The 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region came on 1 July 2022. Situated in Zhuhai city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, UIC has been dedicated to enhancing communication in the area as it is the first full-scale cooperation in higher education between Hong Kong and the mainland.
Zhao Gangcheng comes from Hong Kong and is a third-year student in Globalisation and Development Programme at UIC.
Zhao told us that the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has significantly reduced commuting costs between Hong Kong and Zhuhai, bonding him closely with Zhuhai.
After graduating from high school, Zhao chose to study at UIC in Zhuhai and fell in love with the city. In January this year, he volunteered for epidemic prevention in a community in Zhuhai to fight against the pandemic.
Zhao Gangcheng volunteers in a Qianshan community during the pandemic
Zhao hopes to be a link between the mainland and Hong Kong in the future: "Hong Kong is where I grow up, and Zhuhai is where I study. Differences can be understood, and harmony can be achieved in diversity, which is the notion I want to convey."
UIC President, Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Fellow of the European Academy of Sciences Prof Tang Tao, also shared his delight while celebrating the remarkable timing.
Prof Tang has a deep connection with Hong Kong and Zhuhai as well.
He used to work full-time in Hong Kong from 1998 to 2015, witnessing the city's rapid change and flourishing. In 2003, Prof Tang took part in preparing the foundation of UIC and was a founding member of the UIC Council.
On 21 October 2005, UIC starts the first academic year
UIC has started a new chapter by topping out residence halls at its second-phase campus, and a university town with the Huitong Village has begun to take shape.
The rendering of UIC's second phase campus with an aerial view of its first phase campus
Looking ahead, Prof Tang said: "UIC will continue cultivating more internationally competitive talents, making more contributions to the development of the Greater Bay Area and our country."
UIC Associate Professor Dr Edgar Yuen expressed his joy. He mentioned that working in Guangdong offered Hong Kong residents a great chance to embrace the development of our country through the Greater Bay Area.
From MPRO
Photos provided by the interviewees
Reporter: Cecilia Yu
Editor: Deen He
