PolyU and Huizhou government jointly establish PolyU-Daya Bay Technology and Innovation Research Institute

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) held an unveiling ceremony for the PolyU-Daya Bay Technology and Innovation Research Institute (Research Institute) in Huizhou, in collaboration with the Huizhou Municipal People’s Government and the Huizhou Daya Bay Economic and Technological Development Zone.

Marking the official launch of the Research Institute in Huizhou, the unveiling ceremony was officiated by Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU; Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President; Mr Arthur LEE Kam-hung, PolyU Council Member; Prof. Wing-tak WONG, PolyU Deputy President and Provost; Prof. Christopher CHAO, PolyU Vice President (Research and Innovation); Dr Laura LO, PolyU Associate Vice President (Institutional Advancement); Prof. Zijian ZHENG, Director of the PolyU-Daya Bay Technology and Innovation Research Institute; Mr LIU Ji, Secretary of the Huizhou Municipal Committee and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Huizhou Municipal People’s Congress; Mr LI Ming, Member of the Standing Committee of the Huizhou Municipal Committee and Head of the Organisation Department of the Huizhou Municipal Committee; Mr YUAN Guangxia, Director Level Officer (Grade 1) of Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province; Ms ZHONG Yonglan, Executive Deputy Head of the United Front Work Department of the Huizhou Municipal Committee and Director of Bureau of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao Affairs of Huizhou; Mr GUO Wupiao, Chairman of the Party Working Committee and Director of the Management Committee of the Daya Bay Economic and Technological Development Zone; Mr SAN Jinfeng, Vice Chairman of the Party Working Committee and Deputy Director of the Management Committee of the Daya Bay Economic and Technological Development Zone; and Mr CHEN Zhiming, Member of the Party Working Committee and Director of the Building Office of the Daya Bay Economic and Technological Development Zone.

Dr Lam Tai-fai stated in his opening speech that since the signing of the tripartite agreement among PolyU, the Huizhou Municipal Government, and the Daya Bay Economic and Technological Development Zone in May this year, the basic infrastructure of the office and the incubation building had been completed within four months. This demonstrates the efficiency of the collaboration and the strong commitment to promoting technological innovation. The Research Institute will focus on the development of local industries through optimizing resource allocation and promoting the industrialisation of research outcomes, and contribute to the high-quality development of Hong Kong, Huizhou and the Nation as a whole.

Prof. Jin-Guang Teng saidthat while PolyU strives for excellence in teaching and research, it also pays great attention to global environmental protection and sustainable development. The Research Institute aims to develop green energy and technologies, taking social responsibility by promoting modernisation, digitalisation and environmental protection. The collaboration with the Huizhou city government and the Daya Bay Economic and Technological Development Zone will foster an in-depth integration of government, industry and academia, and the Research Institute will help serve as an important platform for green energy and advanced technological innovation between Hong Kong and Huizhou.

Mr Liu Ji also delivered a speech during the ceremony. He stated that Huizhou is implementing closely with the key ideas conveyed at the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, as well as the specific arrangements of the “1310” scheme of the Provincial Party Committee through in-depth participation in the development works of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and the collaboration in technological innovation between Huizhou and Hong Kong. With the establishment of the Research Institute, Huizhou and PolyU work together to consolidate the resources of the cutting-edge technology and nurture a group of high-quality scientists and talents in innovation and entrepreneurship. The Research Institute strives towards a first-class platform for high-end technology and innovation and a new model for collaboration between school and local industry in both cities.

The four key research areas of the Research Institute were highlighted at the Ceremony. Prof. Zijian ZHENG, Director of the Research Institute, Associate Director of the Research Institute for Intelligent Wearable Systems and Chair Professor of Soft Materials and Devices of PolyU, introduced the Research Institute’s overall development plans, as well as his research topic on new materials and new energy; Prof. Ka-fu YUNG, Associate Director of the Research Institute, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Science and Director of the University Research Facility in Chemical and Environmental Analysis of PolyU, spoke on green chemistry and sustainable catalysis; Prof. Minchen WEI, of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering of PolyU, spoke on spatial computing and imaging; and Dr RUAN Haihui of the Department of Mechanical Engineering of PolyU, spoke on green and smart manufacturing. These four core research areas not only address the upgrading needs of existing industries but also focus on future development, laying a solid foundation for sustainability and technological self-reliance. The Research Institute also held a signing ceremony with eight local enterprises for collaborative projects, further advancing technology transfer and application.

A first-ever Daya Bay scientific seminar, “Technological Innovation in Fostering the New Productivity” was also held, at which Prof. Jin-Guang Teng, President of PolyU, Dr Sunny CHAI, Chairman of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and Chairman of the PolyU Foundation, and Prof. C.C. CHAN, Distinguished Chair Professor of PolyU and Director of the Research Centre for Electric Vehicles shared their views. The seminar provided forward-looking insights for officials, researchers and business representatives on how technological innovation can enhance productivity, as well as highlighting the trends and challenges of industrial transformation.

Looking forward, the Research Institute aims to become a new model of cooperation between Huizhou and Hong Kong. By leveraging the solid foundation and policy support of the Daya Bay Economic and Technological Development Zone, it will introduce Hong Kong’s expertise to Huizhou’s industrial landscape, accelerating the establishment of green and low-carbon system, enhancing the development of the manufacturing sector, and building two major industrial clusters in petrochemical energy, new materials and electronic information with higher competitiveness.