(Click on the picture to view the Event video)

The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen held its annual Spring Reception for Media 2023 on February 18, 2023. Leading the event were Professor Yangsheng Xu, President of CUHK-Shenzhen, and Professor Rocky S. Tuan, President and Vice-Chancellor of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), alongside university officers from both sides. This year marks the 60th anniversary of CUHK, and to commemorate this milestone, Professor Yangsheng Xu crafted an artistic and poetic couplet summarizing the impressive histories and achievements of both CUHK and CUHK-Shenzhen.

The annual Spring Reception for Media is a significant event to express gratitude to the media for their unwavering support and attention in conveying the University's voice to the public. The event also offers a valuable opportunity for the media to learn about the academic progress and achievements of CUHK-Shenzhen's students and faculty through presentations and interviews. Over a hundred media professionals across the nation attended this event this year.

The reception kicked off with a Qilin Dance performed by students, symbolizing the arrival of spring and good fortune. This was followed by a Chinese orchestra performance of "Blue and White Porcelain" and a traditional dance by student clubs.

Qilin Dance/ Song & Dance Performance: Blue and White Porcelain

The event was graced by the attendance of senior officers from both universities. Representing CUHK were Vice-Chancellor and President Prof. Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Presidents Prof. Alan K.L. Chan, Prof. Poon Wai-yin, Prof. Chan Wai-yee, Prof. Sham Mai-har and Mr. Eric S.P. Ng, Associate Vice-President Laurie Pearcey, Dean of Science Prof. Song Chunshan, Dean of Arts Prof. Tang Xiaobing, and Head of Shaw College Prof. Freedom Y.K. Leung. From CUHK-Shenzhen, there were Vice Presidents Prof. Zhiquan Luo, Prof. Shiping Zhu, and Mr. K.C. YUEN, as well as Associate Vice Presidents Prof. Tonly Li, Prof. Xiaoqiang Cai, Prof. Tao Shu, Prof. Cong Wang, and Prof. Jianwei Huang.

At the event, President Rocky S. Tuan and President Yangsheng Xu engaged in a face-to-face exchange with the media, introducing the latest developments of the two universities and their future collaborations. The Q&A session was a showcase of the universities' academic achievements from various perspectives.

CUHK-Shenzhen's Nine-Year Journey: Building a Legacy of Exceptional Education

In his address, Professor Yangsheng Xu, President of CUHK-Shenzhen, recounted the history of the University's establishment, its latest developments, and future prospects. As CUHK-Shenzhen approaches its tenth anniversary next year, it has now completed nine years of significant and steady progress in a variety of areas. These include student recruitment and talent cultivation, international faculty construction, discipline and major development, international cooperation, scientific research and innovation, collegiate system and holistic education, as well as employment and further studies.

According to Professor Xu, CUHK-Shenzhen has continuously attracted a stable source of high-quality students, ranking first in Guangdong province for seven consecutive years in terms of the average Gaokao score of admitted students. The development of talent is a top priority at CUHK-Shenzhen, and this is evident in the University's international approach to talent recruitment and assessment. CUHK-Shenzhen employs a rigorous, multidimensional evaluation process that incorporates peer reviews and internationally recognized talent management practices. As a result, the University has assembled a remarkable team of innovative educators with international perspectives and expertise in their respective fields. Up to now, the University has recruited over 520 international top-notch experts and scholars through global recruitment, among whom there are 5 Nobel laureates, more than 30 academicians from China and other countries, and over 70 national-level experts. Additionally, over 20 high-level international innovative teams have been established in fields such as big data, artificial intelligence, biomedicine, new materials, new energy, semiconductors, and green low-carbon industries. Furthermore, there are 110 full-time professors in the field of economics and finance, and all of the recruited talents have had teaching or research experience in leading international universities.

Currently, CUHK-Shenzhen has established substantive cooperative relationships with 132 renowned overseas universities and institutions, with a total of 233 international cooperation projects across 29 countries and regions worldwide. More than 60% of CUHK-Shenzhen undergraduate students have earned academic credits from studying abroad, placing the University among the top domestic universities in terms of study-abroad participation.

CUHK-Shenzhen's Phase 2 Campus Nears Completion

CUHK-Shenzhen commenced major construction projects on its campus in 2022. Currently, the construction of Ling College and various athletics facilities has been completed, while the Phase 2 campus is set to be completed and ready for use in August of this year. The CUHK-Shenzhen Medical Center, built to the standards of a Grade III Class A hospital, will function as a teaching and research hospital for CUHK-Shenzhen's School of Medicine, with the aim of becoming a top hospital in the Greater Bay Area. The CUHK-Shenzhen School of Music, which is one of Shenzhen's "Top Ten Cultural Facilities for the New Era," is also progressing steadily in conjunction with the medical school project.

Key Research Institutes of International Excellence

CUHK-Shenzhen has established a robust network of nearly 70 international research platforms, including prestigious Nobel Prize laboratories, and key platforms such as the National-local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing. It has spearheaded several national and provincial key research and development plans with over 1,000 cumulative fundamental and applied research projects, driving progress in basic research and original innovation. Additionally, the University has completed over 177 commissioned projects from enterprises, serving more than 100 companies; and co-built nearly 20 university-enterprise joint laboratories with industry leaders and well-known enterprises, fostering long-term, in-depth cooperation in technology research and talent cultivation. These efforts have further expanded and deepened CUHK-Shenzhen's ability to provide industrial and enterprise services, solidifying its position as a leading academic and research institution.

