Inauguration of Zhejiang University–The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Joint Institute for Digital and Intelligent Innovation and launch of PolyU Zhejiang Alumni Network
The Zhejiang University–The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Joint Institute for Digital and Intelligent Innovation (the Institute), jointly established by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Zhejiang University (ZJU), was officially inaugurated on 26 August. The Institute will further strengthen PolyU’s research presence in the Yangtze River Delta, open up channels for the flow of innovation between Zhejiang and Hong Kong, help align Hong Kong’s research strengths precisely with the rich industrial base of the Chinese Mainland, and promote multi-dimensional integration and collaborative development between Zhejiang and Hong Kong in education, technology and talent. Meanwhile, the PolyU Zhejiang Alumni Network was also inaugurated in Hangzhou. The launch of the two initiatives — a research platform and an alumni organisation – marks a new milestone in PolyU’s deepening engagement in the Yangtze River Delta and its efforts to strengthen Zhejiang–Hong Kong collaboration in science and education.
The inauguration ceremony, in Hangzhou, Zhejiang on 26 August, and was officiated by Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President and Prof. REN Shaobo, Chairman of the Zhejiang University Council. Other PolyU representatives included Prof. Christopher CHAO, Senior Vice President (Research and Innovation), Prof. LU Haitian, Director of Mainland Development and Ms Dorothy TANG, Deputy Director of Finance of the Finance Office.
Prof. Jin-Guang Teng stated that the establishment of the Institute marked a natural continuation and deepening of nearly 30 years of cooperation between the two universities, elevating their partnership to a new level. He expected the Institute to proactively align with national strategic development goals and pursue forward-looking, original and impactful research centred on digital and intelligent technologies and related frontiers. He also expected the Institute to leverage Hong Kong’s distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the Motherland and being closely connected to the world. The Institute would foster robust synergy among research communities in the Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and beyond, and contribute to the Nation’s high-level sci-tech self-reliance and high-quality development.
Prof. Ren Shaobo said that, since 1997, the two universities had carried out fruitful cooperation in areas such as talent development, scholar and academic exchange, building deep mutual trust. He noted that digital and intelligent technologies are profoundly reshaping the global economic and social landscape, and that ZJU and PolyU each have their own strengths and are highly complementary in the field of digital and intelligent innovation. He looked forward to the Institute pooling the quality research capabilities of both universities to focus on frontier directions such as artificial intelligence, data science and intelligent computing, to drive internationally impactful original research outcomes, to nurture digital and intelligent innovation talent with a global vision, and to drive the translation and application of a range of technological achievements, thereby injecting new momentum into the high-quality development of the digital economy in Zhejiang and across the country.
The Institute will establish six interdisciplinary research centres in its first phase, focusing on: the digital and intelligent development of culture and tourism; digital and intelligent services; intelligent unmanned systems technology and governance; key technologies for the design, operation and maintenance of new marine energy; embodied intelligent robotics and the low-altitude economy; and “Digital and Intelligent Innovation + X” strategic industrial crossovers. The Institute hosts a Centre for Digital and Intelligent Education Research and Development, the “Zhejiang–Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Human–Machine Collaboration and Organisational Transformation” (a provincial-level international science and technology cooperation platform), and a team of high-calibre full-time researchers. It is committed to building an internationalised, interdisciplinary research platform and high-end think tank, a multi-tiered platform for industry–research–education integration and achievement translation, and a high-level platform for international exchange, cooperation and influence, thereby making positive contributions to building China’s autonomous knowledge system in the field of digital and intelligent innovation and to serving national strategies and major regional needs.
The inauguration ceremony and celebration dinner of the PolyU Zhejiang Alumni Network were held in Hangzhou on the same evening. Prof. Jin-Guang Teng extended warm congratulations on the establishment of the Network and expressed his hope that it would fully play its role as a bridge between Hong Kong and Zhejiang. Mr ZHOU Guohui, President of Zhejiang Provincial Federation for Science Popularization and a PolyU alumnus representative, said in his address that he hoped the Network would rally the strength of alumni and help build connections between their alma mater and the development of Zhejiang. In his inaugural address, Mr CAO Bin, the inaugural President of the PolyU Zhejiang Alumni Network, said that the Network would focus on serving alumni, integrating Zhejiang and Hong Kong resources, and empowering university–enterprise collaborative development.
A memorandum of understanding signing ceremony for the joint establishment of a Special Electromechanical Equipment Safety Technology Laboratory was also held, to empower university–locality collaborative innovation. Prof. Yi-Qing NI, Yim, Mak, Kwok & Chung Professor in Smart Structures, Chair Professor of Smart Structures and Rail Transit of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Director of the National Rail Transit Electrification and Automation Engineering Technology Research Centre (Hong Kong Branch) and Director of the PolyU Hangzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute, signed the agreement with China Jiliang University and Sicher Elevator Co., Ltd on behalf of PolyU.
Prof. Yi-Qing Ni, Director of the Hong Kong Branch of the National Rail Transit Electrification and Automation Engineering Technology Research Centre and Director of the PolyU Hangzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute (centre); Prof. Dao-xin Dai, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice President (in charge of daily administration work) of China Jiliang University (right); and Dr Dong-liu Li, Chairman of Sicher Elevator Co., Ltd and PolyU alumnus (left), signed the memorandum of understanding on behalf of the three parties, to co-establish the Special Electromechanical Equipment Safety Technology Laboratory.
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