HKUST Annual Report 2021-2022

36 In the Greater Bay Area, HKUST(GZ) and the Jiangmen Municipal People’s Government signed a framework agreement, including the building of the Jiangmen “Double Carbon” Laboratory that will investigate both the carbon peak and carbon neutrality to accelerate green economic and social development. The partnership seeks to advance scientific research and technological innovation and create a national double carbon demonstration base. In addition, a framework agreement with Shui On Land on sustainability and smart city research in Guangzhou is set to further extend green technologies within the region. To enhance start-ups’ research and knowledge transfer capabilities, HKUST Fok Ying Tung Research Institute and Yuexiu Property Co, Ltd signed an agreement to jointly build the Yuexiu Guangzhou-Hong Kong Industry-University-Research Base in Qingsheng, where HKUST(GZ) is located. The R&D and production base will support new businesses from Hong Kong, Macao, and overseas in anchoring themselves in Nansha, and facilitate long-term collaborations with the University. Beyond the Greater Bay Area, the University initiated a collaboration with Beijing’s HICOOL Global Entrepreneur Summit & Competition to foster entrepreneurship and co-organize events. HICOOL, managed by Beijing Overseas Talents Association, was founded in 2020 as a one-stop platform to assist entrepreneurs and start- ups to base themselves in the capital. INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIVITY Strengthening Regional and Global Connections Over 2021-22, HKUST renewed and initiated over 60 partnership agreements on academic exchange and research collaborations with universities around the globe. Among them, the University extended an MoU with the University of Strathclyde in Scotland to develop their strategic partnership and explore issues related to decarbonization, net zero wireless communication systems, and quantum technologies, among others. HKUST has also been actively involved in education fairs, forums, annual meetings, and webinars related to its regional alliances. These include the Asian Universities Alliance’s (AUA) Presidents Forum on the importance of Asian universities’ building closer bonds for the future; and the Association of Asia-Pacific Rim Universities’ (APRU) Virtual Annual Presidents’ Meeting on the new normal for universities in the wake of the pandemic. Moving Ahead on Emerging Priorities During the reporting period, the University participated in numerous international forums to share its perspectives on key emerging challenges and trends. HKUST President Prof. Wei SHYY spoke on “Does Innovation Have Boundaries?” at the hybrid Times Higher Education Innovation & Impact Summit 2022, together with the heads of the University of Auckland, Eindhoven University of Technology, and Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences. Discussions focused on issues related to equitable knowledge transfer from universities to industry globally. HKUST was the only university from Hong Kong to participate at the summit, which was held in Sweden. Separately, Prof. Kellee TSAI, Dean of the School of Humanities and