From August 18 to 21, 2025, the Jingjinji National Center of Technology Innovation, the GBA Institute of Collaborative Innovation (GICI), and Huangpu Innovation College jointly organized an orientation camp for the 2025 cohort of the Doctoral Programme in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Huangpu Innovation College in Guangzhou. Five students from the HKU-BICI Entrepreneurship Joint Educational Placement Programme for PhD students participated alongside peers from other prestigious universities, including Tsinghua University, Peking University, Beihang University, South China University of Technology and Sun Yat-sen University. Together, they engaged in a diverse range of programmes and exchange activities.Over the course of this three-day event, participants visited exhibition centers at Huangpu Innovation College and toured leading high-tech enterprises specializing in semiconductor technology, such as Zenithnano and Lumida. They also explored startups focused on healthcare equipment and biomedical engineering, including ChromX Health, AciMicro, and Sigpharm (SIG), gaining insights into their cutting-edge technologies, operational models, and entrepreneurial journeys.The HKU-BICI Entrepreneurship Joint Educational Placement Programme for PhD, operated jointly by The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation (BICI), is open for applications. Click here to learn more about the programme details.

On May 9, 2025, the HKU Collaborative Innovation Center and Jingjinji National Center of Technology Innovation (京津冀国家技术创新中心) successfully co-organized a pivotal event at the University of Hong Kong’s Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, focusing on the 2025 National Key R&D Program – Disruptive Technology Innovation Key Project in biomedical engineering. The seminar attracted over 60 participants, including researchers, academic leaders, and industry professionals, who gathered to gain insights into the program’s objectives, funding mechanisms, and application strategies.   The event commenced with a comprehensive presentation led by Professor Liu Xianguo, Director of the Biomedical Engineering Institute at the Guangzhou Disruptive Technology Innovation Center. Professor Liu, alongside a panel of experts, detailed the program’s emphasis on fostering groundbreaking innovations that align with national technological priorities. They highlighted the exclusion of purely theoretical studies, stressing the need for projects with tangible real-world impact, particularly in areas such as advanced medical devices, AI-driven diagnostics, and regenerative medicine. The session also clarified the three-tiered funding structure: early-stage “Yuzhong(育种)” projects (1–2 million RMB per phase), mid-term “Yumiao（育苗）” projects, and recent “Yucai（育材）” projects (5–10 million RMB per phase), all eligible for rolling support. Eligibility was confirmed for universities, research teams, and companies across Mainland China and Hong Kong, encouraging cross-regional collaboration.   Following the presentation, attendees engaged in a lively 30-minute Q&A and networking session, during which participants clarified application requirements and exchanged ideas over lunch. The seminar’s interactive format was further enhanced by eight pre-scheduled one-on-one consultations in the afternoon, allowing project teams to receive personalized feedback from experts. These discussions delved into proposal refinement, commercialization pathways, and strategies for scaling innovations, underscoring the program’s focus on practical, scalable solutions.   For event recordings or inquiries about project applications, please contact: Victoria Tian at victoria.tian@hku.hk. Official program guidelines: https://service.most.gov.cn/kjjh_tztg_all/20250214/5632.html.      

  The 2024 National Disruptive Technology Innovation Work Conference cum Huangpu Innovation College Inauguration Ceremony was successfully held on September 26, 2024 in Huangpu District, Guangzhou.  The event was hosted by Jingjinji National Center of Technology Innovation Center, Guangzhou Disruptive Innovation Projects Agency and Huangpu Innovation College, co-organised by Shanghai Disruptive Technology Innovation Center and Wuhan Disruptive Technology Innovation Center, and supported by China Construction Science and Industry Corporation Ltd.  Over 300 participants attended the event to witness the inauguration ceremony of Huangpu Innovation College, and the award presentation ceremony of the National Disruptive Technology Innovation Competition.   Disruptive technology innovation project representative Dr Lin Feng, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Micro-Nano Robot, Dr Junqi Wang, Founder and CEO of ChromX Health, as well as Ms. Pei Xu, a PhD student of the HKU-BICI Entrepreneurship Joint Educational Placement Programme, spoke at the ceremony and shared their experiences in research development, entrepreneurship and study journey.   “Huangpu Innovation College is different from other institutions. Not only does it transfer knowledge, but it also cultivates innovative and entrepreneurial skills to nurture all-round innovative talents. To me this is a valuable opportunity,” says Xu.  Looking ahead, Xu will make use of the valuable platform, resources and opportunities provided by the Center to continue to explore, study and participate in disruptive technological innovation, and contribute to the promotion of scientific and technological advancement.   For more details about the ceremony, please visit the GBA Institute of Collaborative Innovation’s website: https://www.gba-ci.cn/home/article/detail.html?id=1292 (Chinese version only).Application for the 2025/26 HKU-BICI Entrepreneurship Joint Educational Placement Programme for PhD is now open.  Click here to learn more.

