China Telecom and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement, marking a significant step in strengthening industry-academia-research collaboration.
As part of this partnership, both parties announced the establishment of an AI Innovation Laboratory and a Quantum Innovation Joint Laboratory.
Additionally, they will launch a Joint Talent Development Program under a “1+2+1” innovation framework to drive cutting-edge technological advancements, facilitate research commercialization, and cultivate a high-caliber talent pipeline.
HKUST’s artificial intelligence subject ranks first in the Greater China region and is among the top 20 worldwide.
This collaboration will fully harness HKUST’s cutting-edge research strengths and China Telecom’s industrial transformation expertise to drive innovation. Through the ‘1 Joint Management Committee + 2 Major Laboratories + 1 Talent Program’ framework, the partnership aims to establish a comprehensive innovation ecosystem spanning basic research, technological breakthroughs, commercial applications and ecosystem development.
The Artificial Intelligence Innovation Laboratory will focus on conducting research aligned with international standards, developing a robust evaluation system for large-scale models, and advancing AI technologies.
The Quantum Innovation Joint Laboratory will engage in joint research on quantum computing and targeted application scenarios, while also developing interdisciplinary curriculum frameworks to foster cross-domain expertise. In addition, both parties will jointly launch a series of talent development initiatives strengthening the digital technology talent pool in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area – laying a solid foundation for sustained innovation and development.
