Nancy Ip, the president of the university, will lead the delegation, which will also look for possible areas of cooperation between the UAE's investment and HKUST's technological and engineering know-how. This comes after Professor Sun Dong, Hong Kong's secretary for innovation, technology, and industry, visited the UAE earlier. Building on these initiatives, Ip's delegation celebrates a noteworthy turning point for Hong Kong's academic community, reaffirming the city's dedication to collaborating with the UAE to advance research and innovation.

The UAE is now the largest trading partner in the Middle East and one of Hong Kong's principal commercial partners for the last ten years. Last year, John Lee, the chief executive of Hong Kong, made his first trip abroad to the country as a sign of his dedication to fortifying ties.

promoting cooperation

The HKUST delegation will forge new ties with significant players and partners in the innovation and higher education systems in the United Arab Emirates. In order to do this, a number of meetings and conversations with government officials, different businesses, and other partners involved in innovation, research, technology, and technology transfer in the domains of robotics, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and start-up incubation will be held.

Among these important establishments are the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, the University of Sharjah, the Dubai Future Foundation, and Khalifa University.

In light of HKUST's intention to launch Hong Kong's third medical school, the group will also tour these important UAE universities' cutting-edge medical research facilities. By doing this, it will learn more and look into possible joint ventures.


The team will also throw a reception in order to interact with local alumni associations and deepen their connections to their former university. This event fosters a sense of community among alumni in the UAE and gives them a chance to connect with HKUST and hear about the university's current projects and developments.

HKUST has maintained a continuous ranking in the top three young institutions and top 70 universities worldwide. has is the first university in the area to support open AI, and has just built one of the most sophisticated AI computer facilities for large-scale language model training, drug screening, and other interdisciplinary AI research.

Achievement in various fields
 

Academics are also renowned for effectively utilizing the outcomes of their fundamental research in practical ways that advance society. More than 1,700 active startups, nine unicorns, and thirteen successful exits have been supported by HKUST to date. Among these is the drone empire, DJI, which was founded by Frank Wang, a HKUST alumnus.

The UAE, which has made significant investments in the field of artificial intelligence, presents enormous opportunities for joint ventures spanning education, research, and knowledge transfer with HKUST, a renowned worldwide research institution that leads in the field. Nancy Ip, president of HKUST, stated, "Together, we can make significant contributions to the advancement and betterment of humankind."

In addition to keeping up with the UAE's quick technological breakthroughs and promoting advancements toward shared objectives of identifying and growing talent in the I&T sectors, HKUST hopes to attract more gifted students from the UAE to its undergraduate and graduate programs.
 

As the home of the most diverse undergraduate student body in Hong Kong and a leader in innovation, artificial intelligence, and entrepreneurship, HKUST is the UAE's go-to partner for technological growth and talent development in the I&T ecosystem. For aspirant UAE students looking to continue their study overseas, we are dedicated to offering top-notch research and educational opportunities," Ip continued.

fostering the transformation of talent

Returning to the synergies between the university and the United Arab Emirates, HKUST's 3.0 vision for improving living, work, and people is in line with national initiatives like the UAE's National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031 and National Program to Transform Technology, which seek to develop talent transformation for future jobs.
 

The creation of a medical school, an innovation park for industrial partnerships, and an extra research facility in mainland China are all part of HKUST's 3.0 goal.

Thus, the UAE's resolute dedication to spearheading technological advancements and emerging as a global innovation hub and center for industrial technology aligns with the objectives of China's Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to foster cross-border connectivity and collaboration in I&T and support Hong Kong's rise to prominence in the life sciences, artificial intelligence, and robotics. Since the initiative's inception, the United Arab Emirates has been a proactive partner.

Expanding upon prior achievements

Over the last year, HKUST has stepped up its efforts to establish connections with UAE stakeholders and has welcomed dignitaries such as the UAE's ambassador to China, H.E. Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, and Minister of Economy, His Excellency Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri.
 

The Hong Kong Center for Construction Robotics (HKCRC), one of HKUST's innovation centers, and its incubated start-up recently took part in the LEAP 2024 technology conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where they demonstrated how their cutting-edge robotic technology could aid in the development of Middle Eastern construction. This demonstrated the university's active involvement in commercializing technologies and fostering the region's growth.