April 12, 2026 — The Third Hong Kong World Youth Science Conference and the Hong Kong Nobel Forum opened grandly in Hong Kong. As a key research institution in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Academy of Technology was invited to attend the event and, as one of the core founding members, signed agreements together with 24 leading research institutions from Asia and Europe to officially launch the International Alliance for Asia-Europe Science, Technology, and Innovation Development and Cooperation, helping Hong Kong build itself into a hub for international innovation and technology cooperation.
Under the theme of “Co-Creating the Future with the World,” the conference served as a key component of Hong Kong’s International Innovation and Technology Business Week. It was hosted by the Hong Kong Beijing University Alumni Alliance and supported by the Innovation, Technology and Industry Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government. The conference brought together Nobel Prize, Turing Award, and Abel Prize laureates, as well as over a hundred academicians and top scientists from home and abroad, focusing on frontier fields such as artificial intelligence, biomedicine, quantum technology, and green energy to discuss pathways for global collaborative innovation in science and technology and industrial cooperation.
Built upon a comprehensive research system, the Hong Kong Academy of Technology operates 3 professional committees, 7 academic divisions, and 14 postdoctoral stations, bringing together a large number of high-caliber researchers from home and abroad. With long-standing expertise in information technology, materials engineering, pharmaceutical and life sciences, and energy and environmental fields, the Academy is an important force in Hong Kong’s development as an international innovation and technology center. Its deep participation in the conference and leadership in the launch of the international alliance highlight its core position in international collaborative innovation in science and technology.
At the opening ceremony, witnessed by leaders from the SAR Government and relevant central government departments, the Hong Kong Academy of Technology signed the alliance founding document together with representatives of other Asian and European research institutions. The alliance aims to build a cross-regional, cross-disciplinary platform for innovation and technology cooperation, promote deep synergy in technology R&D,成果转化, talent exchange, and industrial implementation, open up channels for the flow of scientific and technological resources between Asia and Europe, accelerate the journey of frontier technologies from the laboratory to the market, and provide a new paradigm for global open cooperation in science and technology.
In his address, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR, John Lee, noted that Hong Kong, as a “super connector” and “super value-adder,” is home to five world top-100 universities and an open and transparent business environment. Through the InnoHK research platform, Hong Kong is building three major research clusters in medical technology, artificial intelligence and robotics, and sustainable development, bringing together global research strength to provide solid support for international scientific and technological cooperation. Chen Wei, Director of the Fourth Bureau of the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Central Committee and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, stated that the nation supports Hong Kong and Macao in becoming hubs for international high-end talent, encourages Hong Kong to achieve high-quality development while serving the national strategy, and deepens industry-academia-research collaborative innovation.
Zhou Jiaxian, Vice President of the Hong Kong Academy of Technology, stated that the Academy will take the establishment of the alliance as an opportunity to leverage its research and resource advantages, working with alliance members to carry out practical cooperation in frontier technology breakthroughs, international talent cultivation, commercialization of research outcomes, and coordinated industrial implementation. This will help Hong Kong strengthen its advantages in connecting domestic and international resources, deeply integrate into the nation’s scientific and technological development agenda, promote efficient alignment of innovation and technology resources between the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Asia-Europe region, and contribute Hong Kong’s strength to the sustainable development of global science and technology.
During the conference, the Hong Kong Academy of Technology also actively participated in frontier forums, project matching sessions, and other activities, engaging in in-depth exchanges with research institutions and technology enterprises from home and abroad to expand cooperation opportunities. Going forward, the Academy will continue to build on international cooperation platforms, deepen fundamental research and applied technology innovation, support Hong Kong’s development as an international innovation and technology center, and drive global collaborative advancement in science and technology to new heights.