PolyU joins hands with Hangzhou and Wenzhou in Zhejiang Province to build innovation platforms for advancing technologies and cultural tourism

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has teamed up with Hangzhou and Wenzhou, two major cities in Zhejiang Province, to build innovation platforms for advanced technology and innovation, as well as cultural tourism, with a view to deepening their collaborations with Hong Kong.

The signing and unveiling ceremony of the PolyU-Wenzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute (the Institute) was held at the Wenzhou People’s Congress Hall on 9 November, marking the official landing of the Institute in Wenzhou. The Institute strives to foster technological innovation, talent cultivation, and research and development (R&D), developing Wenzhou into an innovation and technology (I&T) hub.

Separately, PolyU signed agreements with the Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government and the Administration Committee of Wenzhou Bay New Area. Witnessed by Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU; Mr ZHANG Zhenfeng, Secretary of Wenzhou Municipal Party Committee; Mr GE Yiping, Director of the Standing Committee of Wenzhou Municipal People’s Congress; and Mr CHEN Zuorong, Chairman of the Wenzhou Municipal People’s Political Consultative Conference, the agreement at the municipal level was signed by Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU and Mr WANG Zhenyong, Vice-Mayor of Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government; while at district level it was signed by Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU and Mr ZHOU Yi-fu, Secretary of the Longwan District Committee of Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government.

PolyU is the first university in Hong Kong to collaborate with Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government in setting up a technology and innovation research institute in Wenzhou. The Institute aims to promote I&T development in the Southeastern coastal region, in response to the industrial development needs of Wenzhou and Zhejiang Province specifically, and the Nation more broadly. The Institute will engage in close collaborations with local key industries in the areas of marine engineering equipment and technology, flexible electronics, and ultra-precision manufacturing to advance their core technologies, outcome transformation, talent development, and innovation and entrepreneurship, promoting the high-quality economic development of the cites.

In his speech, Dr LAM Tai-fai emphasised that PolyU values research and innovation, actively promoting the transformation of research outcomes into practical applications, and believes the joint establishment of the Institute holds great promise. With its strong research capabilities and a pool of world-class scholars, the University provides a solid foundation for deep collaboration between Hong Kong and Wenzhou, which has a thriving private economy with a solid industrial foundation with hardworking and innovative talents. PolyU will further leverage its advantages in talents, academia, research, and internationalisation, while captalising on Wenzhou’s industrial clusters, innovation, talent cultivation, and R&D services to explore new methods, concepts, and perspectives in research for accelerating the transformation and application of research achievements as well as driving industrial upgrading. This innovation platform will serve as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation with various stakeholders in Wenzhou in terms of talent attraction, innovation ecosystem, cultural inheritance and exchange, making greater contributions to high-quality regional development.

Mr ZHANG Zhenfeng stated that innovation is in Wenzhou’s genes. In recent years, Wenzhou has always kept in mind the earnest instructions from General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping to continue writing the history of innovation. Wenzhou is determined to take the path of innovation-driven development by enhancing its capabilities for innovation, developing strategic innovation platforms and introducing university-industry research collaboration platforms. The cooperation with PolyU is perfectly timed, at the right place and with the right people. The Institute will become a powerful engine to develop Wenzhou into a nationally innovative city, a new force in fostering two industrial clusters with output valued at the trillion-yuan level, and a bridge to connect to global innovation resources. It will help enhance Wenzhou’s competitiveness in technological innovation, shape new trends in industrial development, and attract innovative international talents. Wenzhou will do its best to provide efficient services to ensure the smooth operation and development of the Institute.

The PolyU delegation not only introduced the Institute’s development plan and presented a research showcase of the latest technology achievements for local enterprises, but also made visits to local universities. Moving forward, the two parties will stive to strengthen cooperation in technology, as well as promote academic and cultural exchanges between Wenzhou and Hong Kong to achieve a win-win outcome.

Previously, the PolyU-Hangzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute was also officially launched with a signing and unveiling ceremony on 7 November, in Hangzhou. The Institute aspires to promote advanced technology in the fields of Grand Canal culture and tourism, intelligent transportation and medical aesthetics, and will initially establish three research centres, namely the Grand Canal Culture and Tourism Research Center, Intelligent Rail Transit Center, and Digital Medical Aesthetics Research Center. These centres will collaborate with Hangzhou’s key industries and university research institutes in information technology and internet, cultural tourism, smart cities, biomedicine, and high-end equipment manufacturing, providing exchange platforms for researchers, technology innovation services for local enterprises, as well as application scenarios for cutting-edge PolyU technologies.

Identified as one of the important provinces for national panning, Zhejiang province has been committed to promoting the coordinated development of education, technology and the economy. The establishment of the two new research institutes aims to build closer ties between Hong Kong and the two cities, bringing together innovative talents and resources. It also seeks to strengthen industry-university research collaborations and connect local industries with international markets, so as to develop Zhejiang into a dynamic and innovation-driven hub and make a meaningful contribution to the Nation’s technological innovation and cultural tourism development.