HKUST Annual Report 2021-2022

37 HKUST Annual Report 2021-2022 Local to Global Social Science, took part in a discussion on “Universities and Cities: Partners in Resilience and Innovation” at the Times Higher Education World Academic Summit. Prof. Tsai provided her outlook on the ways that global universities can create mutually beneficial partnerships with the local community where they are based. President Shyy also contributed an article to the World Economic Forum Agenda on “Universities Can Be ‘Living Labs’ for Sustainability” in which he set out his insights into the role of universities in creating a sustainable future. Helping to draw top minds from around the world to HKUST(GZ) and the Greater Bay Area, the University won the bid to host the International Conference of Very Large Data Base in 2024 (VLDB 2024) at the Guangzhou campus. The conference aims to facilitate research and exchange of database technologies around the globe and is a top global gathering among the database community. Stepping Up International Outreach HKUST and the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macao announced a new agreement to strengthen and expand collaboration in sustainability, education, research, and innovation, building on the foundation of a successful partnership beginning in 2017. The agreement will promote further ties between HKUST, French universities, companies, and organizations through student and scholar exchanges, internship opportunities, joint research projects, and organization of events and conferences. Events during the reporting year included the HKUST x FRANCE One Ocean Conference and an HKUST x France lecture on brain plasticity and its significance today. Activities involving other countries and regions have encompassed: a SPARK Talk on balancing academia and business with the British Council, featuring young entrepreneurs from HKUST and the University of Oxford; the Natural Treasures of the Visegrad Group photograph exhibition with the consulates of Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Poland; and the Copernicus Webinar and Colloquium Series, held in collaboration with 20 universities, including Harvard University, University of Tokyo, and Tsinghua University. Over 2021-22, HKUST senior management met with close to 30 Consuls-General in Hong Kong in person or virtually to keep up connections with different parts of the world, including diplomats from ASEAN, Egypt, France, Israel, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, wThe Netherlands, Turkey, and the Visegrad Group, among others.