Smart City solutions and IT talent will benefit from two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed on 6 May between City University of Hong Kong (CityU) and PCCW Solutions, PCCW Limited’s flagship IT services.

The collaboration will leverage the strong research capabilities of CityU and the proven digital expertise of PCCW Solutions to create highly beneficial industry applications.

The Hong Kong Institute for Data Science (HKIDS) at CityU and PCCW Solutions will jointly develop innovative solutions using data analytics and artificial intelligence technologies under the first MoU. The focus is on solutions for sustainable urban development, such as smart energy management for industries, asset health monitoring, predictive maintenance, as well as traffic flow optimisation for aviation and railway industries. Both parties will jointly commercialise their research deliverables from pilot projects designed to tackle challenges facing the industries.

The second MoU signed between the School of Data Science (SDSC) at CityU and PCCW Solutions will nurture IT talent. SDSC students will receive exclusive placement and internship opportunities, on-the-job training, and mentorship programmes that will equip them with hands-on experience and cross-industry exposure. Outstanding students may receive early job offers from PCCW Solutions before graduation.

In his address at the signing ceremony, Professor Richard Yuen Kwok-kit, Chief-of-Staff at CityU, shared his excitement in witnessing CityU’s alliance with PCCW Solutions.

“We are delighted to collaborate with a leading IT services giant in Hong Kong, mainland China and Southeast Asia, which not only puts into practice our academic achievements for the betterment of society but also brings real experiences from the industry to the campus, thus nurturing talented data scientists,” he said.

Mr Jerry Li, Managing Director of PCCW Solutions, said, “As a leading technology services company, we aspire to accelerate Smart City development and groom digital technology talent in Hong Kong. We are excited about collaborating with CityU to translate research findings into cutting-edge industry solutions that benefit our clients. We look forward to welcoming CityU students with fresh ideas and creative minds to join the PCCW Solutions family and unleash their potential to thrive in the digital economy.” 

Professor Joe Qin Sizhao, Dean and Chair Professor of SDSC and Director of HKIDS, added: “Data Science has always been a pioneer discipline when it comes to practical applications. I am glad that the MoU seeks to apply the latest and most advanced research work in the fields of data analytics and artificial intelligence to resolving real-world challenges. We look forward to co-developing useful Smart City solutions for Hong Kong. I am confident that our students will play a significant role through proactively participating in internships.”