EdUHK and MUST Launch “Hong Kong–Macao Link Joint Research Framework” Advancing High-Quality Regional Development
The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) and the Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) officially launched the “Hong Kong–Macao Link Joint Research Framework” on 1 September. Building on the Memorandum of Understanding previously signed by both universities, the initiative will focus on cross-border research aligned with the development strategies of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), while promoting resource sharing and complementarity of strengths.
EdUHK President Professor John Lee Chi-Kin said, “This partnership represents a landmark research collaboration between universities in Hong Kong and Macao, with far-reaching implications for regional integration in education and research within the GBA. By combining the strengths of both institutions in education, humanities, and social sciences, we aim to establish a high-level cross-border research platform that will generate forward-looking academic insights and provide policy support for high-quality development and coordinated governance in the region.”
Centred on the theme “A Study of the Belt and Road Initiative and the High-Quality Development of Hong Kong and Macao”, the framework encompasses five key research streams: Cross-Border Governance and Policy Integration; Social Development and Public Welfare Integration; Smart and Green Development for Regional Integration; BRI International Connectivity and Governance Cooperation; and Historical and Cultural Relations between Hong Kong and Macao.
The framework is supervised by Professor May Cheng May-hung, Vice President (Academic) of EdUHK, and Dr Tong Ka-lok, Vice President (Administration, Strategy) of MUST. It is co-led by Professor Naubahar Sharif, Head of the Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies (SSPS) at EdUHK, and Professor Lin Guangzhi, Director of the Institute for Social and Cultural Research (ISCR) at MUST.
Professor May Cheng emphasised that the framework harnesses interdisciplinary expertise to deliver impactful research supporting social governance. Dr Tong Ka-lok noted that the collaboration leverages Macao’s unique background alongside EdUHK’s academic strengths to deepen research and cultural integration.
Beyond the framework, both universities are extending collaboration into frontier technology fields. Drawing on EdUHK’s strengths in linguistics and MUST’s expertise in computer science, they will jointly undertake research projects in Computational Linguistics, led by Professor Michelle Gu Mingyue, Assistant Vice President (Research) of EdUHK, and Professor Sun Qiao, Dean of the Faculty of Innovation Engineering at MUST.
Both institutions are also exploring academic collaboration on dual master’s degree programmes in areas including Low-Altitude Economy and Management, as well as Elderly Care Service Management and Social Governance. In collaboration with EdUHK’s Academy for Applied Policy Studies and Education Futures (AAPSEF) and MUST, these planned programmes aim to further foster higher education exchange and talent development.
-Ends-
