USJ Joins Macao – Hengqin Science and Technology Innovation Ecosystem
USJ Joins Macao – Hengqin Science and Technology Innovation Ecosystem
23
Jul
23/07/2024
The “Macao – Hengqin Industry – Academia – Research Networking in Tech Innovation and Signing Ceremony” was held on 19 July 2024 in the Hengqin Guangdong – Macao In Depth Cooperation Zone. At the event, the government witnessed the announcement of three new research institutes in Hengqin namely “USJ (Hengqin) Advanced Technology Research Institute”, “University of Saint Joseph Research Centre of Applied Neurosciences in Hengqin”, and “USJ Sino-Lusophone Business Development and Incubation Centre in Hengqin”.
The “Macao – Hengqin Industry – Academia – Research Investments Networking in Tech Innovation and Signing Ceremony” was successfully held on the 19th July, 2024, in the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone (referred to as: Cooperation Zone). During the event, the announcement of the “USJ (Hengqin) Advanced Technology Research Institute”, “University of Saint Joseph Research Centre of Applied Neurosciences in Hengqin”, and “USJ Sino – Lusophone Business Development and Incubation Centre in Hengqin” were officially witnessed by the Cooperation Zone government.
University of Saint Joseph was represented by Vice-Rector Dr. Teresa Loong and Dean of the Faculty of Business and Law Professor Jenny Phillips, at the event, which was organised by the Cooperation Zone government with Mr. Li Weinong, in the capacity of Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao Special Administrative Region and Director of the Cooperation Zone Executive Committee, Mr. Fu Yongge, member of the Hengqin Working Committee of the Guangdong Provincial Committee and Deputy Director of the Cooperation Zone Executive Committee, Ms. Gu Meiling, Director of the Office of the Secretary for Economy and Finance of the Macao Special Administrative Region presided over the event. Hosting the event also included Cooperation Zone Executive Committee Deputy Director, Mr. Ken Sou (Su Kun) and Mr. Antonio Lei (Li Ziwei), Director of the Economic Development Bureau of the Cooperation Zone. Other guests relevant to technology ecosystem in Macao – Hengqin included Mr. Xie Wengqiang, Chairman of the Administrative Committee of the Macau Science and Technology Development Fund, Deputy Director Pang Qifu, of the Macau Economic and Technological Development Bureau, and relevant leaders of various working agencies in the cooperation zone.
In his welcoming speech, Secretary Li said: “Since its establishment, the cooperation zone has laid a solid foundation in carrying out the important mission of promoting the collaborative scientific and technological innovation development of Macao and Hengqin. Under the guidance of the country and the joint promotion of the Guangdong and Macao governments, the cooperation zone has introduced a series of science and innovation policies to provide Macao – Hengqin collaborative development of science and technology, Industry – Academia – Research cooperation, and talent cultivation in the science and technology industry.”
The University of Saint Joseph, with its unique developments in neuroscience and international linkage to Sino – Lusophone countries and research projects with Portugual, Brazil and beyond, has secured a place as one of the “4” Macao universities to initiate projects within the “Macao – Hengqin Techcosystem”. This follows the successful creation of the USJ Sino – Lusophone Business Development Centre in 2023 which saw more than 7 international talent development events held by USJ in Hengqin after its inception and has been elevated as an incubation centre in this ceremony. The Development centre will continue its role to serve Portuguese – Speaking Countries’ development in its capacity as a talent development hub and serve as a bridge for companies to and fro Hengqin from the Greater Bay Area, though Macao, the international markets through the USJ international network.
This is the first time that multiple Macao universities have gathered together in Hengqin for technology development, marking a significant milestone in the development in the fields of technological innovation, talent training and technology transformation. Mr. Ken Sou, Executive Committee Deputy Director of the Cooperation Zone said: “The cooperation zone is currently using the space as ‘technical small and medium-sized enterprise gathering place’ as a starting point to coordinate the resources of Macao universities, high-quality enterprises, and industrial investments, to bring (create new products) the “products” (through technology innovation). Thus, academic and research resources will be fully integrated, so that the various elements of new productivity can be integrated to create a positive “chemical reaction”, creating a “Macao – Hengqin techcosystem”! Providing young people with more opportunities for technological innovation and development!”
As part of the 16 well-known companies and institutions introduced in this event, University of Saint Joseph, in conjunction with SANY (Zhuhai) Investment Co. Ltd. and Zhuhai Hengqin Keng Lam Cultural Industry Co. Ltd., will create the University of Saint Joseph (Hengqin) Advanced Technology Research Institute to house its research in high tech areas such as “Green” and “Blue” Biotech, Environmental sciences, Automation, Neurosciences and AI in analytics. Specifically, the USJ Laboratory of Applied Neuroscience, in conjunction with Mr. David Lu, CEO of Shenzhen Macrotellect Ltd., plans to construct, with the award winning “Brainlink” product series, a larger neuroscience facility in Hengqin, not only applied in the area of neuro-marketing but seeking multiple application to education, mental health and cross disciplinary research in Traditional Chinese Medicine in the newly created “University of Saint Joseph Research Centre of Applied Neurosciences in Hengqin” within the Advanced Research Institute.
Furthermore, the “Hengqin Guangdong-Macao In Depth Cooperation Zone Industrial Investment Fund” introduced to USJ via the Cooperation Zone government, which is operated by CICC Capital as the manager of the parent fund provided opportunities for government joint investments into new high tech projects in Hengqin. Uniting six major capitals to support the development of Macao – Hengqin Science and Technology, and. CICC capital has worked with other investment companies in the cooperation zone to promote high-quality technology projects.
Mr. Xu Zhongchao, managing director of CICC Capital, said: “The Guidance Fund was established in September 2023. So far, it has completed investments in 7 sub-funds and 7 direct investment projects, attracting a total of 35 companies to settle (in Hengqin), 80% of which are science and technology innovation companies, the proportion of specialised and new enterprises exceeds 40%. In addition, we have reserved more than 480 sub-funds and more than 200 commercial enterprises. Next, we will serve the commercial enterprises well, enhance their sense of gain, and cooperate with universities and research institutes. We work closely together to promote investment and serve the moderately diversification development of Macao’s economy.”
With access into the Macao – Hengqin science and technology innovation system through the creation of the “Advanced Technology Research Institute in Hengqin”, University of Saint Joseph will be able to connect its international resources in research and development connecting the “Macao – Hengqin Techosystem” to Europe, South America and Africa, paving the way for collaboration in High Tech research between the Portuguese – Speaking Countries and beyond.
