Belt and Road News

PolyU participates in University Alliance of the Silk Road Forum 2023

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) representatives participated in the University Alliance of the Silk Road (UASR) Forum 2023, held in Xi’an on 8 October 2023. Under the theme of “Development and Innovation of World Higher Education in the Context of the New Technology Revolution”, the Forum was hosted by Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU), the President Unit of UASR, and brought together more than 160 representatives from 58 universities in 23 countries and regions. Delegates included Mr WANG Xiao, Member of the Standing Committee of the Shaanxi Provincial Party Committee and Executive Vice Governor; Ms XI Ru, representative of the International Cooperation and Exchange Department of the Ministry of Education; Mr LU Jianjun, Secretary of the Party Committee of XJTU; Mr WANG Shuguo, President of XJTU; Dr Laura LO, Associate Vice President (Institutional Advancement) of PolyU; and Prof. LU Haitian, Director of the PolyU Mainland Development Office. The Forum initiated the mechanism of the China-Central Asia Higher Education Cooperation Forum and launched the Belt and Road Industry-Education Alliance Initiative, aiming to create a platform for higher education exchange and cooperation and promote the development of the USAR. PolyU was appointed by the UASR Executive Council to the next rotating Alliance presidency. Dr Lo received the Alliance flag from XJTU Vice President, Prof XI Guang, stating that “PolyU is honoured to assume the Presidency coinciding with the momentous 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. PolyU and XJTU jointly established the UASR in 2015. Since then, the UASR has grown from comprising four members to including over 160 member institutions, facilitating diverse academic exchanges and research collaborations. Looking to the future, the Alliance will continue to provide a remarkable platform for cultural exchange and talent cultivation among the Belt and Road countries.” During the Forum, Dr Lo and Prof. Lu also attended a meeting to discuss the fostering of closer co-operation between higher education institutions in Hong Kong and Central Asia, hosted by Dr Choi Yuk-lin, Secretary for Education of the HKSAR. Dr Choi said that the Government is committed to developing Hong Kong as a regional education hub. Leveraging the distinctive advantages of enjoying the Mainland’s strong support and its global connectivity, the Government hopes to attract international academic talent to pursue further studies and develop a career in Hong Kong. Dr Lo also noted that PolyU has established partnerships with over 280 universities from 40 countries. As a leading higher education institution in Hong Kong pioneering in the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, PolyU has been actively supporting talent exchange and research cooperation among Belt and Road countries and looks forward to establishing and strengthening partnerships with higher education institutions in Central Asia in the future. Jointly established by XJTU and PolyU in 2015, the UASR is a non-government and non-profit alliance aimed at providing an open and international collaborative platform in higher education. PolyU holds the Vice Presidency of the Alliance and takes a leading role in fostering talent development, research on technologies and policies, cultural exchange and medical services among members institutions along the Belt and Road. In May 2023, President Xi Jinping stated in his keynote speech at the China-Central Asia Summit that China needed to strengthen dialogue between nations and also stressed that China would continue its support for universities in Central Asian countries in joining the UASR”

PolyU Students Visited Vietnam’s Intimate Apparel Garment Factories through the Belt and Road Funding Scheme

A group of 35 students from the School of Fashion and Textiles at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) gained extensive knowledge by visiting intimate apparel garment factories in Vietnam from 14 to 18 May 2023. This visit was made possible through the support of the PolyU Belt and Road Funding Scheme administered by the Global Engagement Office (GEO). During the visit, the students had the opportunity to join production line tours and exchange with experts from well established companies such as Crystal Martin, Texco Limited, and Regina Miracle. Below are some sharing from the participating students after the visit:    “This trip has bnefited me a lot. It gives me the opportunity to see the operation of the factory and the brand-new manufacturing technology. In addition, because of the epidemic, we have been unable to go out for the past few years, and I am very happy to have this opportunity to study and travel with my classmates.” -- Cheung Man Ying   “It was a pleasure to visit the dressing gown factory. I was able to observe how the manufacturing process was going and gained a deeper understanding than I could theoretically learn. And I want to say thank you to all the professors who made this opportunity possible.” -- Jiyeong Ko   “As a fashion student visiting Vietnam, I gained valuable insights into the global fashion industry. I have observed the material used in producing intimate apparel and the various stages of production, from dyeing to sewing, the processes required numerous responsible workers. If the ones in front make a misstep, then all the ones following will likewise make a misstep. I obtained a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in this field.”    -- Chiu Tsoi Hang Victoria   About PolyU Belt and Road Funding Scheme The PolyU Belt and Road Funding Scheme aims to support faculties, schools, departments and student-related offices in organising thematic curricular and extracurricular activities to promote bilateral student mobility and enrich PolyU students’ Belt and Road experience. The Scheme is administered by the Global Engagement Office at PolyU. More details about the Scheme can be found here. 

Belt and Road Funding Scheme Supports PolyU Students on Study Tour to Logistics Hubs in Singapore

Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) organised a one-week study tour for a group of 21 students to visit Singaporean institutions and companies specialising in shipping, logistics, and port operations from 7 to 14 May 2023. With the sponsorship from the PolyU Belt and Road Funding Scheme administered by the Global Engagement Office (GEO), the programme provided students with extraordinary opportunities to gain in-depth insights into the international logistics industry. The tour included visits to Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Maritime Academy of Singapore Polytechnic, eight specialised logistics companies such as DHL and Cogent Container, as well as local cultural landmarks. Several students shared their positive experiences after the study tour.    “Our school organised the tour that gave 21 of us a unique opportunity to gain insight into the logistics and supply chain management industries. After visiting numerous companies in Singapore, we have found that there are some cultural differences between Singaporeans and ourselves. Their attitude towards working and interpersonal relationships with their co-workers is worth learning.” -- Cho Hau Nam   “During the study tour, we visited Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and met local friends studying the same field. Since it was a meeting between students, there was an opportunity for students to learn something different other than meeting with experts. We were able to share our thoughts and experiences about the industry and how our cultural and personal values align with professionalism.” -- Jung Jisoo    “This study tour can train students’ communication skills and enrich their global outlook. It allows us to manage people, plan and think strategically, and learn the operation of logistics and maritime institutions outside Hong Kong…Compared with study tours held in secondary school, the itinerary of this study tour is planned by the students. It includes communicating with target companies for site visit permission, booking hotels and flight tickets, contacting travel agents, etc. We can gain hands-on experience through trip planning.” -- Chiu Ka Chun About PolyU Belt and Road Funding Scheme The PolyU Belt and Road Funding Scheme aims to support faculties, schools, departments and student-related offices in organising thematic curricular and extracurricular activities to promote bilateral student mobility and enrich PolyU students’ Belt and Road experience. The Scheme is administered by the Global Engagement Office at PolyU. More details about the Scheme can be found here.  

PolyU hosts Forum of the Belt and Road Alliance Founding Institutions

The Global Engagement Office of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University hosted the Forum of the Belt and Road Alliance Founding Institutions on 7 July 2023 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Under the theme of “Jointly Building the Belt and Road”, the Forum was organised by PolyU’s Global Engagement Office, which brought together 18 scholars from the founding institutions of seven Belt and Road academic alliances to share insights on fostering talent development, knowledge transfer and research development for sustainable advancement of the Belt and Road countries. The alliances include the University Alliance of the Silk Road (UASR), Association of Sino-Russian Technical Universities (ASRTU), China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Consortium of Universities, University Consortium of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (UCMSR), Alliance of International Science Organisations in the Belt and Road Region (ANSO), ASEAN-China Network for Cooperation and Exchanges among Engineering and Technology Universities (ACNET-EngTech), and BRICS Universities League (BUL). In his welcoming remarks, Prof. Ben YOUNG, Vice President (Student and Global Affairs) of PolyU, said, “By leveraging our strong presence in the Mainland, and our expertise and strengths in education, research and knowledge transfer, PolyU has been playing an instrumental role in supporting the country’s Belt and Road Initiative to bring about positive changes in the region. Through this forum, we aim to exchange ideas and experiences with representatives from those academic alliances, in order to unlock opportunities for academic and research collaborations with Belt and Road universities.” Prof. Geoffrey Q.P. SHEN, Associate Vice President (Global Partnerships) and Chairman of PolyU’s Sub-Committee on Belt and Road Development, said, “PolyU is dedicated to advancing student exchange and academic collaboration with Belt and Road countries. We have co-founded and joined various Belt and Road alliances and are working closely with our partners on initiatives such as cultural exchange, mobility for students and faculty, professional training, and related services. We aim to further strengthen our collaboration with the Belt and Road alliances and their member institutions and contribute to the prosperous development of the Belt and Road.” The speakers included: Prof. XI Guang, Member of the University Council and Vice President at Xi’an Jiaotong University (Founding Institution and President of UASR); Prof. ZHEN Liang, Member of the University Council and Vice President of Harbin Institute of Technology (Founding Institution and President of ASRTU); Prof. FANG Ying, Vice President at Xiamen University (Founding Institution and President of UCMSR); Prof. CAO Jinghua, Executive Director of the Secretariat Office of ANSO; Associate Prof. ZHANG Jiegen, Director of the Pakistan Study Centre at Fudan University (Founding Institution and President of CPEC Consortium of Universities); Prof. SHEN Yi, Director of Centre for BRICS Studies at Fudan University (Founding Institution and President of BUL); and Prof. SU Rongxin, Deputy Dean of School of Marine Science and Technology at Tianjin University (Founding Institution and President of ACNET-EngTech). During the Forum, participants shared their experience and best practice on regional academic exchanges and research collaboration to advance the Belt and Road development. Discussions were made on the future alliance development, industry-academia-research collaboration, as well as inter-university and inter-alliance cooperation. The participating institutions have released the “Joint Consensus of the Belt and Road Alliance Founding Institutions Forum,” committing to collectively work towards the high-quality development of the Belt and Road. The full text of the Consensus is available here (Chinese version only). PolyU has built robust partnerships with tertiary and research institutions worldwide to advance its education, research and knowledge transfer impact around the globe. Actively strengthening its international networks to support the Belt and Road Initiative, PolyU is not only the Co-founder and Vice-President of UASR, but also a member of ASRTU, CPEC Consortium of Universities, UCMSR, and ACNET-EngTech.

PolyU Joined ASEAN-China Network for Cooperation and Exchanges among Engineering and Technology Universities

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) joined the ASEAN-China Network for Cooperation and Exchanges among Engineering and Technology Universities (ACNET-EngTech) as a member at the Alliance’s General Assembly on 27 April 2023. Prof Banchong Mahaisavariya, President of Mahidol University (Rotating Chairman Institute), Prof Gong Jinlong, Vice President of Tianjin University (Chairman Institute), Prof Geoffrey Shen, PolyU Associate Vice President (Global Partnerships), and representatives from 23 other member institutes attended the General Assembly. Prof Shen delivered a speech at the meeting introducing the University and the collaboration opportunities with China-ASEAN members in academic exchange, student engagement, and research collaboration.   ACNET-EngTech aims to establish an international network for exchange and cooperation for higher education among China-ASEAN countries, by providing a platform for information sharing and academic exchange in engineering, and promoting the integration of ideas, experiences, information, and achievements among member institutes. ACNET-EngTech has expanded to 26 universities and 8 countries. By joining ACNET-EngTech, PolyU shall strengthen its international presence and promote strategic development in the Belt and Road regions.