HKBU signed a University-wide Comprehensive Research Collaboration Framework Agreement with Shanghai University (SHU) on 29 September. The accord aims to strengthen exchange and collaboration between the two universities in the fields of scientific research and training research talent, while also establishing a crucial research platform to promote the development of Shanghai and Hong Kong as well as the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

The online agreement signing ceremony was officiated by representatives from HKBU including Professor Guo Yike, Vice-President (Research and Development), Professor Huang Yu, Associate Vice-President (Mainland), Professor Johnny Poon, Associate Vice-President (Interdisciplinary Research), Professor Zhang Jianhua, Associate Vice-President (Global Research Collaboration); representatives from SHU included Professor Gong Siyi, Vice President, Professor Cui Wei, Head of the Office of Hong Kong-Macau-Taiwan Affairs, and Professor Zeng Jun, Head of the Humanities and Social Sciences Office. 

For the first research collaboration project, after signing the agreement the two universities co-organised three online workshops in Smart Media Technologies, Artificial Intelligence and Ethics as well as Film Arts, which attracted nearly 1,000 participants. More than 20 renowned scholars from both universities delivered speeches. 

In the future, the two universities will combine their respective strengths in institutional operation and innovative research. They will also carry out all-round interdisciplinary academic exchanges to further enhance their research capacity and international influence.