The Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (August 2) visited the University of Hong Kong (HKU) to learn more about its scientific research teams' original innovation and technology (I&T) work and their projects. She also met with the HKU senior management to receive a briefing on the latest developments of the university.
Mrs Lam, accompanied by the Council Chairman of HKU, Professor Arthur Li, and the President and Vice-Chancellor of HKU, Professor Zhang Xiang, visited the Photonic Systems Research Laboratory to learn about how the advanced biotechnology developed by the laboratory can help in clinical diagnosis including detection of cancer cells. They then visited the Tam Wing Fan Innovation Wing, which was completed last year, and met with students who are working on various innovative research and development (R&D) projects. The Innovation Wing covers over 2 400 square metres and is fully equipped with comprehensive prototyping facilities to cater for the needs of all engineering disciplines. There is also a space large enough to accommodate 100 students to work on their projects at the same time and equipped with state-of-the-art digital equipment to inspire innovation and R&D of new technology in teachers and students. Mrs Lam also met with the directors of the HKU State Key Laboratories and received a briefing from a member of the Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory on innovative research by the laboratory including studies on the environmental dimension of antibiotic resistance, the urban microbiome and environmental health.
"HKU is a comprehensive research-intensive university that consistently ranks high among the world's top institutions. Its teaching and research staff as well as students actively participate in innovative research studies and have made outstanding achievements. In the results of the University Grants Committee's Research Assessment Exercise 2020 announced earlier, HKU's performance was excellent with 75 per cent of its research being rated as world leading or internationally excellent. HKU's experts have also played an important role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic including through the development of new technology on sewage surveillance of the virus with 52 confirmed cases being identified so far and the recent development of methods for detection of variants. In addition, a nasal spray COVID-19 vaccine has also been developed by HKU in collaboration with researchers in the Mainland and is in first-phase safety clinical trials.
"Hong Kong's universities have strong R&D capabilities. The nation's 14th Five-Year Plan clearly supports Hong Kong to develop as an international I&T hub, which is testimony to the importance the Central Government attaches to Hong Kong and its confidence in it. I hope that HKU can continue to seek breakthroughs in the relevant aspects, attract internationally renowned I&T scholars to the city and nurture more talents to help develop the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area into an international I&T hub together," Mrs Lam said.
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