Joint Innovation Lab Marks the Beginning of International Collaboration
Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) and the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) signed an agreement on March 2 to set up a joint innovation laboratory to pursue cutting-edge and interdisciplinary research for overall smart city development. The signing ceremony, held at ASTRI premises, also included an insightful seminar on “Nano and Sensing Technologies for Smart City” facilitated by leading scholars and experts from Mainland China, Hong Kong and Europe.
Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute Company Limited (ASTRI) was founded by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2000 with the mission of enhancing Hong Kong’s competitiveness in technology-based industries through applied research. ASTRI’s core R&D competences in various areas are organised under seven Technology Divisions. Five areas of applications including financial technologies, intelligent manufacturing, next generation network, health technologies, and smart city are identified for major pursuit.
“The partnership between ASTRI and INL sets a significant milestone for closer research collaboration among Hong Kong, Spain and Portugal, to leverage the power of technology for the benefit of communities and economies across Greater China and Europe,” Mr Wong Ming-yam, Chairman of ASTRI said. Professor Marina Villegas Garcia, Vice Chairman of INL Council and Director General of the Spanish State Research Organisation congratulated both organisations on the successful commencement of this partnership and hoped that “collaboration between Spain, Portugal, Mainland China and Hong Kong will lead to meaningful exchange of innovative R&D, technologies, knowledge and insights which will ultimately improve the quality of people’s lives.”
The ASTRI-INL joint laboratory will seek to promote innovative R&D efforts in smart city and intelligent manufacturing, among other areas. In addition to conducting joint R&D projects and exchanges, the partnership will also focus on grooming a new generation of researchers through mutual collaboration.