As one of the most international universities in the world, City University of Hong Kong (CityU) is actively fostering strategic partnerships with leading regional and global universities to enhance collaboration in various areas, such as exchanges of research staff and students, transfer of research information and knowledge, stakeholder engagement and community outreach.

A high-level delegation led by Professor Freddy Boey, CityU President, visited three universities in the UK between 10 and 13 December, namely the University of Glasgow, the University of Surrey, and Imperial College London, to foster collaboration between CityU and these world-leading universities.

Members of the CityU delegation included Professor Kevin Downing, Secretary to Council, Professor Li Wen Jung, Vice-President (Talent and International Strategy), Professor Cheng Shuk-han, Associate Vice-President (Research), Professor Yue Chee-yoon, Dean of Graduate Studies, and Ms Ng Pheck-choo, Director (Office of the President).

President Boey and Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 11 December, marking a new milestone in academic cooperation between the two universities. The MoU will enhance collaboration in various areas, including the exchange of academic and research staff, arranging student exchanges, conducting collaborative research projects, organising lectures and symposia, exchanging research information and materials, and promoting other academic, research, teaching and innovation cooperation, as mutually agreed.

During the meeting, the two universities also explored the possibility of deepening their collaboration in veterinary medicine, including a joint PhD programme in veterinary medicine, a joint summer school for secondary school students from the UK and Hong Kong who are interested in a career in veterinary medicine, and a clinical placement exchange programme for students in the CityU Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVM) programme and Glasgow's School of Veterinary Medicine.

President Boey said that in view of the highly successful CityU BVM programme, which earlier this year became the first Asian BVM programme accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC), it is exciting to strengthen collaboration with the University of Glasgow, a world-leading university in the veterinary profession and other areas.

In addition, the CityU delegation met Professor G Q Max Lu, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Surrey, and his senior management team on 12 December. The aim of the visit was to deepen and strengthen the learning, student exchange and research ties between the two institutions.

Key topics discussed included an agreement to further increase the collaborative research output of both universities, opportunities provided by CityU’s new PhD by Innovation, and common areas related to engineering and One Health. President Boey outlined his vision for the future of engineering in a fruitful discussion around the idea of a Creative Engineering programme at CityU, amongst other initiatives.

On 13 December, the team was joined by Professor Dangyuan Lei, who is a materials scientist at CityU and was appointed as the Provost’s Visiting Professor at Imperial College London for the current year, for a meeting with Professor Ian Walmsley, Provost of Imperial College London, and Professor Sandrine Heutz, Head of the Department of Materials at Imperial College London.

In fruitful discussions, it was agreed to strengthen collaboration in areas of synergy between the two universities, including in the field of materials science, and the provision of further undergraduate and postgraduate opportunities for CityU students to study at Imperial College London as part of their programmes. There was interest in CityU’s new PhD by Innovation, which chimed closely with ideas currently being discussed at Imperial College London.

“It is mutually beneficial for CityU and these world-class universities to join hands and build a closer relationship in more areas,” said President Boey, concluding his team’s visit to the UK.