Renmin University of China and the Education University of Hong Kong signed a cooperation framework agreement on Tuesday to establish joint student programs and nurture professionals capable of adapting to technological advances, marking another achievement in closer educational ties between the Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

According to the partnership, the two universities will promote academic visits and launch joint programs for student training and exchanges. They will also leverage the research institute of RUC in Shenzhen to enhance EdUHK students’ understanding of the country’s development.

The institutions plan to collaborate on training programs for basic education teachers and jointly establish a platform to promote Chinese culture.

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Besides EdUHK, Renmin University of China has established partnerships with six Hong Kong institutions, including the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

In an interview with China Daily, Zhang Donggang, RUC’s Party secretary said the university will increase cooperation with academia and the technology sector in Hong Kong, and speed up the establishment of its research institutes in Hong Kong and Macao.

These institutes will foster interdisciplinary collaboration in addition to nurturing talent for the development of digital and intelligent technologies. They will also help deepen academic exchanges and facilitate joint student training programs by leveraging talent initiatives such as Hong Kong’s Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS).

In the long run, higher education collaboration between the mainland and Hong Kong should extend beyond student exchanges and scientific research partnerships to establish more stable, institutionalized cooperation at a deeper level, Zhang said.

The mainland offers abundant educational resources, while Hong Kong contributes international perspectives and advanced pedagogical approaches, he said, adding, “This complementary advantage enables us to jointly explore innovative talent development approaches and cultivate professionals for the digital and intelligent era.”

Mainland universities have made consistent progress, with their international rankings steadily climbing, which Zhang noted has laid a solid foundation for enhanced collaboration with their Hong Kong counterparts.

In recent years, collaboration between Hong Kong and mainland universities has increased. Earlier this month, the University of Hong Kong signed a cooperation agreement with Jinan University in Guangzhou, Guangdong province in the field of law, establishing a student exchange mechanism that will promote resource sharing.

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Last month, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology agreed strategic partnerships with Peking University Health Science Center and Tsinghua Medicine of Tsinghua University respectively, aiming to jointly promote medical education, scientific research and development, and clinical applications.

Contact the writer at irisli@chinadailyhk.com