CityUHK and the CASS sign MoUs to deepen academic collaboration and support national development
City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) is committed to promoting interdisciplinary research and fostering cross-departmental collaboration among scholars. On 11 June, a delegation from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the Chinese Institute of Hong Kong (CIHK) visited CityUHK, where they exchanged and signed multiple Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), including the first MoU signed between the CASS and a university in Hong Kong, with the aim of establishing a collaborative platform for interdisciplinary research as a key focus for future development.
CityUHK was the sole university visited by the CASS during this trip to Hong Kong. Both parties aimed to promote academic exchange between Hong Kong and the Mainland, contributing to the nation’s long-term development.
The CASS delegation, consisting of 34 members, was led by Professor Gao Xiang, President of the CASS. Among the delegation were senior leaders from various departments, including the Bureau of Scientific Research Management, the Bureau of Personnel and Education, the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office, the Bureau of Finance, Infrastructure Construction and Assets, the Library, as well as the Social Sciences Academic Press. Additionally, Professor Huang Ping, President of the CIHK, was part of the delegation.
The delegation was warmly welcomed by senior management of CityUHK, including Mr Michael Ngai, Council Chairman of CityUHK; Professor Lee Chun-sing, Provost and Deputy President; and Professor Chan Chi-hou, Vice-President (Community Engagement).
Also attending the event were several distinguished guests, including Mr Kwan Ka-ming, Deputy Head of the Chief Executive’s Policy Unit of the HKSAR Government; Mr Hsu Hoi-shan, Director and President of the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre; and Dr Zou Chonghua, Deputy Secretary-General of Hong Kong Higher Education Convergence.
The CASS is the nation’s premier academic institution and comprehensive research centre in for philosophy and social sciences, as well as a key national high-end think tank. It comprises 31 research institutes and 45 research centres, with over 4,200 staff members—including renowned experts and young researchers—the CASS has extensive international collaborations and significant global academic influence.
The CIHK is the CASS’s branch in Hong Kong. It pools together academic and social resources in Hong Kong and the Mainland to initiate various research and exchange activities in the humanities and social sciences to enhance communication and co-operation in academia.
In his welcome speech, Mr Ngai said that CityUHK was honoured to deepen collaboration with one of the nation’s top think tanks. “This partnership is not only a strong alliance in academia, but also a valuable opportunity for CityUHK to fulfil its mission of ‘serving Hong Kong and contributing to the nation’,” he said. “CityUHK is committed to building a world-class interdisciplinary research platform with a global impact, actively supporting national strategic needs, nurturing patriotic and Hong Kong-loving young research talent, and achieving fruitful academic accomplishments. This collaboration will contribute intellectual strength to the development of Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and the nation as a whole.”.
In his remarks, Professor Gao stated, “The collaboration between the CASS and CityUHK stands as a model of complementarity and mutual benefit. This partnership is not only an outstanding endeavour, but also a scholarly journey infused with soul and sentiment, reflecting our unwavering commitment to serving the nation and its people. Today’s signing marks just the beginning of our joint pursuit of greater academic excellence. The road ahead is long and full of promise—let us continue to walk it side by side and create a brilliant future together.”
CityUHK signed three MoUs with the CASS and the CIHK, marking a new milestone in collaboration between CityUHK and leading academic and research institutions on the Mainland.
The ceremony began with Mr Ngai and Professor Gao representing both parties in the exchange of the MoU of Academic Exchange and Collaboration between the CASS and CityUHK. Following this, under their joint witness, Professor Lee and Professor Huang signed the MoU of Academic Exchange and Collaboration between the CIHK and CityUHK.
The two MoUs aim to establish a framework that promotes academic exchange and collaboration. Both parties are committed to building a sustainable and interdisciplinary cooperation platform that actively facilitates scholar exchanges and joint research project applications, enhancing collaboration in areas such as urban sustainability and social innovation.
At the same time, the Key Laboratory of Linguistics of the CASS and the Department of Linguistics and Translation at CityUHK announced a collaboration agreement, promoting academic development in the field of linguistics. To further enhance the sharing of academic resources, the CASS Library presented CityUHK with the Authorisation Certificate of the National Centre for Philosophy and Social Sciences Documentation, along with a donation of books to the CityUHK Library. This certificate grants CityUHK faculty and students’ broader access to a wealth of literature in philosophy and social sciences.
The delegation also visited several booths prepared by different departments at CityUHK, where they explored interdisciplinary research applications, including achievements in sustainable construction, digital cities, artificial intelligence, digital humanities, and language sciences. They also toured the State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves. The delegation was highly impressed by CityUHK’s innovative accomplishments, describing the visit as fruitful and inspiring, laying a solid foundation for future deep collaboration between two sides.