On November 19, the 2025 Shanghai–Hong Kong University Alliance Annual Conference and the thematic forum “Collaboration · Development — University Cooperation and Exchange between Shanghai and Hong Kong under New Circumstances” were held at Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Minhang Campus.
Participants included Chen Dali, Deputy Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of the Ministry of Education; Zhang Jing, First-Level Inspector of the Ministry of Education’s Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Office; Zhou Qinjian, Director of the International Exchange Division of the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission; Ding Kuiling, President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; and more than 60 representatives from 16 universities in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

The conference was chaired by Liu Weidong, Vice President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Ding Kuiling delivered the welcome address on behalf of SJTU.
He noted that the university has always attached great importance to openness in education and actively participates in various international and cross-regional educational alliances to advance comprehensive cooperation in education, science and technology, and talent development.

Over the past year, the 16 member universities of the Alliance have deepened collaboration in three major areas: research cooperation, talent cultivation, and faculty/student exchanges, with significant progress in disciplines such as computer science and medicine.

These outcomes highlight the complementary strengths and collaborative development of Shanghai and Hong Kong’s higher education systems.

He expressed hope that member universities will continue to promote coordinated development of educational resources in Shanghai and Hong Kong and contribute wisdom and strength to building China into a leading nation in education.

Hong Kong Secretary for Education, Christine Choi, sent her congratulations via video address.

She remarked that since its establishment seven years ago, the Alliance has fostered strategic partnerships among the 16 universities in both regions, particularly in talent mobility and collaborative research, fully demonstrating the vitality of China’s higher education sector.

She hopes the Alliance will further promote the integration of education, technology, and talent; actively contribute to major national strategies such as the Yangtze River Delta integration and the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area; and build a high-level collaborative innovation platform to accelerate the construction of world-class universities and disciplines— helping China move from a big education system to a strong education nation.

Zhou Qinjian, Director of the International Exchange Division (Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Office) of the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission, noted that the Alliance has achieved substantial results in the breadth, depth, and quality of scientific research collaboration.

He encouraged the Alliance to focus on national strategic needs, integrate the strengths of both regions, leverage Shanghai’s strong industrial foundation and Hong Kong’s international innovation environment, explore new paths for industry-academia-research collaboration, and promote innovation transfer and ecosystem development.

Chen Dali, Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Education’s Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges, emphasized that education is the foundation of national development and revitalization. He called for deeper cooperation between Shanghai and Hong Kong in higher education and urged stronger support for Hong Kong universities to integrate into the national education and technology ecosystem. Highlighting that the Alliance exemplifies China’s response to national strategies and evolving needs, he proposed three directions for its continued advancement: deepening educational synergy to build a new highland of talent cultivation, deepening scientific synergy to expand new spaces for innovative education and scientific collaboration, and optimizing talent synergy to bring together new drivers of growth.

Lai Wai-ha, Director of the Academic Liaison and Mainland Affairs Office at the University of Hong Kong, and Shen Guolin, Director of the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office of Fudan University, delivered the 2025 Alliance Work Report on behalf of the Hong Kong Secretariat and the Shanghai Secretariat of the Shanghai–Hong Kong University Alliance respectively.

Following thorough preparation and democratic consultation, the meeting officially elected the University of Hong Kong as the chair institution of the Alliance’s seventh council, with Shanghai Normal University and City University of Hong Kong serving as Vice Chair institutions. Huang Yixian, Associate Vice-President of the University of Hong Kong, presented the 2026 Alliance Work Plan on behalf of the Chair institution, while Jiang Mingjun, Vice President of Shanghai Normal University, and Li Juan, Vice President of City University of Hong Kong, delivered remarks on behalf of the Vice Chair institutions.

The annual conference then proceeded with a thematic forum titled “Collaboration · Development — University Cooperation and Exchange between Shanghai and Hong Kong under New Circumstances.” Li Juan, Vice President of City University of Hong Kong; Cheung Kwok-wai, Associate Vice-President of Hong Kong Baptist University; Yao Xin, Vice President of Lingnan University; and Yeung Chi-ho, Dean of Student Affairs at The Education University of Hong Kong, delivered keynote speeches. Representatives from member universities also engaged in focused discussions on two themes: “University Cooperation and Exchange under New Circumstances — Talent Development Case Sharing” and “University Cooperation and Exchange under New Circumstances — Technology Empowerment Case Sharing.”

Since its establishment in 2018, the Shanghai–Hong Kong University Alliance has become an important channel for expanding collaboration between universities in Hong Kong and mainland China. The Alliance cultivates diverse and outstanding talent for the new era. Alliance members include: Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Tongji University, East China Normal University, Shanghai University, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai Normal University, East China University of Political Science and Law, the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University, Lingnan University, and The Education University of Hong Kong.

Translated by: Rebecca

Proofreading by: Elizabeth Pan