Led by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), the Hong Kong Space Robotics and Energy Centre (HKSREC), below the InnoHK Research Clusters of the HKSAR Government, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Southeast University (SEU) to set up a long-term strategic partnership. The collaboration will give attention to analysis innovation, expertise switch, and expertise cultivation within the fields of area robotics, deep area power methods, embodied intelligence, and associated interdisciplinary areas, thereby contributing to the nation’s efforts to construct a number one aerospace energy.
A delegation led by the Nanjing Municipal People’s Government visited HKUST’s Clear Water Bay campus on March 8. They engaged in an insightful dialogue with the University’s administration and representatives, and toured the State Key Laboratory of Displays and Optoelectronics, the place HKUST’s newest analysis improvements have been showcased.
During the assembly, HKSREC and SEU formally entered into the MoU. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Mr. LI Zhongjun, Mayor of the Nanjing Municipal People’s Government; Prof. Harry SHUM, HKUST Council Chairman; and Mr. WU Xiaocheng, Secretary of the Party Committee of SEU. The settlement was signed by Prof. GAO Yang, Director of HKSREC and the HKUST Centre for AI Robotics in Space Sustainability, Co Director of the Space Science and Technology Institute, and Professor within the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Mr. WANG Chen, Director of the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Office of SEU. Representatives from the Nanjing Municipal People’s Government, SEU, HKUST, and a number one Nanjing based mostly metal enterprise additionally attended the ceremony.
Mr. Li Zhongjun expressed his hope to deepen collaboration with HKUST in innovation, industrial improvement, and expertise cultivation. He said, “Nanjing is rich in scientific and educational resources, and that enhanced cooperation between HKUST, and the city’s higher education institutions would help establish new innovation platforms and projects, setting a benchmark for Nanjing-Hong Kong collaboration. Nanjing is currently focused on building an advanced manufacturing cluster system with key industries such as AI and biomedicine, these priorities closely align with HKUST’s academic strengths. We look forward to establishing a stable cooperation mechanism with HKUST to accelerate the industrialization of new technologies and research outcomes.”
Prof. Harry Shum remarked, “This year marks the 35th anniversary of HKUST. The University remains steadfast in upholding its spirit of ‘innovating to create a better future.’ As a world-class research university, HKUST is committed to translating research outcomes into productive forces that drive societal progress. With a patent utilization rate exceeding 30% – comparable to leading universities in Europe and the United States – enterprises founded by HKUST faculty and alumni are shaping the technological innovation landscape of the Greater Bay Area (GBA) and beyond.”
Prof. Shum added that HKUST’s improvement continues to align intently with the nation’s strategic priorities. Leveraging Hong Kong’s distinctive position as a ‘tremendous connector,’ the University will proceed to appeal to world-class analysis expertise. He expressed confidence that deeper collaboration with the Nanjing Municipal People’s Government and SEU would additional advance Jiangsu-Hong Kong cooperation and contribute to the nation’s innovation-driven endeavors.
Mr. Wu Xiaocheng stated, “We sincerely appreciate HKUST’s dedicated support for SEU. This collaboration will strengthen the ties between the two universities while providing strategic guidance for SEU’s academic positioning and research development in the Greater Bay Area (GBA).” He additionally emphasised the significance of integrating sources from authorities, universities, and enterprises to construct a high-caliber expertise improvement system. Moving ahead, SEU will actively have interaction with enterprises to improve industry-university-research collaboration. Drawing on HKUST’s confirmed document in innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E), SEU will additional improve I&E training for its school and college students, with the purpose of cultivating excellent interdisciplinary expertise in assist of nationwide strategic wants.
HKUST and SEU established a partnership in 2024, launching a seed fund to assist collaborative analysis in engineering, supplies science, medication, and the humanities and social sciences, laying a stable basis for long run cooperation. SEU has additionally participated within the HKUST led worldwide “Hong Kong Operation Robot” challenge for Chang’E 8-the multi useful lunar floor operation robotic and cell charging station-jointly contributing to the nation’s aerospace ambitions by means of scientific analysis.
Building on this sturdy basis, the brand new collaboration will additional harness HKUST’s strengths in AI, robotics, superior supplies, and knowledge science, along with SEU’s experience in mechanical engineering, instrumentation science, power and setting, and AI. By combining Hong Kong’s worldwide outlook with Nanjing’s engineering excellence, the partnership goals to improve the survivability and operational efficiency of robots in excessive environments. This will assist handle world challenges akin to autonomous area robotics and the sustainable improvement and utilization of area power, whereas strengthening each events’ standing within the worldwide aerospace analysis group.
The two universities will collectively conduct analysis on area robotics, embodied intelligence, high-precision autonomous navigation, and environment friendly space-energy administration methods for long-term deep-space exploration. Through the applying of AI-enabled aerospace applied sciences, the collaboration seeks to improve robotic operations in environments with out satellite tv for pc navigation.
Beyond area exploration, the partnership will discover civilian functions of area grade robotic management methods, superior supplies, and precision sensing applied sciences to assist excessive finish manufacturing and good metropolis improvement within the GBA. The two establishments may also work collectively to develop the industrial aerospace market and develop satellite tv for pc knowledge utility companies for ASEAN international locations.
In expertise improvement, the collaboration will set up joint coaching mechanisms for postgraduate college students and early profession researchers, facilitating the sharing of high tier laboratory sources and analysis platforms throughout each establishments.