The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) held a topping-out ceremony today at Nansha IT Park for HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School Building, signifying a major milestone for the University's development on the Mainland.
HKUST is committed to fostering collaborations between Hong Kong and the Mainland, especially the Pearl River Delta region in education, scientific research and commercialization. The University has long been actively engaged with governments in Guangdong at provincial, municipal and district levels in discussing and building a collaborative platform. With a generous donation from the Fok Ying Tung Foundation, the HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School is HKUST's important base in China and a collaborative innovation and education platform shared between Guangdong and Hong Kong.
Addressing the ceremony, HKUST Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies Prof Joseph Hun-wei Lee stated that the University's development on the Mainland has always been in line with the planning of the Mainland. The 12th Five-Year Plan announced this year sets out a clear position for "stepping up the development of Nansha New District, developing Nansha into a commercial service center to connect and complement with Hong Kong's business and services sectors, to be a key hub in innovative technologies and an education and training platform, in addition to developing an array of port and port-related services". Both Guangdong Provincial and Guangzhou Municipal governments aim at "making Nansha a breakthrough for setting up a new Guangzhou". He firmly believed that under the Mainland's policy, the Graduate School in Nansha will make greater progress.
Director of the Nansha IT Park, Chairman of Fok Ying Tung Ming Yuan Development Company Mr Michael Fok said, "Since its inception, the Nansha IT Park has been aiming at promoting Guangdong-Hong Kong technological collaboration and developing innovative technologies. The topping-out of HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School Building makes manifest the pioneering and exploratory spirit cherished by the provincial party and provincial government. It is also a key initiative ushered in by Guangzhou Municipality and Nansha District governments to drive Guangzhou-Hong Kong technological collaborations. Against the Measures for Early and Pilot Implementation under CEPA concerning Nansha District, Nansha IT Park is going to take the next step in building a Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau platform incubating and commercializing the joint special programs and creating a quality living environment for the technology talents in the region."
Dean of HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School Prof Lionel M Ni pointed out that since the Graduate School was founded four years ago, it has responded closely to the needs of the country for economic development based on the University's research strengths and technological capabilities. It is focused on cultivating four major research areas encompassing Internet of Things, Advanced Manufacturing and Automation, Advanced Engineering Materials as well as Environment and Sustainable Development. It has secured nearly 100 projects such as the 973 and 863 programs, National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) projects, and Guangdong-Hong Kong cooperative ventures. They demonstrate the University's research strengths and innovative technology capabilities in the region, as well as its proactive and pioneering role in Guangdong-Hong Kong technology and education collaborations.
The ceremony was co-officiated by Mr Huang Ka, Nansha District Deputy District Chief and Prof Yuk-Shan Wong, HKUST Vice-President for Administration and Business.
With a constructible area of 31,500 square meters, the five-storey Fok Ying Tung Graduate School Building is home to state-of-the-art laboratories, central research facilities, lecture theaters, classrooms, a library, a computer room and other facilities. When ready, it will feature a full range of first-class equipment, with the Graduate School in a better position to leverage on high technology and research output as well as provide higher education opportunities to the district's human capital so as to foster Nansha's economic development and to upgrade industries in the region.
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