On 2 April, 2024, Professor Chen Yongqin, Master of Muse College and Professor at the School of Humanities and Social Science at CUHK(SZ), along with Professor Qin Hua, Director of the Urban Studies Program, and others, visited CUHK to participate in the “Geoinformatics and Urban Sustainability Symposium.” The symposium was jointly organized by CUHK’s Institute of Space and Earth Information Science (ISEIS) and the School of Humanities and Social Science at CUHK(SZ), with support from CUHK’s Department of Geography and Resource Management, the Institute of Future Cities, and CUHK(SZ)’s School of Science and Engineering and the Institute of Urban Underground Space and Energy. The event aimed to promote collaboration and exchanges between the two universities in the fields of environment, resources, and sustainable development.
The event brought together leading and emerging scholars from both universities to discuss the latest research developments. Participants engaged in in-depth conversations about how geoinformatics and environmental sciences can be applied to promote urban sustainability. The symposium provided an innovative platform for sharing research outcomes and exploring potential collaborative opportunities, including applying for research funding, co-authoring papers, and joint training in postgraduate and undergraduate programs, particularly the “Aerospace Sciences and Earth Informatics + X” collaborative double major program, which is expected to launch in the fall.
Symposium Overview
The symposium was successfully held at the Fok Ying Tung Remote Sensing Science Building, CUHK. The day began with a tour of ISEIS and a group photo, followed by opening remarks from Chen Yongqin and Professor Kwan Mei-po, Director of ISEIS, Professor of Geography and Resource Management, and Head of Chung Chi College and Professor.
In the morning session, several CUHK scholars gave insightful presentations, including Professor Tai Pui-kuen Amos, Director of the Earth System Science Program; Professor Li Jianfeng and Professor Kan Zihan from the Department of Geography and Resource Management; and Professors Liu Dong and Huang Lingcao from ISEIS.
Professor Sham Mai-har, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research) of CUHK, joined the research luncheon held at Chung Chi College staff club clubhouse, where colleagues from both campuses had extensive and productive discussions on enhancing academic exchanges and research collaborations. In the afternoon session, the focus shifted to professors from CUHK(SZ), including Professor Qin Hua from the School of Humanities and Social Science, Professor Simon Pun from the School of Science and Engineering, Professor Zhang Qianjiang from the Institute of Urban Underground Space and Energy Studies , and Professors Wang Yifu, Hao Haiyan, Luo Shuli, and Ma Jieqi from the School of Humanities and Social Science.
The symposium concluded with a panel discussion featuring Professors Xu Yuan and Prof. Sylvia Y. He from CUHK’s Department of Geography and Resource Management. The participants exchanged ideas on topics of mutual interest and reached several preliminary agreements on future research directions and collaboration models.
Significance and Impact
Environment and sustainability has been one of the key research areas for CUHK, highlighted in the university’s 2016-2020 strategic plan and remaining a priority in the current 2021-2025 plan. Since its establishment in 2014, CUHK(SZ) has made significant progress in urban studies, geoinformatics, and sustainability. The collaboration framework and spirit of “one brand, two campuses” has strengthened the relationship between the two universities and laid a solid foundation for future joint efforts in a wider range of fields.
