In the next phase of their highly successful collaboration, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and CUHK-Shenzhen have signalled their intention to take this important partnership to the next level through the signing of a new Strategic Collaboration Framework Agreement today. 

CUHK-Shenzhen was formally established in 2014 in what was a significant milestone in the development of the internationalisation of higher education in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The campus was approved by the Ministry of Education under the Sino-Foreign Collaborative Education framework. 

Combining expertise, curriculum and the brand of the CUHK campus in Shatin, today CUHK-Shenzhen is home to nearly 500 faculty members, over 8000 students, seven faculties, four colleges, 22 undergraduate programmes and 25 postgraduate programmes.

Both institutions are now focused on consolidating this highly successful partnership and the new agreement represents a statement of intent to jointly build a world-class centre of excellence in higher education. The new agreement will see both parties leveraging their respective strengths to work towards building a world-class university brand that is known widely nationally and around the world.

The agreement was executed at a hybrid ceremony attended by a range of dignitaries on both sides including CUHK’s Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Rocky S. Tuan and CUHK-Shenzhen’s President Professor Xu Yangsheng as well as senior management representatives from both institutions.

The agreement will see collaboration in a range of areas including:

• the establishment of a strategic cooperation taskforce to advance education and research as well as the construction of a nationally and globally leading higher education brand
• mechanisms to attract and nurture world-class talent and building capacity in education, research and medical services to the highest international standards
• creating a collaborative innovation platform connecting industry across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area with both institutions’ key research and breakthrough science in areas spanning artificial intelligence, big data, biomedicine, new energy, advanced materials, fintech, future networks, smart cities, pharmaceutical manufacturing and the digital economy
• applying experience from Hong Kong’s internationally leading medical education and medical services sectors to build capacity in the mainland to promote the Greater Bay Area as a centre of excellence and innovation in biomedical research and foster the development of the biotechnology sector more broadly
• developing the Greater Bay Area’s capacity as an innovative centre of research in global affairs including administrative management, legal systems and international relations

     Professor Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President of CUHK and the witnesses.

Quote from Professor Rocky S. Tuan, Vice-Chancellor and President, CUHK

“The execution of this agreement is of historic significance as both institutions consider how we can leverage our respective strengths and build a common innovation platform, providing direction to us as we focus our work over the next five years. The 14^th National Five-Year Plan and the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area offer a vision for the integrated development of innovation and technology across the region. Both institutions must spare no efforts, and jointly work on the development of innovation and technology and nurturing innovative talents. CUHK has recently launched its new 2021-2025 Strategic Plan, and I believe that with coordinated strategic planning as our blueprint, both institutions will strive for stronger integration and coordination and we both acknowledge its growing importance.”

       Professor Xu Yangsheng, President of CUHK-Shenzhen and the witnesses.

Quote from Professor Xu Yangsheng, President, CUHK-Shenzhen

“Today both institutions inked a new chapter of deepened collaborations as CUHK-Shenzhen and CUHK joined hands to sign this strategic collaboration framework agreement, exploring a new model for the integrated development of higher education, innovation and technology between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, which will contribute to the prosperous development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the nation more broadly.

 If you say that the establishment of CUHK-Shenzhen was CUHK’s most significant and forward-looking move in the mainland since the return of Hong Kong to the motherland, then it may be said that today, this agreement represents another milestone in CUHK’s advancements in the Greater Bay Area. Today we are not just witnessing the signing of an agreement between the two institutions, but a new chapter of depth and breadth is unfolding in the development of the Greater Bay Area. Through deep collaboration spanning education, nurturing talents, research and medicine, we are jointly promoting the integrated development of Shenzhen and Hong Kong, marking a powerful contribution to the innovation and reform of the nation’s higher education as well as the integrated development of the Greater Bay Area!”