21 May 2025 

The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong (HSUHK) opened its first office in the Mainland, the HSUHK (Nansha) Centre, in Guangzhou today (21 May), symbolising the University’s dedication towards advancing the synergistic development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as well as providing a physical hub for building connections and exchanges among youth from Guangdong and Hong Kong.

Officiating at the Opening Ceremony were Liu Xiaotong, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Guangzhou Nansha District Committee, Head of the United Front Work Department of Guangzhou Nansha District; Huang Mian, Second-level Researcher, International Exchange and Cooperation Division, Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Education; Luo Yun, Director General of Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of Guangzhou Nansha Development Zone; Cai Gongliang, Deputy Director General of Guangzhou Nansha District Bureau of Education, and senior management of HSUHK, including Dr the Hon Moses Cheng, Chairman of the Council; Mr James S Tsien, Vice-Chairman of the Council; Professor Simon Ho, President; Professor Joshua Mok, Provost and Vice-President (Academic and Research), Professor Jeanne Fu, Vice-President (Learning and Student Experience) and Co-Chairman of the Management Committee of HSUHK GBA Centres; and Dr Josiah Chan, Vice-President (Organisational Development) and Co-Chairman of the Management Committee of HSUHK GBA Centres. Over 150 guests, including government representatives from the Nansha and Panyu districts, HSUHK’s Governors and Council members, senior management, staff, students and alumni representatives.

In his welcome address, Dr Moses Cheng highlighted that the HSUHK (Nansha) Centre not only symbolises a physical expansion of the University but also underscores HSUHK’s commitment to leverage the competitive edge of the municipalities in advancing the development of the Greater Bay Area. HSUHK aims to use education as a catalyst for creating a resource-sharing and youth-nurturing ecosystem in the Greater Bay Area.

Liu Xiaotong, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Guangzhou Nansha District Committee, Head of the United Front Work Department of Guangzhou Nansha District, emphasised that with favourable policies under the Nansha Development Plan, such as tax incentives and pilot schemes that facilitate cross-border data flow, Nansha, situated at the heart of the Greater Bay Area, has created a fast track for all-rounded youth development. The establishment of the Nansha Centre accelerates the realisation of the “Mainland Hardware + Hong Kong and Macau Creativity” model, positioning it as a crucial element in the collaborative development of the Greater Bay Area.

In his vote of thanks, President Simon Ho reiterated that the inauguration of the HSUHK (Nansha) Centre is the key to promoting tertiary educational integration among Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau. The University is dedicated to fully utilising the Nansha Centre’s advantageous geographical location and resources to encourage youth entrepreneurship incubation and innovation in the Greater Bay Area.

During the Ceremony, President Ho and Yunhui Zhang, General Manager of Guangzhou Nansha Urban Operation Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Guangzhou Nansha Development and Construction Group Co., Ltd., signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on behalf of HSUHK and the Nansha Innovation Bay Development Council respectively. The partnership will deepen the integration of cross-border resources and encourage industry-academia collaboration. President Ho described the MoU as “a manifesto of the collaboration between academia, industry and research”, pledging to transform the HSUHK (Nansha) Centre into an all-in-one platform for youth entrepreneurship.

The Greater Bay Area Youth Entrepreneurship Forum was also held on the same occasion, gathering perspectives from the government of Nansha district, academia, as well as mature and emergent entrepreneurs, to discuss the competitive edges and challenges of youth entrepreneurship in the Greater Bay Area. Zhou Xia, Deputy Director of Employment Center of Guangzhou Nansha District of Human Resources and Social Security dissected policy incentives for youth innovation; Mr David Wong, Lecturer at the Department of Management at HSUHK, summarised experiences in training students for starting start-ups; and two HSUHK alumni shared their ventures, illustrating new opportunities for young entrepreneurs in the Greater Bay Area. Dr Eko Liao, Associate Professor at the Department of Management and forum moderator, concluded that the development of Nansha is rapidly changing, with relevant policies and infrastructure shaping an entrepreneurial ecosystem full of opportunities, accelerating the realisation of young people’s entrepreneurial dreams.