The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) signed on Saturday various memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with prestigious academic institutions and leading global innovation centers in the Chinese city of Shenzhen.
The MoUs aim to boost collaboration in the fields of industrial innovation, technology transfer, research, talent exchange, training programs, and entrepreneurship.
The agreements were signed during a visit by a Chinese delegation, headed by Mayor of Shenzhen city Qin Weizhong, to the KAUST on Saturday.
The delegation included 50 representatives from various institutions, including Tsinghua University, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (Tsinghua SIGS), Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen (RITS), Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK-Shenzhen), Shenzhen InnoX Academy, and Shenzhen Research Institute of Big Data (SRIBD).
Such partnerships represent a significant step in supporting the economic transformation efforts in Saudi Arabia, aiming to prepare a new generation of scientific research and innovation leaders while bolstering the higher education system in the Kingdom to unprecedented levels.
Partnerships with the Chinese city of Shenzhen are a pivotal component of KAUST’s new strategy, which was announced last month.
One of the strategy's goals is to solidify scientific collaboration between KAUST and renowned academic institutions and innovation centers worldwide. It also seeks to forge scientific alliances to promote the adoption of promising technologies and encourage research commercialization, thereby raising the Kingdom's economic competitiveness.
Shenzhen city is recognized as one of the world's foremost hubs for technological advancement and is the third-most economically and technologically advanced city in China, following Shanghai and Beijing.
It serves as a significant strategic partner in bolstering the innovation ecosystem in the Kingdom and further facilitates collaboration with leading companies, academics, and experts in the field of innovation in Shenzhen. This will in turn solidify KAUST’s reputation as a global hub for technology and innovation.
President of KAUST Dr. Tony Chan said the university's distinguished partnerships with prestigious institutions in Shenzhen will support KAUST's core objectives.
“These objectives include strengthening the promotion of its global research partnerships, nurturing exceptional talent, and delivering tangible benefits for the Kingdom,” he said.
