National Centre of Technology Innovation for Intelligent Design and Numerical Control (NCDC) – Hong Kong Centre MoU Signing Ceremony

On 24 July 2025, a delegation from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) visited the National Centre of Technology Innovation for Intelligent Design and Numerical Control (NCDC) at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China. The PolyU delegation included Prof. Christopher Chao, Vice President (Research and Innovation); Prof. H.C. Man, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering; Prof. Pai Zheng, Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering; Dr. Chili Wu, Deputy Director and Chief Researcher of PReCIT; and Ms. Amylia Chan, Assistant Director of KTEO.

During the visit, the PolyU delegates held discussions with Prof. Liang Gao, Vice President and Director of NCDC; Prof. Xinyu Li, Vice Dean of the School of Mechanical Science and Engineering; Prof. Jianzhong Yang, Executive Deputy Director of NCDC; Dr. Zixun Liu of the Institute of Science and Technology Development; and Prof. Hao Li and Prof. Mi Xiao from the Department of Industrial Engineering at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Both parties expressed a strong commitment to collaborating on the establishment of the "NCDC – Hong Kong Centre" and engaged in in-depth discussions on the development plan and collaborative opportunities.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between PolyU and NCDC to further explore the co-development framework of the NCDC - Hong Kong Centre, focusing on fields such as human-robot collaborative manufacturing systems, ultra-precision machining CNC systems, workshop and logistics scheduling and management, industrial foundation models and embodied intelligence, intelligent design and interactive systems, etc., facing the main battlefield and major needs of the national economy, giving play to Hong Kong's location advantages and international cutting-edge innovation capabilities, and cooperating to complement each other and overcome critical challenges.

It is also agreed that the formal contract will be signed after both parties reach an agreement on the detailed conditions and arrangements of the cooperation and obtain the necessary approvals from relevant departments. At PolyU, the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering will be the executive department for the Centre.