New era of research collaboration between Guangdong and Hong Kong universities: A milestone partnership

On September 11, 2024, a momentous event marked a new chapter in academic and technological collaboration: the launch meeting for the Guangdong-Hong Kong Universities "1+1+1" Joint Funding Programme. Hosted at Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College (UIC), this event brought together over 140 participants, both online and offline. Among the esteemed attendees were Professor Alexander Wai, President and Vice-Chancellor of Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), Professor Lyu Aiping, Vice-President (Research and Development) of HKBU, and Professor Chen Zhi, President of UIC, along with representatives from both universities.

This groundbreaking initiative stems from a collaborative agreement signed in May this year among the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province, HKBU, and UIC. Under this agreement, from 2024 to 2026, the three parties will jointly contribute to a seed fund pool. The Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province will invest RMB 10 million annually, while UIC and HKBU will each contribute no less than RMB 10 million and HKD 10 million, respectively. This pooled funding, totaling approximately RMB 90 million over three years, aims to support in-depth technological collaborations, prioritising strategic research areas such as data science, artificial intelligence, and interdisciplinary applications.

The official launch of this programme heralds a significant milestone in the collaboration between Guangdong and Hong Kong higher education institutions. Professor Lyu Aiping, HKBU's Vice-President (Research and Development), highlighted that this joint funding programme marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in a research partnership between universities in Guangdong and Hong Kong. He emphasised that it represents a remarkable step forward in fostering academic development and technological innovation. Professor Lyu expressed his anticipation for even closer and stronger collaboration between the two universities in talent cultivation and research excellence, leading to high-impact scientific outcomes.

President Chen Zhi underscored UIC's unwavering commitment to deepening research collaboration with HKBU, aligning with national development strategies, and addressing major technological needs. He emphasised that the joint funding programme will serve as a crucial platform for advancing scientific innovation through research team exchanges, joint talent cultivation, key technology breakthroughs, joint laboratory construction, and academic discussions.

During the launch meeting, Professor Pan Jianxin, UIC's Vice-President (Research and Development), provided detailed insights into the project management process, the composition of joint research teams, and the criteria for project evaluation. Professor Pan stated that approved projects under this collaboration will be registered as Guangdong provincial science and technology projects, encouraging researchers from both institutions to actively participate and make significant contributions. 

"This is a tremendous opportunity," Professor Pan inspired the researchers. "We hope everyone will actively apply, participate, and work together to achieve meaningful research outcomes." The joint research teams will consist of balanced participation from both UIC and HKBU researchers, with each team having a project leader from each university. This initiative is set to foster deeper collaboration between Guangdong and Hong Kong universities, injecting new momentum into regional scientific and technological innovation.