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The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau University Alliance, jointly initiated by The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) and the University of Macau (UM), was founded at SYSU recently.  It is a non-profit making higher education partnership to extend current efforts of elite universities in promoting academic cooperation in the three regions.  The Alliance will foster collaboration in various areas including talent nurturing, scientific research, cultural and innovation exchange and policy study.  Prof. Joseph J.Y. Sung, Vice-Chancellor of CUHK, attended the establishment ceremony with representatives from the nine Hong Kong universities joining the Alliance. 

Officiating guests joining the ceremony included Mr. Lan Fu-An, Vice Governor of Guangdong Province; Mr. Zhao Ling-Shan, Deputy Director of the Office for Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan Affairs, Ministry of Education; Mr. Huang Guang, Inspector of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office, Exchange Division of State Council; Mr. Zhang Zong-Ming, Deputy Inspector of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs, Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR; Mr. Luo Wei-Qi, Director of the Education Department of Guangdong Provincial Government; Mr. Eddie Ng, Secretary for Education in the HKSAR; Mr. Su Zhao-Hui, Director of the Supplementary Office of Higher Education in the Macau Special Administrative Region; and Ms Ye Wei-Yuan, Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of Guangdong Provincial Government.  Speeches were delivered by the guests to express their support and commitment to the Alliance. 

The governing body of the Alliance is its Executive Board, which will be composed of the three founding members for the first three years of its establishment.  SYSU will provide the Chair whilst CUHK and UM will provide the Vice-Chairpersons of the Board.  Prof. Joseph Sung said in his speech, ‘The last decade saw the rapid development of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) Region.  The changes and initiatives, along with the present construction of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, provide unprecedented opportunities for research and education development.  Through the alliance partnership, we hope to expand space and enhance capacity for higher education institutions in the regions.  Collaboration may include joint funding sources, student exchange programmes, internship and career opportunities, as well as sharing of major research facilities.  We look forward to more concrete and substantial synergies in research and education cooperation.’ 

Dozens of guests from Hong Kong, Guangdong Province and Macau witnessed the historic moment of the establishment of the Alliance.  It symbolizes the collaboration among institutions in pursuing excellence, educating the young, and rendering community services to realize and promulgate the development in the three regions.  Participating members joining the Alliance comprise ten universities from Guangdong Province (including SYSU, South China University of Technology, Jinan University, South China University of Agriculture, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, South China Normal University, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and Shantou University), nine universities from Hong Kong (including CUHK, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, Lingnan University, The Education University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and The University of Hong Kong); and seven institutions from Macau (including UM, University of Saint Joseph, Institute for Tourism Studies, City University of Macau, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao Polytechnic Institute and Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macau). 

CUHK and institutions of the PRD region have long been close collaborators in academic exchange and scientific research.  The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau University Alliance, consolidating resources from the three regions, serves as a force for driving initiatives that incorporate efforts into research and education.  The member institutions will host regular activities, co-organize research teams; develop cross-institution programmes, share resources and exchange experience to boost academic standards and innovation.