Professor Michael I. Kotlikoff, President of Cornell University, visited The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) (HKUST(GZ)), on November 6, on a trip designed to build deep mutual understanding and explore collaboration opportunities.

Prior to a meeting with Professor Lionel M. Ni, President of HKUST (GZ) and other senior leaders, the Cornell delegation went on a campus tour guided by Professor Shi-Wei Lee, Vice-President for Research at HKUST (GZ), with stops at the Visitor Information Center, Bio-inspired Engineering Research Facility (BIO-IERF) and Biosciences Central Research Facility (GZ) (BioCRF).

President Ni, extending warm welcome to the visitors during the senior leadership meeting, provided a comprehensive overview of HKUST(GZ)’s history, its innovative interdisciplinary model and faculty expertise.

“HKUST(GZ) is committed to promoting interdisciplinary education, enhancing student-centered teaching practices, and fostering collaborations between academia and industry to cultivate high-level academic talent for the future, thereby establishing a global knowledge innovation center,” he said.

President Ni also highlighted the progress of the university’s second-phase construction and ongoing international collaborations.

In his remarks, President Kotlikoff expressed gratitude for the warm reception from HKUST (GZ). Cornell University has long been dedicated to diverse initiatives in the realm of interdisciplinary studies, he said.

President Kotlikoff continued to introduce Cornell’s “Global Hubs” strategy, which aims to establish cooperative ties with more institutions worldwide. Noting the century-long history of collaboration between Cornell and China, Kotlikoff emphasized the strong partnership with HKUST and expressed his hope to explore new avenues for collaboration with HKUST (GZ).

Following the meeting, Vice President Professor Lee provided an in-depth overview of the university’s research endeavors, including the central laboratories, joint laboratories, and research institution developments.