CityUHK and CIIDS explore new opportunities for education to support national development
On 13 March, City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) hosted Mme Zhang Meifang, Director of the International Exchange Working Committee of the China Institute for Innovation & Development Strategy (CIIDS), for a thematic talk on campus. Mme Zhang shared her insights on the role of Hong Kong’s education sector as a bridge for promoting exchanges between China and the global community. Distinguished guests in attendance included Counsellor Wang Jian, Director of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong SAR; and Mr Zhang Zhengjia, Deputy Director of the International Exchange Working Committee, CIIDS.
In her speech, titled “Leveraging Hong Kong’s Unique Advantages: Building Bridges Between China and the World Through Education”, Mme Zhang highlighted Hong Kong’s irreplaceable position as a meeting point between East and West, making it an important platform for fostering mutual understanding and trust. She emphasised that the core value of exchange lies in genuine people-to-people interaction, with education serving as a vital link to break down barriers and enhance mutual understanding. As a highly internationalised university, CityUHK is well placed to play a pivotal role in this process, she said. She also engaged in in-depth discussions with participants on topics ranging from education and innovation to international relations.
Mme Zhang concluded by noting that Hong Kong’s international advantages extend beyond academic exchange to driving innovation and providing young talent with a broad stage for development. She expressed the CIIDS’s intention to establish a long-term partnership with CityUHK to jointly nurture well-rounded talent with both a strong foundation in Chinese culture and a global outlook. She stressed the importance of telling good stories about the country to enable the international community to better understand the country and foster deeper mutual trust and integration.
Professor Freddy Boey, President and Distinguished University Professor of CityUHK, remarked that as the Most International University in the world, CityUHK will continue to leverage its strengths to attract top talent to Hong Kong, drive innovation, and advance interdisciplinary and frontier research. He emphasised that CityUHK will seize the opportunities presented by the “15th Five-Year Plan”, aligning with national development priorities, and looks forward to deepening collaboration with the CIIDS to cultivate a new generation of talent with both global vision and national commitment, contributing to the country’s development and international engagement.
The thematic talk was attended by senior management of CityUHK, including Professor Lee Chun-sing, Provost and Deputy President; Professor Michael Yang Mengsu, Senior Vice-President (Innovation and Enterprise); Professor Anderson Shum Ho-cheung, Vice-President (Research); Professor Li Wenjun, Vice-President (Talent and International Strategy); Professor Lu Chun, Vice-President (Mainland Strategy); Professor Chan Chi-hou, Vice-President (Community Engagement); Miss Maggie Chau, Vice-President (Administration); and associate vice-presidents, deans and department heads. In addition, students from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, and overseas also participated enthusiastically.
CityUHK will continue to leverage its international strengths to advance global collaboration in education, research and innovation, nurturing outstanding talent with global competitiveness. The University aims to serve as a bridge connecting the Chinese Mainland with the rest of the world, contributing further to the development of both Hong Kong and the nation.
