New HKU–NICE Partnership Promotes Cross-Regional Innovation and Industry Collaboration
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the National Innovation Center par Excellence (NICE) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 2 June 2026 in Shanghai, establishing a strategic framework for collaboration in technology innovation, applied research, commercialisation, and talent development. The agreement marks a key milestone in enhancing innovation linkages between Hong Kong and the Yangtze River Delta, with a shared focus on translating research excellence into real-world industrial and societal impact.
The signing ceremony took place during the Global Industrial Technology Innovation Conference and was officiated by Professor Alice Wong, Associate Vice-President (Research) at HKU, and Qing Liu, President of NICE. Both sides highlighted the importance of building a seamless pipeline between academic research and industrial application.
Under the MoU, HKU and NICE will collaborate on joint research initiatives in areas such as advanced materials, ICT, energy and environmental protection, manufacturing, and biomedicine. The partnership also emphasizes talent development and innovation capacity building through seminars, workshops, and industry engagement activities.
Both institutions will further strengthen technology commercialisation and startup development, leveraging HKU’s innovation arm Versitech and NICE’s industrial networks. The collaboration aims to accelerate the transformation of research outcomes into market-ready solutions, fostering sustainable innovation ecosystems and supporting long-term economic growth across the region.
