The Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) and the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) 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 Dr Tong Ka-lok, Vice President (Administration, Strategy) of MUST and Professor May Cheng May-hung, Vice President (Academic) of EdUHK. It is co-led by Professor Lin Guangzhi, Director of the Institute for Social and Cultural Research (ISCR) at MUST, and Professor Naubahar Sharif, Head of the Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies (SSPS) at EdUHK. 

Dr Tong Ka Lok noted that the collaboration leverages Macao's unique background alongside EdUHK's academic strengths to deepen research and cultural integration. Professor May Cheng emphasized that the framework harnesses interdisciplinary expertise to deliver impactful research supporting social governance. 

Beyond the framework, both universities are extending collaboration into frontier technology fields. Drawing on MUST’s expertise in computer science and EdUHK’s strengths in linguistics, they will jointly undertake research projects in Computational Linguistics, led by Professor Sun Qiao, Dean of the Faculty of Innovation Engineering at MUST, and Professor Michelle Gu Mingyue, Assistant Vice President (Research) of EdUHK.

Both institutions are also exploring academic collaboration on dual master’s degree programmes in areas including Low-Altitude Economy Management and Elderly Care Service and Social Governance. These programmes, driven by EdUHK’s Academy for Applied Policy Studies and Education Futures (AAPSEF) in conjunction with MUST, aim to further facilitate postgraduate education and talent development. 

(From left) Mr Tang Kin-ching, Project Manager of the Academy for Educational Development and Innovation, EdUHK; Professor Michelle Gu Mingyue, Assistant Vice President (Research), EdUHK; Professor Aliana Leong ManWai, Associate Vice President, MUST; Professor John Lee Chi-Kin, President, EdUHK; Dr Tong Ka Lok, Vice President (Administration, Strategy), MUST; Ms Xiao Long, University Librarian, MUST; Dr Feng Junguo, Head of the School of Graduate Studies, MUST; and Ms Wing Zhao, Secretariat, MUST, at a meeting in March this year, which laid the foundation for deeper collaboration between the two universities.