“IDEA Class”, a joint doctoral training program co-sponsored by HKSTU(GZ) and IDEA, aims to cultivate world-class and top-notch innovative talent
On July 4, 2022, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) (“HKSTU(GZ)”) and the International Digital Economy Academy (“IDEA”) signed a joint PhD student training cooperation agreement. Both sides are dedicated to nurturing top-notch PhD students at the international level, with a focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cutting-edge technology for the digital economy, in a bid to facilitate high-end talent training and scientific and technological advancement in the Greater Bay Area (GBA). The powerful combination of both sides will produce tip-top talent with international competitiveness and practical innovation capability. The admission of the first joint training PhD students is scheduled for the fall of 2023.
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Signing ceremony of the cooperation agreement
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The signing ceremony was held on the launching campus of HKSTU(GZ) in Nansha District, Guanzhou. Prof. Lionel M. Ni, president of HKUST (GZ) and academician Shen Xiangyang, founder and chairman of IDEA attended the ceremony and signed the cooperation agreement on behalf of both sides. Wu Jingshen, vice president of HKSTU(GZ), Xie Danyang, acting dean of Society Hub of HKSTU(GZ), Li Bin, special assistant to the president of HKUST (GZ) and director of the President’s Office of HKUST (GZ), Xiong Hui, AI Thrust head of HKSTU(GZ), Guo Jian, executive president of IDEA, Chen Zhihong, director of the President’s Office of IDEA, and Zhang Linlin, director of academic cooperation of IDEA also attended the signing ceremony.
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The group photo of representatives of both sides
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The “IDEA Class”, a joint doctoral training program signed by both sides this time was jointly launched by HKUST(GZ) President Prof. Lionel M. Ni and academician Shen Xiangyang. It is a key program to deepen strategic cooperation between HKUST (GZ) and IDEA.
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On June 1, 2021, HKUST (GZ), which was under preparation, signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with IDEA. Both sides plan to conduct deep and strategic cooperation in such fields as talent recruitment, student cultivation, project cooperation, and sharing of scientific and technological resources in the forms of joint construction.
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After one-year of discussion and preparation as well as the official approval by the Ministry of Education for the establishment of HKUST (GZ), both sides have promptly taken a step forward to jointly train PhD students. It is also the first joint PhD students training program initiated after the establishment of HKUST (GZ). Based on the agreement signed this time, the research focus of the “IDEA Class” includes AI and cutting-edge technology for the digital economy, striving to develop features and advantages in AI in FinTech, robotics and AI automation, computer vision, and other fields. By virtue of the strong teaching force and research equipment of HKUST (GZ) and the unique mode of research and talent cultivation of IDEA, conditions will be created to enable students to master research and development ability for cutting-edge technologies. The powerful combination of both sides will produce tip-top talent with international competitiveness and practical innovation capability. The admission of the first joint training PhD students is scheduled for the fall of 2023.
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For the cooperation of both sides, HKUST(GZ) President Prof. Lionel M. Ni said, academician Shen Xiangyang had a deep bond with HKUST and we were very glad to embrace our deep cooperation with IDEA after the official approval by the Ministry of Education for the establishment of HKUST (GZ), which I believe will produce win-win results. Both sides would work?in?tandem to contribute to the scientific and technological innovation and talent training in GBA with strengths given full play.
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HKUST(GZ) President Prof. Lionel M. Ni speaks at the ceremony
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When addressing the ceremony, academician Shen Xiangyang said, it was with great joy that IDEA could cooperate with HKUST (GZ), hoping that both sides would make unprecedented and groundbreaking achievements with an innovative spirit of entrepreneurs.”
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Academician Shen Xiangyang speaks at the ceremony
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Before the signing ceremony, academician Shen Xiangyang gave a brilliant thematic speech for teachers and students of HKUST (GZ), both online and offline. He shared his personal experience and unique lessons in his research career and engaged in friendly exchanges with them.
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粵港澳大灣區(qū)數(shù)字經(jīng)濟研究院（福田）是一家面向全球人才與合作的國際化創(chuàng)新型研究機構，總部坐落于深港科技創(chuàng)新合作區(qū)內，團隊包括來自產業(yè)界和學術界的世界一流科學家和工程師，圍繞AI金融、工業(yè)AI、下一代NLP技術、視覺與機器人技術等領域展開國際一流的研究和產業(yè)化落地，實現(xiàn)科研、創(chuàng)新、創(chuàng)業(yè)一體化發(fā)展，服務粵港澳大灣區(qū)發(fā)展。
沈向洋，IDEA研究院創(chuàng)院理事長、美國國家工程院外籍院士、英國皇家工程院外籍院士。他是計算機科學與人工智能領域的世界級專家和全球科技產業(yè)領袖，也是在學術界、企業(yè)界、投資界有重要影響力的戰(zhàn)略科學家。沈向洋院士曾擔任微軟公司全球執(zhí)行副總裁，主管微軟全球研究院和人工智能產品線，并負責推動公司中長期總體技術戰(zhàn)略及前瞻性研究與開發(fā)工作。后參與創(chuàng)建了微軟亞洲研究院，并擔任院長和首席科學家，培養(yǎng)了眾多國際一流的計算機科學家、技術專家和企業(yè)家。
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