HKUST Annual Report 2022-2023

42 43 During the year, we welcomed three notable government delegations. Mr. XIA Baolong, Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, along with HKSAR Chief Executive the Honorable John LEE Ka-Chiu and Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in HKSAR Mr. ZHENG Yanxiong, met with our students and faculty for a dialogue on various topics. Separately, a delegation headed by Vice Governor of Guangdong Mr. WANG Xi interacted with scholars of the Greater Bay Area Association of Academicians on our campus. Both groups explored our State Key Laboratory of Advanced Displays and Optoelectronics Technologies, learning about HKUST's innovative efforts backed by national support. They also visited the Aerodynamics and Acoustics Laboratory and the State Key Laboratory of Molecular Neuroscience respectively. Furthermore, a delegation led by Guangzhou Mayor Mr. GUO Yonghang experienced a demonstration of autonomous vehicles and visited the Shaw Auditorium. These visits from central, provincial, and city officials strengthened our ties with various government bodies, creating more opportunities for HKUST to play a role in national development. Fostering connections with our peers in the higher education sector, we hosted senior leaders from prominent mainland research universities such as Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Nanjing University, and the University of Science and Technology of China, to create a platform for potential academic partnerships and research collaborations, such as PhD training, research symposiums, and interdisciplinary programs. Beyond the campus, HKUST reached out to reinforce its standing as a key player in national academic affairs. Highlights in the year included our President’s two separate meetings with Mr. HUAI Jinpeng, Minister of Education, and with Mr. WANG Zhigang, Minister of Science and Technology. They discussed deepening exchanges and cooperation in research and education in the GBA, cultivating innovative talents, and supporting technological breakthroughs at HKUST. Photo: Information Services Department, HKSAR