Opening Ceremony marks the start of Digital Health Asia 2025 organised by THE in partnership with CityUHK
09 Sep 2025
Digital Health Asia 2025 (DHA 2025), organised by Times Higher Education (THE) in partnership with City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) and the Institute of Digital Medicine (IDM), is being held from 8 to 10 September. The opening ceremony took place today (9 September), kicking off a dynamic three-day programme aimed at advancing digital healthcare innovation across the region. DHA 2025 has brought together over 420 delegates from 17 regions, including leaders from academia, healthcare, government and industry, to foster collaboration and drive progress in digital health.
Distinguished officiating guests included Mr Michael Ngai, Council Chairman of CityUHK; Professor Freddy Boey, President and University Distinguished Professor of CityUHK; Mr Justin Wong Tak-ho, Council Members of CityUHK; Ms Mei Mei Lim, President for APAC at THE; Professor Sir Mark Welland, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge; Professor Michael Yang Mengsu, Senior Vice-President (Innovation and Enterprise) of CityUHK; and Professor Anderson Shum Ho-cheung, Vice-President (Research) of CityUHK.
At the opening ceremony, the CityUHK team used artificial intelligence (AI) technology to generate cartoon portraits of the speakers. This creative gesture echoed the summit’s theme of “AI and Innovation” and served as a heartfelt tribute to the distinguished guests for their strong support and active participation, enriching the significance of the event.
In his welcome address, President Boey thanked THE for its trust in CityUHK, making it the first university in Asia to host this prestigious summit series. He highlighted that CityUHK has been named the “Most International University in the World” by THE for two consecutive years, and continues to champion global collaboration and interdisciplinary exchange, fostering forward-thinking innovation to address global health challenges.
Digital Health Asia 2025 is more than just a conference. It is a celebration of the spirit of collaboration,” said Professor Boey. “At the heart of the Summit is our Institute of Digital Medicine, bringing together leading experts from around the world in fields such as diagnostics, therapeutics and health data modelling. It also serves as a hub, connecting CityUHK’s academic departments in engineering, data science and life sciences, while fostering interdisciplinary synergy with the Hong Kong Institute of AI for Science, the Institute for Materials Innovation, and the CityUHK Academy of Innovation, to drive breakthroughs and innovation in digital health.”
Ms Lim praised CityUHK for its vision and leadership in advancing digital health. “Interdisciplinary collaboration and innovative thinking will be key to the future of healthcare development,” she said. “This summit provides an ideal platform for promoting global dialogue and cooperation.”
DHA 2025 features more than 50 speakers from around the world, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Canada and the Middle East. These speakers, spanning academia, industry, government and non-governmental organisations, have come together to explore the future of digital health. The discussions will cover three major areas: AI and health data, biotechnology and digital health, and collaboration and commercialisation.
Key speakers at the summit include:
- Professor Michael Yang Mengsu, Senior Vice-President (Innovation & Enterprise), CityUHK
- Professor Anderson Shum Ho-cheung, Vice-President (Research), CityUHK
- Professor Sir Mark Welland, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Cambridge
- Ambassador George Hara, Group Chairman and CEO, DEFTA Partners
- Professor Dean Ho, Head of Department of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore
- Professor Kannie Chan Wai-yan, Director of Hong Kong Centre for Cerebro-cardiovascular Health Engineering (COCHE) and Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, CityUHK
- Professor Sunny Lee, Board Chairman of Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI)
- Professor Juhee Cho, Chair of the Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation at the Samsung Advanced Institute for Health Sciences and Technology (SKIHST), Sungkyunkwan University
- Professor Krasimira Tsaneva Atanasova, Vice-President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Impact, University of Exeter
The summit includes keynote speeches and panel discussions aimed at fostering cross-sector exchange and collaboration in the medical field. An exhibition area has been set up to highlight IDM and CityUHK’s flagship innovation and entrepreneurship programme, HK Tech 300, showcasing the University’s latest progress in interdisciplinary research, medical innovation technologies and the translation of research outcomes. The event also features cultural activities and student performances, reflecting CityUHK’s diverse, innovative and vibrant campus atmosphere.
The summit will include several informal networking sessions to encourage interaction among leaders from various backgrounds, professions and regions. These exchanges will provide valuable insights, encourage experience sharing, inspire innovation, promote cross-sector collaboration, and help build long-term partnerships.