At 15 May inauguration ceremony establishing its Zhuhai Applied R&D Centres, CityU became the first local university to set up a research base at Guangdong's Southern Software Park.
"The establishment of the Zhuhai Applied R&D Centres bears witness to the University's strong determination to extend her research platform to the booming Pearl River Delta Region," said
Professor P S Chung, Vice-President for Research, at the ceremony. "Through these bridges, we hope to tap into the technological expertise and market potential available in the mainland. We'd also strengthen our links with educational institutions and business organizations in the municipal and nearby districts."
More than 180 academics and business and industry representatives from Hong Kong and the mainland, attended the
Centre's opening. The ceremony was officiated by the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone Administrative Committee Deputy Director
Mr Luo Chunbai, Municipal Deputy Mayor
Mr Lin Xingdao,
Southern Software Park Development Co. Ltd President
Mr Mu Rongguang, together with CityU Vice-President for Research Professor P S Chung, Associate Vice-President for Research
Professor W F Fong, Vice-President for Institutional Advancement
Professor Y S Wong, and the Centres' Director and Head of the
Department of Computer Engineering and Information Technology,
Professor Hong Yan.
The Centres' objectives include the development of advanced technologies, the training of research staff and students, and the provision of consulting services and commercialized research results. There is currently about 25 research and support staff working in the Centres. The six funded research projects (see table below) are in the following areas: multimedia systems for education and entertainmen
t, medical imaging, Internet computing, language engineering, and computer technology for building and construction.
To ensure that the research activity is oriented to social needs and in the development of new technologies, the University will closely monitor and regular assess the research projects at the Centres.
"This endeavour not only expands our research horizons, but also fits in line with the view put forward in the recent UGC higher education review urging local universities to make good use of our geographical proximity
to the Pearl River Delta region," said Professor Y S Wong. Deputy Mayor Mr Lin Xingdao believes that
CityUniversity's Applied R&D centres in Zhuhai will give an impetus to the economic development and contribute to the prosperity of the region.
