The Hong Kong Productivity Council and CUHK Join Forces to Nurture Next Generation InnoTalent with On-the-Job Research Opportunities to Strengthen Local Talent Pool

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 8 February 2021 - The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) and the Faculty of Engineering of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding pledging to jointly nurture a new generation of innovation and technology (I&T) talent and incubate more InnoTalent in Hong Kong. Through the provision of various student internships and research programmes, the collaboration aims to strengthen the local I&T talent pool, inject new impetus into the research and development (R&D) and business sectors and enhance the competitiveness of Hong Kong.

Mr Mohamed Butt, Executive Director of HKPC (left) and Professor Martin D. F. Wong, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering of CUHK (right) signed a Memorandum of Understanding pledging to jointly nurture a new generation of innovation and technology talent.

Mr Mohamed Butt, Executive Director of HKPC, said, "Talent is the key success factor for business when I&T has been sweeping across the entire world and re-industrialisation is currently in active mode. The demand for I&T power and talent by different industries has rapidly risen, especially when the global economy is entering the new normal era."

Mr Butt continued, "With over 50 years of experience in consultancy services for I&T and applied research and future skills training, HKPC takes up the public mission of nurturing talent. Our new collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering of CUHK showcases HKPC's commitment to the nurturing of R&D and innovation talent. Addressing the different needs of undergraduate students, research postgraduates and PhD students, HKPC will roll out internships and research programmes in line with the requirement of the academic departments to enable students to acquire hands-on R&D experience as early as possible. We hope this initiative can strengthen the local talent pool and benefit the robust development of local I&T."

Professor Martin D. F. Wong, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering of CUHK said, "The Faculty of Engineering has always been committed to developing IT professionals and promoting technology applications. This collaboration brings together our strength in engineering research and education with HKPC's rich experiences in supporting industries in Hong Kong. Together we will be able to offer diverse internship opportunities for CUHK engineering students so that they can gain valuable work experiences and get inspiration for more innovative solutions for the development of science and technology industries in Hong Kong."

Areas for collaboration include the provision of rich and credit-bearing, on-the-job training opportunities by HKPC for students studying bachelor, master and doctoral courses at CUHK, and special teaching module, professional training and part-time master and doctoral courses for HKPC staff, provided by CUHK, in return. Giving practice and exchange opportunities to students interested in I&T learning will help converge technological talents and inject new impetus into Hong Kong's economy, industries and academia, creating favourable conditions for promoting I&T and re-industrialisation.

About Hong Kong Productivity Council

The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) is a multi-disciplinary organisation established by statute in 1967, to promote productivity excellence through integrated advanced technologies and innovative service offerings to support Hong Kong enterprises. HKPC is the champion and expert in facilitating Hong Kong's reindustrialisation empowered by i4.0 and e4.0 -- focusing on R&D, IoT, big data analytics,  AI and Robotic technology development, digital manufacturing, etc., to help enterprises and industries upgrade their business performance, lower operating costs, increase productivity and enhance competitiveness.

The Council is a trusted partner with comprehensive innovative solutions for Hong Kong industries and enterprises, enabling them to achieve resources and productivity utilisation, effectiveness and cost reduction, and enhanced competitiveness in both local and international marketplace. It offers SMEs and startups immediate and timely assistance in coping with the ever-changing business environment, accompanying them on their innovation and transformation journey.

In addition, HKPC partners and collaborates with local industries and enterprises to develop applied technology solutions for value creation. It also benefits a variety of sectors through product innovation and technology transfer, with commercialisation of multiple market-driven patents and technologies, bringing enormous opportunities abound for licensing and technology transfer, both locally and internationally.

For more information, please visit HKPC's website: www.hkpc.org.

About Faculty of Engineering, CUHK

Founded in 1963, CUHK is a forward looking comprehensive research university.  The Faculty of Engineering, established in 1991, offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes through its six departments: Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering, Mechanical and Automation Engineering, and Systems Engineering and Engineering Management.  The Faculty of Engineering has world-class teaching staff coming from prestigious universities possessing extensive teaching experience and outstanding research track records.  It is also equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to support teaching and research activities. The Faculty's mission is to train future leaders in engineering, to pursue knowledge at the frontier of modern technology, and to apply advanced technology to meet societal and human needs. For more information about CUHK Faculty of Engineering, please refer to: www.erg.cuhk.edu.hk.