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HKU delegation visits University of Toronto and University of Chicago to enhance academic collaborations

13 May 2018

HKU delegation at U of Chicago

The Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global) of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) Professor W John Kao led a delegation to visit the University of Toronto (U of Toronto) in Canada and the University of Chicago (U of Chicago) in USA from April 27 to May 1 to enhance academic collaborations.

The delegation was joined by members from the Faculties of Arts, Architecture, Medicine, Science, Social Sciences and the Graduate School.

During the visit, HKU and U of Toronto established a Global Strategic Partnership Fund that will foster a deeper institutional engagement across all levels and result in broader local and international impact. The Institutions will contribute to the Fund on a matched fund basis which will offer faculty and students increased access to research and learning opportunities across disciplines and across borders.

HKU signs strategic partnership with U of Toronto and MITACS

Building upon HKU-U of Toronto existing collaborations, a trilateral collaboration with U of Toronto and non-profit national research organization MITACS was established.  A part of the tripartite agreement is to have MITACS’ support for U of Toronto students to come to HKU and for HKU students to go to U of Toronto or other Canadian institutions through MITACS’ Global Link programme.

During the visit at the U of Toronto, HKU members had a town hall ideas exchange forum with the university’s students, academic and non-academic staff, and HKU exchange students. Informal discussions were heard across all aspects of HKU disciplines. Professor Kao also had a chance to inform the U of Toronto community about HKU’s global and Mainland strategy.

At the U of Chicago, the delegation was invited to feature the University hosting an HKU Day at U of Chicago event and met with senior leaders of the university to reinforce the HKU-U of Chicago strategic partnership which started in 2016. The event also highlighted the positions of HKU and U of Chicago as respective regional hubs and leads.

Professor Kao said: “With clear aims and objectives we work together to bring together the institutions’ shared visions. The partnerships are the epitome of HKU’s global strategy to enhance its core mission of teaching and learning, research and knowledge exchange to integrate and harness international activities, as well as to deliver positive societal impact.”

The delegation also met with the HKU Alumni Association of Ontario and HKU Central USA Alumni Network. As the largest alumni chapter overseas with 33 years of history, the demographic of the chapter is mainly professionals in which some of them are mentors to HKU students when they go on exchange to Ontario.

“This historical visit by the largest delegation from our alma mater marks the beginning of a new phase and mode of interaction between the university community and the overseas alumni to bring the synergy to a new height,” said Dr Thomas Wong, President of HKU Central USA Alumni Network.

HKU delegation attends HKU Alumni Association of Ontario Annual General Meeting

HKU Central USA Alumni Network hosting HKU delegation

For media enquiries, please contact Ms Melanie Wan, Senior Manager (Media) tel: 2859 2600/ email: melwkwan@hku.hk, or Ms Rashida Suffiad, Senior Manager (Media) tel: 2857 8555/ email: rsuffiad@hku.hk of the Communications and Public Affairs Office, HKU.