CityUHK Council visits Cambridge to meet scholarship students and deepen research collaboration between the two universities
Professor the Honourable Michael Ngai, Chairman of the Council of City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), led a high-level delegation to the University of Cambridge in mid-April to engage in in-depth discussions regarding future collaboration and development. The visit aimed to further consolidate the long-standing academic and research partnership between the two institutions and explore ways to deepen research synergy following the success of their joint projects under the InnoHK initiative.
The CityUHK delegation included Mr Charles Chin Ying-on, University Treasurer, and Mr Ronald Chu, Secretary to the Council. The delegation received a warm welcome from senior leadership at Cambridge, including Professor Deborah Prentice, Vice-Chancellor; Professor Sir John Aston, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research; and Professor Sir Mark Welland, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Special Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor on China, and Director of Research in Nanoscience.
During their meeting, the two parties reviewed their collaborative milestones under the InnoHK initiative and discussed ways to deepen their research collaboration. InnoHK is a flagship innovation and technology project of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region dedicated to connecting world-class research institutions with local universities to drive the translation of research into impactful applications. CityUHK had two proposals selected under this scheme, leading to the establishment of two centres under SEAM@InnoHK. One key project is co-led by Professor Lu Jian, Dean of the College of Engineering at CityUHK, and Professor Colm Durkan of the University of Cambridge. The centre focuses on intelligent, precision, and sustainable next-generation manufacturing technologies. Professor Ngai described the partnership as a prime example of deep synergy and complementary strengths between the two institutions, effectively addressing critical industry bottlenecks by transforming cutting-edge research into practical solutions.
Professor Ngai also highlighted CityUHK’s recent outstanding achievements on the global academic stage, including being ranked the "Most International University in the World" by Times Higher Education (THE) for three consecutive years (2024, 2025 and 2026). This recognition underscores CityUHK’s leading position in promoting international education, attracting top-tier global talent, and fostering a diverse academic environment.
Professor Ngai also paid a special visit to Lucy Cavendish College, where he met with its President Mr Girish Menon, and greeted scholarship recipients from CityUHK pursuing further studies there, including Luo Zhihao. In 2024, CityUHK and the College launched a scholarship programme, the first of its kind in Hong Kong, supporting elite students pursuing full-time Master’s degrees at Cambridge. The inaugural cohort, who commenced their academic journeys in the 2025/26 academic year, are specialising in a diverse range of cutting-edge fields, including Law, Materials Science and Metallurgy, Advanced Materials for the Energy Transition, Digital Humanities and Technology Policy. Professor Ngai was delighted to learn of the students’ exceptional academic performance and cross cultural adaptability, noting that their success reflects CityUHK’s effectiveness in nurturing future leaders with global competitiveness.
Professor Ngai expressed great satisfaction with the fruitful outcomes of the visit and thanked the University of Cambridge for its warm hospitality. He emphasised that building on this robust foundation, CityUHK will continue to expand impactful research themes and talent cultivation initiatives with Cambridge, with the aim of tackling global challenges and contributing to the international research and innovation ecosystem.