A framework for collaboration on academic exchange, cultural interchange and cooperation in teaching and research will be created thanks to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between City University of Hong Kong (CityU) and Karolinska Institutet (KI) in Sweden.

The collaboration with KI, one of the world’s foremost medical universities, will further enhance CityU’s capacity to contribute towards addressing the global “One Health” challenge.

The MOU was signed on 19 June by Professor Way Kuo, CityU President, and Professor Ole Petter Ottersen, KI President.

Professor Kuo said he was delighted to see CityU’s alliance with KI. “The two institutions can fully utilise their strengths in respective academic disciplines and enhance academic collaboration between Hong Kong and Sweden.”

Professor Ottersen said, “We look forward to closer collaborations with one of the best universities in one of the most dynamic knowledge regions.”

The MOU will promote cooperation in areas such as student and faculty exchange, research collaboration, joint academic and scientific activities, exchange of scientific materials, publications and other information, training and delivery of courses.

Under the MOU, a series of academic collaborations and research on different topics, such as health engineering, cell-cell interactions and genetics, will be initiated between KI and CityU.

Last year, six CityU doctoral students attended KI medical courses.

Professor Yan Hong, Dean of the College of Science and Engineering; Professor Cheng Shuk Han, Associate Dean (Learning & Teaching), College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences; Professor Sun Dong, Head of the Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering (MBE); Professor Michael Yang Mengsu, Head of the Department of Biomedical Sciences (BMS); Professor Zhang Yuanting of MBE; and Dr Zheng Zongli, Assistant Professor of BMS, attended the signing ceremony.

Karolinska Institutet is Sweden’s single largest centre of medical academic research. It offers the country’s widest range of medical courses and programmes. Since 1901 the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet has selected the Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine.