On April 3, the 2nd Global Innovation & Technology Summit convened at the Hong Kong Science Park, gathering presidents from renowned universities, senior government officials, and industry experts from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, and the UK.

Among the attendees, Li JIN, Vice President for Global Strategies at SUSTech, delivered a thematic speech and participated in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) Universities Presidents Forum, which was organized by the Greater Bay Area Association of Academicians (GBAAA).

Under the theme of “Connecting to Excellence”, the summit brought together over 200 university presidents to explore topics such as “Government Strategies to Accelerate Global Educational Collaboration”, “Leadership Perspectives on the Future of Education”, “Fostering Global Partnerships in Higher Education”, “Promoting Integration of Education and Research Innovation”, and “Shaping the Greater Bay Area as an International Education Hub”.

In Li JIN’s thematic speech, “Cultivating an Innovation Ecosystem in China’s High-tech Hub”, he delved into the opportunities and challenges inherent in the construction of China’s national innovation system, with a particular focus on Shenzhen’s pivotal role.

Drawing from his insights as a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), he shared reflections gathered during the latest session of the CPPCC National Committee. He emphasized the imperative of integrating education, technology, and talent to expedite the development of new productive forces. Additionally, Professor JIN highlighted SUSTech’s endeavors in nurturing innovative talent, conducting demand-driven research, and fostering partnerships between the university and industry.

The summit also hosted the GBA Universities Presidents Forum, where Vice President JIN and nine other presidents and vice-presidents of universities in the GBA conducted in-depth discussions on enhancing university cooperation, the development of the Northern Metropolis of Hong Kong, attracting global talent, and contributing to the Belt and Road initiative.

Distinguished guests attending the summit included Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan; Xinning LU, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR); Jianming FANG, Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in HKSAR; Dong SUN, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of Hong Kong; Chun Fai SZE, Under Secretary for Education of Hong Kong; Qihuang GONG, President of Peking University; Tony Chan, President of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Eng Chye Tan, President of the National University of Singapore; Yukio Yuzawa, President of Fujita Health University; and Chas Bountra, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Innovation at the University of Oxford.

The GBAAA was officially established on April 1, 2021, as a non-profit organization registered in Hong Kong. Combining Hong Kong’s strengths in scientific research and its advantages as an international city, the GBAAA aims to bring together leading scientists in the region to foster cross-disciplinary exchange and collaboration and promote technology and popular science education. The organization also provides a driving force for the synergistic innovation and technology development of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, as well as the development of Hong Kong and the GBA into an international I&T hub, thus making contributions to the nation’s advancement in technology.

By Adrian Cremin

Proofread By Yingying XIA