CUHK-Shenzhen is dedicated to driving major initiatives for the strategic development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. While pursuing its own high-quality, transformative development, the University also seeks to integrate industry, education, and research more deeply, as well as foster diversified cooperation with the government and industry, thus contributing to both the growth of its academic disciplines and the regional economy. In addition, the University is forging ever closer ties with Longgang District, where several of its research platforms are now based in the district's Dayun AI Town, further advancing the construction of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong International University Science and Technology Park. Leveraging the outstanding medical and health resources available in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, the University is also forging ahead with the establishment of an international medical innovation research platform that will be characterized by close collaboration, as well as a new affiliated hospital. Meanwhile, the University's basic education group is promoting the establishment of affiliated schools in Longgang District. Two 9-year affiliated schools, Zhixin School and Daoyuan School, have already been established for students aged six to fifteen, with plans underway for the establishment of an affiliated high school.

To further promote the coordinated development of Shenzhen and Hong Kong and leverage the successful model of collaboration between universities in the two cities, CUHK-Shenzhen is proactively pursuing strategic cooperation projects with the Shenzhen Qianhai Authority. As part of this effort, the University will collaborate with CUHK to establish the Qianhai International Innovation Center and speed up the development of the Institute for International Affairs, Qianhai, and the Shenzhen Institute of Data Economy. In addition, CUHK-Shenzhen is committed to supporting the region's ongoing projects such as the Qianhai Modern Education Innovation Research Institute, affiliated Qianhai School, affiliated Qianhai Hospital, and Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Legal Research Institute. The University is also partnering with the Luohu District Government to establish the Liwen School, a 9-year integrated school that will provide high-quality education to students from the region. Additionally, CUHK-Shenzhen will establish innovative cooperation with the Guangming District Government in the areas of Shenzhen-Hong Kong cooperation, technology innovation, technology commercialization, healthcare, talent exchange and development, and basic education. 

The CUHK-Shenzhen Futian Biomedical Innovation Research and Development Center is one of the first projects introduced by the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Cooperation Zone for Technology and Innovation at the Lok Ma Chou Loop. To further support this initiative, the University will encourage its institutes, including the Future Network of Intelligence Institute and the Futian Branch of Shenzhen Institute of Big Data, to establish a presence at SHCZ.

Celebrating Diamond Jubilee: CUHK and CUHK-Shenzhen Join Forces for a Shared Future

As the Hong Kong-mainland border fully reopened, Professor Rocky S. Tuan, President and Vice-Chancellor of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, led a delegation to the Shenzhen campus, where the two universities' collaborative efforts now proudly stand.

During the Spring Reception for Media, Professor Tuan expressed his delight in CUHK-Shenzhen's achievements, highlighting the latest developments at the Sha Tin campus and the blueprint for the two universities to jointly contribute to the development of the Greater Bay Area.

"Since 2018, CUHK has risen steadily in major global university rankings. This year, we reached an all-time high of 38th in the QS World University Rankings and have been among the top 10 in the THE Asia University Rankings for five consecutive years. Alongside our academic and research development, CUHK is committed to aligning with national strategies such as the 14th Five-Year Plan, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and Belt and Road Initiative, seizing historic opportunities brought about by national development. Strengthening ties with the Chinese mainland with the Greater Bay Area as a focal point is a strategic direction for CUHK's development. In the future, CUHK will continue to support the country's pursuit of modernization and high-quality development. We are planning several significant initiatives in the Greater Bay Area and participating in key economic and scientific development projects in Hong Kong and at large the whole country, including the Qianhai and Northern Metropolis projects. We are also proud to partner with the Greater Bay Area Youth Entrepreneurship Program, supporting young people in developing their careers in the region. With the closer relationship between the Sha Tin and Shenzhen campuses, CUHK is well-positioned to reinforce its standing as a leading research-oriented comprehensive university in China and on the world stage. Our core mission is to nurture visionary and creative individuals who embody an international perspective while embracing Chinese cultural heritage and remain attuned to society's needs. By fostering such talent, we aspire to make pioneering contributions to research, to the country's future development and ultimately to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. "

A New Beginning of Moving Forward Together

Despite the challenges brought by the pandemic and travel restrictions in the past three years, CUHK and CUHK-Shenzhen have been working tirelessly to deepen their partnership and jointly create a blueprint for development.

On December 15, 2021, CUHK and CUHK-Shenzhen signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement, aiming to further enhance their collaboration and promote the development of higher education in the Greater Bay Area.

On August 3, 2022, Professor Davy Cheng, Dean of the School of Medicine at CUHK-Shenzhen, and Professor Hong Fung, Executive Director and CEO of CUHK Medical Center, signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement on behalf of the two universities.

On October 13, 2022, CUHK and CUHK-Shenzhen announced that they will jointly establish a new Greater Bay Area “2+2” degree program. It is a first-of-its-kind collaborative program in the Greater Bay Area that allows students to study double majors at campuses at both the Shenzhen and Hong Kong campuses. 

In 2023, CUHK will celebrate its diamond jubilee, a significant milestone in the history of the university. As President Yangsheng Xu remarked, it has been "60 years of commitment and deep emotion". Looking ahead, CUHK-Shenzhen will inherit CUHK's excellent educational philosophy, general education, college system, traditional Chinese culture, and rigorous academic standards and make them thrive in this fertile ground of Shenzhen. What is more, with innovative institutional arrangements and professional layouts according to the needs of the Greater Bay Area and the country, CUHK-Shenzhen is set to blaze new trails in higher education cooperation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, making significant contributions to the ongoing national higher education reform.