives of various NCTIs to CityUHK is to enhance mutual understanding in innovation and technology development and goals and to promote exchange and cooperation, leveraging both sides' strengths to jointly contribute to supporting Hong Kong’s development as an international innovation and technology centre and its contribution to the country’s development of a nation that is strong in science and technology.

Also attending the meeting were senior representatives from the CityUHK management team, including Professor Wang Jianping, Dean of the College of Computing; Professor Lu Jian, Dean of the College of Engineering; Professor Wang Xin, Dean of the College of Science; and Professor Kenneth Leung Mei-yee, Dean of the School of Energy and Environment. They engaged in in-depth exchanges with representatives from different NCTIs in various fields of innovation and technology, with fruitful results.