CityU lays foundation for mainland development

City University of Hong Kong (CityU) today (3 April) held the ground-breaking ceremony for the CityU (Shenzhen) Research Institute Building in Shenzhen. The event marked another milestone for CityU in developing its base for applied research, professional education and incubation on the mainland.

Officiating at the ceremony at the Building’s site in the Shenzhen Virtual University Science Park were, from the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government, Mr Lu Jian, Vice Director of the Shenzhen Bureau of Science, Technology and Information, and Ms Qiu Xuan, Vice-Director General of the Administrative Office of Shenzhen High-Tech Industrial Park; and, from CityU, Mr Chung Shui-ming, Chairman of the University Council; Professor H K Chang, President; Professor David Tong Shuk-yin, Deputy President; and Professor Roderick Wong Sue-cheun, Vice-President (Research) and Dean of Graduate Studies.

Giving the welcoming remarks, Mr Chung said: “Hong Kong has strived to become a regional hub for higher education. It attaches great importance to developing intellectual property and a knowledge-based economy by nurturing professionals and encouraging academic and scientific research. CityU contributes to this by upholding its missions of providing quality professional education and promoting applied research.”

He pointed out that CityU has established three applied R&D centres in the Park since 2000. In an attempt to further integrate and expand its research work, the University then decided to develop a branch in Shenzhen as a base for its applied research, professional education and incubation on the mainland.

“With the support of the Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government, CityU can turn our vision into reality. We can take advantage of Shenzhen, which brings together talent from all over the country, to establish a base for applied research, professional education and incubation, hence further boosting educational and economic development in Shenzhen, the Pearl River Delta Region and the mainland,” Mr Chung said.

In 2005, the Shenzhen Municipal Government granted CityU a 12,500-square-metre site to establish a base in the Park. Among the four local universities participating in the project entitled “Incubation-Education-Research Base for Hong Kong Universities”, CityU is the first to launch construction.

Professor Chang thanked the Shenzhen Government for its support to CityU’s initiatives on the mainland.

“CityU has made remarkable achievements in its mainland development in recent years, laying a concrete foundation for our base in Shenzhen. The erection of the Building represents a milestone in our development, a promise to further excel in professional education and applied research and to bring the development of high-tech industries to new heights,” he said.

The 8,100-square-metre Building is scheduled to open in mid-2008. With an estimated total investment in construction, equipment and facilities of over $100 million, the Building will be able to accommodate 2,000 students at one time. It will feature three large lecture theatres, laboratories, project offices, classrooms, an executive training centre and state-of-the-art amenities, all of which will be used for incubation projects, professional education, the training of research students and applied research activities.

Having commissioned Aedas as architectural consultant for the project, CityU plans to construct an environmentally friendly and high-tech Building that will be an outstanding landmark in the Park.

Upon completion of the construction, the applied R&D centres and eight CityU subsidiary companies that apply the University’s research accomplishments will extend their operations in the Building. CityU Professional Consultancy Services Centre will offer various types of consultancy services to businesses in the Pearl River Delta Region and neighbouring area, while CityU Technology Transfer Centre will transfer research accomplishments of the University to industries through patents or other means.

_____

CityU excels in professional education and applied research.

______

Media Enquiries:

Catherine Ng, CityU Communications Office

Tel: 852-34426802 / 852-9036 4296

Email: ng.catherine@cityu.edu.hk

Jenny Kwan, CityU Communications Office

Tel: 852-3442 6548 / 852-9306 8568

Email: jennyk@cityu.edu.hk