HKU & Shanghai AI Lab Signed Research Collaboration Agreement –
Strong Joint Force in Talent Development in Artificial Intelligence Across China and the Globe
On July 13, 2023, the Musketeers Foundation Institute of Data Science (“the Institute”) welcomed our first strategic research collaborative partner, the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (“the Lab”), at the campus of The University of Hong Kong! The agreement signing ceremony marked a moment to celebrate and commemorate as both units witnessed a new milestone for cross-border research collaboration in the field of artificial intelligence.
The collaboration aims at delivering world-class impactful research in AI and nurturing top research talents. Apart from the officiating guests from the Lab and HKU who came to grace the event, we have Mr Hailong Shang, Legislative Councillor of the Hong Kong SAR Government as our guest of honor to witness the ceremony with other key members of both sides. Professor Max Shen, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) and Professor Yanfeng Wang, Assistant to Director at the Lab were the authorized parties to sign the agreement: it was an eventful day that it kick-started the beginning of a strategic alliance for AI research development between the Lab and HKU. At the ceremony, HKU and the Lab promised to join force in nurturing young talents in delivering world-class innovative research outputs beneficial to the community in Hong Kong and the Great Bay Area.
<Front Left to Right> Professor Max Shen, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research), The University of Hong Kong and Professor Yanfeng Wang, Assistant to Director at the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory represented HKU and the Lab respectively to sign the research collaboration agreement.
<Left to Right> The other officiating guests to the ceremony joined as witnesses to the signing processes.
In his welcoming address, Professor Max Shen exclaimed his excitement over the launch of this collaborative relationship for the Institute, and the University as a whole. He said, “I have been longing to see the strong partnership between HKU and the Lab to happen. And today, this aspiration has eventually come true. I very much look forward to the fruitful accomplishment brought by this research collaboration, which not only aligns with the University’s commitment in delivering research excellence, but also contributes to the betterment of mankind through the advancement of sci-tech projects on data science.”
Professor Xiao-ou Tang, the Lab’s Director, further remarked the significance of this collaboration, as an inaugural joint platform for talent nurturance, whose students will benefit from the wealth of resources and connections with the Lab, and at the same the academic research support and manpower at HKU. Professor Tang added, “Our collaboration will ultimately work towards building a ‘Whampoa Military Academy’ in the field of AI, a globally renowned breeding ground for outstanding data scientists in both Shanghai and Hong Kong. Congratulations on our concerted efforts in promoting scientific research development in artificial intelligence!”
The Institute’s Director, Professor Yi Ma, echoed Professor Tang on his visions, “Indeed, the most important matter is to create models of knowledge transfer and talent development that can be duplicated for use in other institutions. With our good people and good hardware, I trust we can achieve great things.”
exchanged gift with Professor Yanfeng Wang, Assistant to Director of the Shanghai AI Lab, to mark the day.
