CityU's excellent biotechnology facilities were under the spotlight at a recent visit by Peking University President, Professor Xu Zhihong, who toured the campus on 28 January with an eye to increased collaboration between the two universities.

Professor Xu, an Honorary Doctor of Science recipient at CityU's 16th Congregation, was received by President H K Chang, Vice-President (Institutional Advancement) Professor Y S Wong, Vice-President (Research) Professor P S Chung, Associate Vice-President (Research) Professor W F Fong, Professor Nora Tam and Dr Michael Yang.

A renowned botanist and Director of the Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology, Professor Xu toured the biology and chemistry laboratories, green house, Centre for Coastal Pollution and Conservation, and the Applied Research Centre for Genomic Technologies. He said that Peking University plans to set up an environmental science department, with research focused on environmental biology, biotechnology, and marine conservation. Professor Xu also visited the School of Creative Media.

CityU first developed collaboration programmes with Peking University in 1993. The two institutions have signed academic exchange agreements and established joint research projects on languages, publications, applied physics, and mathematics.