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Building on the success of the inaugural event held at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) in December 2023, CUHK and Peking University jointly convened the second Sino-US University Presidents’ Dialogue at The University of Chicago on 23 September 2024 to foster academic exchange and collaboration between universities in China and the US. This event was particularly timely given the recent call by Chinese President Xi Jinping for greater collaboration between Chinese and American universities to further mutual understanding and cooperation, especially in nurturing young talent.

The event attracted over 80 participants from leading institutions, including some 30 university leaders. Distinguished speakers from China’s C9 League, CUHK, The University of Chicago, Harvard University, Yale University and the University of California, Los Angeles, among others, engaged in discussions on strengthening academic collaborations and exchanges, and explored the transformative potential of AI and emerging technologies in reshaping higher education to enhance learning experiences, improve productivity, and promote inclusivity and accessibility.

Professor Jie Chen, Vice Minister of Education for the Ministry of Education of The People’s Republic of China, joined CUHK Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Rocky S. Tuan, Peking University President Professor Qihuang Gong and The University of Chicago Provost Professor Katherine Baicker in opening the event.

In his opening speech, Professor Tuan said: “This event underscores the vital role higher education plays in fostering mutual understanding and collaboration between the two educational and economic heavyweights on both sides of the Pacific. As we navigate the complexities of the geopolitical landscape, it is more crucial than ever to maintain and strengthen our partnerships. Today’s meeting stands as a testament to our shared commitment to advancing higher education and discovering sustainable solutions that benefit not only our nations but also the world.”

Professor Tuan also chaired the panel on advancing academic collaboration between US and Chinese universities, exploring insights from the speakers on how universities in the two countries can best forge closer ties. He noted that Hong Kong serves as a unique conduit between the East and the West, resonating deeply with CUHK’s mission to bring together China and the West. As such, CUHK plays an important role in bringing together people of China and the US.

CUHK’s ties with the US date back to its establishment in 1963. The founding Vice-Chancellor, Professor Li Choh-ming, formerly from the University of California (UC), Berkeley, integrated the American tertiary education model into CUHK’s unique approach to learning and teaching, including general education and study abroad. Today, CUHK has partnerships with some 80 US universities, covering student exchanges, research centres and joint teaching programmes, among other initiatives.

CUHK also undertakes a robust programme of collaboration in research and knowledge transfer with US institutions. It leads four InnoHK Centres in collaboration with esteemed US partners—Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The University of Chicago and UC Berkeley—applying world-class research discoveries to make a translational impact in biomedicine, robotics and AI on a global scale.