On 14 November 2023, HKMU signed an agreement with the Science, Technology and Innovation Commission of Shenzhen Municipality to join Shenzhen Virtual University Park (SZVUP), becoming Hong Kong's first self-financing tertiary institution to be admitted to the Park.
SZVUP is the first innovative industry–academia–research demonstration base in the mainland for gathering resources from local and overseas institutions. It was established under the one-park, multiple-institution model and co-developed by the government and the respective institutions. The University is going to set up the Hong Kong Metropolitan University Shenzhen Research Institute (HKMUSRI) in the Park, which will foster collaboration between the two cities and commercialisation of research outcomes, focusing on three key areas of work:
Establishing the Environmental Science Research and Development (R&D) Centre to focus on the ecological conservation of mangroves and coastal wetlands, contributing to solutions in areas such as ecological restoration, environmental pollution and human health
Setting up the Smart City R&D Centre as a core project of the HKMUSRI to create a cluster of laboratories integrating the technological elements of smart cities, such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and virtual reality.
President Prof. Paul Lam Kwan-sing says, “This is an important milestone in the University's science and research development. Upon the opening of the HKMUSRI, the University will continue to capitalise on its strengths in talent development and scientific research innovation to launch impactful research projects, and to facilitate knowledge transfer for the benefit of the community.”