  The HKU-BICI Entrepreneurship Joint Educational Placement Programme for PhD jointly operated by The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation (BICI) is now open for application.  If you are interested in participating in practical entrepreneurship training and developing your research commercialisation skills, this is your chance to enter an excellent network of top scientists in different disciplines contributing to solving real-world problems and making positive impact to the world. Admitted students will receive scholarships for up to four years fully funded by BICI.   Apply now to unlock your potential in real-world experience!   Key Research Areas Optoelectronics Materials Environment Engineering Biomedical Engineering Intelligent Manufacturing   Programme FeaturesStudents under this Programme will be registered as a full-time 4-year PhD student in HKU, and be mentored by supervisors of both HKU and BICI. Admitted students will commence study on September 1, 2025, and will spend two years at HKU and two years at BICI’s research centres in Beijing or Guangzhou and be engaged in practical project-based training together with peers across universities and disciplines. Upon successful completion of the programme and fulfilment of the graduation requirements of both HKU and BICI, students will be conferred a single PhD degree by HKU.   Financial SupportStudents admitted to this joint programme will receive scholarships for up to four years provided by BICI. During the student’s study period in HKU in Hong Kong, students will receive scholarships in accordance with the standard HKU Postgraduate Scholarship (PGS) rate. During the residency at BICI or BICI’s designated project locations, the scholarships will be granted by BICI in accordance with its regulation and policies (up to RMB 20,000 per month).   ApplicationInterested applicants should contact the proposed supervisor at HKU and obtain his/her consent in advance before submitting an online application.  In addition to the usual supporting documents required, applicants should also submit (i) an additional Application Form in simplified Chinese, (ii) a Study Plan in consultation with their intended supervisors and (iii) a Chinese CV.  Online application deadline for the 2025-26 admission:Round 1: December 1, 2024Round 2: February 28, 2025Competition is keen, please submit your application as early as possible. Application in Round 2 will only be considered if there are vacancies left in Round 1.   EnquiryHKU Collaborative Innovation Center (Ms. Celia Ying: cyying@hku.hk)Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation (BICI) (Ms. Claire He: icollege@jingjinji.cn)   Click here to learn more.

  Six students from the HKU-BICI Entrepreneurship Joint Educational Placement Programme for PhD joined the summery camp co-organised by the GBA Institute of Collaborative Innovation (GICI) and the Huangpu Innovation College from August 5 to 9, 2024, in Guangzhou.  The 5-day summer camp offered a wide range of programmes and exchange activities for around 40 PhD students from Tsinghua University, Peking University, Beihang University, University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.Throughout the 5-day programme, students attended four lectures on case studies of different disruptive innovation projects in four research areas, namely integrated circuits and micro-nano systems, energy resources and environment, life and health, and scientific instruments and new experimental systems.  They also visited the exhibition centres of Huangpu Innovation College and the Guangzhou Disruptive Innovation Projects Agency, Huangpu Military Academy, as well as the landmark high-tech enterprises such as CanSemi, Senithnano, ChromX Health and XPeng Motors, to learn about their advanced technologies, operating models and management concepts. During the visits, they had the precious opportunity for exchange and discussion with seasoned scientist entrepreneurs including Dr Junqi Wang, Founder and CEO, ChromX Health, Mr Deyu Li co-founder of HeyGears, and Mr Xie Baosheng, Partner of Addor Capital.  At the closing ceremony, the students shared their experiences of participating in the summer camp, introduced their research fields, project experiences, and aspirations for future professional development.  Dr Duoxiang Wang, Director of Jingjinji National Center of Technology Innovation, encouraged students to persist in developing disruptive technological innovation. He said that team work and professional ability are the keys to becoming an innovative talent.  He hoped that students would not only stay in the classroom and laboratory, but also take advantage of the abundant resources of the Center’s projects in their practical training and bring their scientific and technological achievements into real productive forces.   The HKU-BICI Entrepreneurship Joint Educational Placement Programme for PhD jointly operated by The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and Beijing Institute of Collaborative Innovation (BICI) is open for application all year round. Click here to learn more about the programme details.

With the support from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of the People’s Republic of China and the Shenzhen Municipal Government, the Center organised a parallel forum of the 2023 X-Lake Forum on November 17, 2023 to foster collaboration and innovation between Shenzhen and Hong Kong. The forum was a high-level event which brought together around 40 experts, scholars, and industry leaders from across disciplines to share their insights on cutting-edge technology innovation and development.