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Welcome to the 47th edition of CUHK in Focus.
These few weeks have been filled with impressive achievements and impactful missions for the University and its members. I was honoured to lead a delegation to visit Kunming in late July to strengthen collaboration with the Yunnan Provincial People’s Government on areas that included green energy, biomedical sciences, digital economy, innovative materials, big data and artificial intelligence. Our visit saw the signing of a tripartite agreement between CUHK, CUHK (Shenzhen) and the Yunnan Government, outlining plans to co-develop facilities to foster talent cultivation, research and innovation. During my stay in Kunming, I was also delighted to meet with government officials and visit a few research institutes operated by CUHK’s long-term partner, the Chinese Academy of Sciences. These were important opportunities to promote multi-faceted exchanges with Yunnan Province and reflect on what we can do further contribute to national development in terms of education and research.
Spearheading new development in TCM
As the initiating organisation of the Belt & Road Alliance for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), CUHK was honoured to host the Presidents’ Forum 2024 to spark constructive dialogues among over 30 provincial-level member universities and enterprises, as well as leaders and experts from across the Belt and Road region, to cultivate high-quality talents, promote modernisation and foster international cooperation in the TCM industry.
In response to the strategic concept of “new quality productive forces” put forward by President Xi to step up innovation and adopt forward-thinking plans for industries, this year’s event provided an ideal platform for participants to explore the latest developments and trends in the TCM discipline and industry, and discuss how it can contribute further to the national value chain and China’s global trade and investment links. We also celebrated the plaque-unveiling of the International Joint Laboratory for Belt and Road Traditional Medicine Innovation and Research, which is set to serve as an important powerhouse to drive innovation in TCM.
Great news to celebrate
Over the past few weeks, we have been celebrating a series of exciting developments and achievements. CUHK was grateful to receive a magnanimous donation of HK$50 million alongside The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, The University of Hong Kong, and the National University of Singapore, from the GS Charity Foundation to support education and research in pure mathematics. The Foundation, set up by the Glorious Sun Group in 2005, has been empowering top universities to put forward initiatives in nurturing talent, fostering academic exchange and promoting international collaboration. CUHK is truly thankful for the trust and support the Foundation has kindly bestowed upon us. This new donation is a recognition of the exceptional research capabilities of the University and our partner institutions, and I am sure it will spur our collective efforts to drive advance research in pure mathematics as the bedrock of scientific innovation.
CUHK signed a Framework Agreement for Strategic Cooperation with the Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC) at the China Symposium on Polar Science on 10 August 2024. The new collaboration presents an opportunity for both parties to co-establish the Hong Kong Polar Science Innovation Centre, which will serve as a platform to connect Hong Kong with the mainland and the global community in the fields of polar science and technological innovation and support Hong Kong researchers in participating in cutting-edge polar research. Earlier this year, CUHK was deeply honoured to host the “Global Conference on Climate Change: Polar Studies, Environment and Climate Change” as one of the events celebrating the inaugural visit of the nation’s first domestically built polar icebreaker, Xue Long 2, to Hong Kong. The Framework Agreement allows CUHK to strengthen our commitment to joint research with the mainland in polar and related fields.
Our entire Hong Kong community was thrilled to celebrate the brilliant results of local athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. We were especially touched by the landmark Olympic Gold Medal in fencing won by CUHK’s Juris Doctor student Vivian Kong in the women’s épée. Congratulations to Vivian and other talented athletes on the remarkable performance and I am sure everyone in Hong Kong would join me in thanking them for being such a great inspiration. With the Paralympics just around the corner, may I wish all Hong Kong athletes the very best as they strive to do our city proud.
With summer in full swing, CUHK is ready to make the most of the season by bringing one of our signature events to the community. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of CUHK Entrepreneur Day, we are proud to organise the “CUHK Innovation and Entrepreneurship Exhibition” at New Town Plaza in Sha Tin starting tomorrow until 28 August. With the generous support from the CUHK Alumni Torch Fund, CUHK academics and start-ups are able to present their entrepreneurial projects to the public. Carrying the theme of “CUHK Innovations ‧ Brightening the Future”, the large-scale exhibition showcases the University’s innovation and research projects, engaging visitors in a diverse range of activities such as interactive games, STEM workshops, and lots more. I hope you get a chance to visit the exhibition and experience how CUHK innovators turn pioneering ideas and groundbreaking technologies into transformative ventures that bring positive impact on society, and gain a deeper understanding of the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem of Hong Kong.
I look forward to sharing more stories with you in the next edition.
Best wishes,
Professor Rocky S. Tuan
Vice-Chancellor and President
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
