The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) held the inauguration ceremony for its Shanghai Centre in Yangpu District, Shanghai on 28 August. CUHK and the Yangpu District Government signed a strategic collaboration framework agreement and unveiled the Shanghai base of CUHK InnoPort at the ceremony, further strengthening the University’s foothold with the establishment of facilities to drive innovation and technology collaborations in one of the major cities of Chinese Mainland. Ms. Xie Dong, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, Professor Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK, Mr. Xue Kan, Communist Party Secretary of the Yangpu District, Mr. Zhou Haiying, Director of the Yangpu District, as well as esteemed representatives of the Shanghai Municipal Government, Yangpu District Government, CUHK’s senior management team, partner universities in Shanghai and CUHK’s alumni community in the Yangtze River Delta region attended the ceremony to express their sincere congratulations for the establishment of the CUHK Shanghai Centre and warm wishes for the new development of Shanghai-Hong Kong cooperation.
Professor Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK remarked, “The establishment of the CUHK Shanghai Centre is one of the key strategic developments for CUHK in the mainland. In addition to harnessing the plentiful opportunities presented by national progress, CUHK is committed to supporting the development of the Yangtze River Delta region. We aspire to nurture innovative professionals and promote collaborations on scientific and technological innovation and academic exchange. This year marks the 60th anniversary of CUHK and the opening of the Shanghai Centre represents the successful achievement of a significant milestone in the implementation of the University’s latest strategic plan. The Centre is set to be a liaison hub of CUHK in the region to strengthen our engagements, support alumni activities, and foster our collaborations with strategic partners in the mainland.”
The CUHK Shanghai Centre will serve as a teaching location for CUHK courses on the mainland. It will also be a gathering point for CUHK students and alumni to engage in social exchanges, entrepreneurial ventures, internships, professional training, and academic activities; carry out collaborative projects with strategic partners in the Yangtze River Delta (including Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University, and Nanjing University); support CUHK’s interdisciplinary research teams to strengthen their partnerships with research institutes in Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta region to foster joint interdisciplinary research and knowledge transfer.
The signing of the framework agreement with Shanghai Yangpu District People’s Government has signaled the intention of CUHK and the Yangpu District to take their important partnership to the next level. The Agreement will guide both parties to fully utilize the CUHK Shanghai Centre as a platform to collectively contribute to the overall development of the country, explore new opportunities for technological innovation, and cultivate world-class talents, for the Centre to distinguish itself as a benchmark model of university-district cooperation in the Yangtze River Delta region or even across the country.
The unveiling ceremony of the Shanghai base of CUHK InnoPort (Innoport@Shanghai) took place on the same day. It is worth mentioning that the opened Shanghai base is jointly established by the Yangpu District and the University. It will serve as an incubation platform for the CUHK Shanghai Centre, providing one-stop support services for the translation and commercialization of scientific research outcomes in Shanghai. CUHK’s strong connection with research experts and entrepreneur networks, together with the abundant support policies, services, and guidance for innovation and entrepreneurship provided by the Yangpu District, will propel the Shanghai base into a high-quality incubator in Shanghai.