HKU President Welcomes Five-Year Plan and Policy Address 2026 Initiatives

The University of Hong Kong has welcomed the strategic initiatives outlined in Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan and the Chief Executive’s 2026 Policy Address, reaffirming its commitment to serving as a premier hub for upstream research and a catalyst for pioneering innovation.

Professor Xiang Zhang, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKU, emphasized the University’s role in aligning scientific breakthroughs with national strategies. “In recent years, HKU’s rising global talent magnetism has drawn world-leading minds, including Nobel laureate-level scholars, to our community,” Professor Zhang said. “As Hong Kong embarks on this new journey of innovation, by leading upstream blue-skies research and aligning our scientific breakthroughs with national strategies, HKU will support Hong Kong in proactively integrating into and serving the overall national development.”

Professor Zhang highlighted the strategic focus on University Towns as the cornerstone of the Northern Metropolis. He noted that HKU seeks to harness the cluster effect of these towns, driven by the synergistic “One Town, Five Elements” framework comprising education, technology, industry, talent, and urban development. This approach aims to foster closer interdisciplinary collaborations with top institutions and industry leaders locally and internationally, bridging basic research with commercial applications.

The University is also advancing world-class deep-technology facilities to support the Government’s “Three Major I&T Parks and Five Key R&D Institutions” paradigm. Tech Landmark is nearing completion, while the Global Innovation Centre (GIC) is actively being developed. These landmarks are set to integrate deeply with Hong Kong’s “North-Central-South” innovation ecosystem layout.

Furthermore, Professor Zhang welcomed the Government’s strategic commitment to positioning Hong Kong as an Asia-Pacific hub for low-altitude innovation and pioneering aerospace technologies.

HKU established the Research Institute for Civil Low-Altitude Aviation in 2025 to conduct cutting-edge research and host international summits exploring cross-boundary logistics networks. This initiative aligns with the Government’s commitment to positioning Hong Kong as an Asia-Pacific hub for low-altitude innovation and aerospace technologies.

By collaborating closely with the Government, industry leaders, and global academic networks, HKU is committed to translating frontier research into practical applications that deliver tangible societal benefits, nurturing future-ready global leaders, and shaping a bright future for the nation and the world.