HKUST Annual Report 2016-17

38 HKUST 2016-2017 Annual Report WIDENING MAINLAND OPPORTUNITIES Building Academic Links HKUST joined the new Asian Universities Alliance (AUA) and Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education Alliance of China (IEEAC), both initiated by Tsinghua University. AUA comprises 15 Asian universities. It is seeking to enhance institutional cooperation and communication and to play a role in solving regional and global issues. The University is the only founding member from Hong Kong. Four HKUST students from different departments participated in the first five-day youth innovation workshop together with students from the other 14 Asian universities. IEEAC aims to build a platform for universities to share their experience in innovation and entrepreneurship, deepen education reform, and nurture students’ innovative and entrepreneurship spirit. HKUST hosted the launch ceremony of the Hong Kong and Macau Universities cum International Symposium on Innovation & Entrepreneurship Education in May 2017. More than 540 faculty and students took part in cultural exchanges, community services and academic programs through a collaborative scheme administered by the Ministry of Education. To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, 20 HKUST students born in 1997 went on a cultural exchange to Beijing which was sponsored by the Mingxi Charity Foundation, meeting up with 20 Tsinghua University students. The University hosted nearly 120 high-level Mainland delegations in 2016-17, including over 1,300 delegates from industry, government and academia. Among those visiting were: Prof Tan Tieniu, Deputy Director of the Central People’s Government Liaison Office in the HKSAR; Prof Zhang Jie, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Council Chairman of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences; Prof Xu Ningsheng, President of Fudan University; and Prof Li Yuanyuan, President of Jilin University. HKUST also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Jilin University to deepen collaboration in mathematics, chemistry and mechanical engineering. During the year, HKUST senior management visited Beijing and met Mr Chen Baosheng, Minister of Education, Prof Ding Zhongli, President of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Prof Lin Jianhua, President of Peking University, and Prof Qiu Yong, President of Tsinghua University, to find out more about the latest developments in higher education in the Mainland and explore further collaboration between the universities. President Chan was invited to discuss how the University can contribute to the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area and Lok Ma Chau Loop Innovation and Technology Park on several occasions, including a forum organized by Tencent and meeting with the Hong Kong government’s Central Policy Unit. Implementation measures were announced by the Ministry of Education in January 2017 in support of the “Double First Class” plans to enhance China’s education system. Dr Eden Y Woon, Vice-President for Institutional Advancement, was invited to share ways of nurturing global talents and internationalization by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai University and Jiangsu Education Bureau.