Secretary for Innovation, Technology & Industry Prof Sun Dong yesterday visited the University of Waterloo, in Canada, to learn about its work in transforming research outcomes into viable applications.

A research-intensive institution, the University of Waterloo ranked 21st in computer science and information systems, and 40th in engineering and technology, in the Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings by Subject 2024.

Prof Sun met the university’s President & Vice-Chancellor Prof Vivek Goel, as well as its Associate Vice-President, and the Deans of its faculties of Arts, Engineering, Health, Mathematics, and Science.

He explained that Hong Kong attaches great importance to co-ordination among upstream, midstream and downstream elements in innovation and technology development.

He highlighted that the city has launched an array of measures in recent years to support startups. These include the I&T Accelerator Pilot Scheme, which provides subsidies to attract professional startup service providers with proven track records in and beyond Hong Kong to set up accelerator bases in the city.

The University of Waterloo is one of the top universities in the world for quantum computing. Its cross-disciplinary Institute for Quantum Computing nurtures research talent and serves as a strategic partner for the emerging quantum industry. Prof Sun visited the institute to learn more about the frontier technology it is developing.

He outlined that $3 billion was allocated in Hong Kong’s 2023-24 Budget for the launch of a scheme to support the development of frontier technology research in fields such as artificial intelligence and quantum technology.

The University of Waterloo is one of the non-local partners of Hong Kong’s InnoHK Clusters. In 2022, in partnership with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, it established the Centre for Eye & Vision Research at the Hong Kong Science Park, in order to promote eye health and develop new technologies to prevent loss of vision.

Touring the University’s School of Optometry & Vision Science, Prof Sun was briefed on the school’s development, advanced equipment and research projects.

Prof Sun said InnoHK is committed to fostering global research and development collaboration, adding that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government encourages academic exchanges to advance translational research and the development of innovative applications.