Universities in Copenhagen, Hong Kong and Oslo join hands for collaborations in world-leading education and research

On 24^th June 2019 in the newly established Maersk Tower, the MoU between CUHK and UC was signed by Professor Wai-Yee Chan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of CUHK and Professor Ulla Wewer, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences of UC, with the signature witnessed by Professor Ole William Petersen, Head of the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences of UC, Professor Lene Juel Rasmussen, Acting Director of the Center for Healthy Aging of UC, Dr. Evandro F. Fang, the Nordic coordinator of the Hong Kong-Nordic Research Network at the Faculty of Medicine of UiO, and Assistant Professor Albert Hoi-Hung Cheung from School of Biomedical Sciences of CUHK. During this occasion, Professor Wai-Yee Chan also had detailed discussions on student exchange, faculty collaborations, and joint-grant applications with Professor Vilhelm Bohr, Professor Ian D. Hickson, Professor Simon Bekker-Jensen, and Associate Professor Morten Scheibye-Knudsen, all from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences of UC.

On 27^th June 2019 at the Lucy Smiths Building, Blindern, the MoU between CUHK and UiO was signed by Professor Wai-Yee Chan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of CUHK and Professor Svein Stølen, Rector/President of UiO, with the signature witnessed by Professor Per Morten Sandset, Vice-Rector of UiO, Dr. Evandro Fang, the Nordic coordinator of the Hong Kong-Nordic Research Network at the Faculty of Medicine of UiO, and Assistant Professor Albert Hoi-Hung Cheung from School of Biomedical Sciences of CUHK. During this occasion, Professor Wai-Yee Chan also had detailed discussions on student exchange, faculty collaborations, and joint-grant applications with managements and colleagues from different faculties at UiO, including Professor Elin Olaug Rosvold, Pro-Dean for Medical Studies at the Faculty of Medicine of UiO, Professor Jens Petter Berg, Pro-Dean for Research at the Faculty of Medicine of UiO, Prof. Shou-Wang Qiao, Deputy Head of Department of Clinical Medicine within the Faculty of Medicine of UiO, Prof. Torbjørn Omland, Deputy Head of Department of Clinical Medicine within the Faculty of Medicine of UiO, Professor Linda H. Bergersen, Vice-Dean of Research at the Faculty of Dentistry of UiO, Professor Mathilde Skoie, Pro-Dean of The Faculty of Humanities, Professor Rune Svarverud, Department of Culture Studies and Oriental Languages within The Faculty of Humanities, and Professor Yvonne Böttcher from the Faculty of Medicine and the Akershus University Hospital.

CUHK Pro-vice-Chancellor Wai-Yee Chan says, “In the past 55 years, CUHK has established its unique role in linking the East to the West and brings West to meet Hong Kong and the Greater China. As a world-leading research-oriented University, CUHK is aiming at doing cutting-edge research and training highly competitive students. Through this debut visit to the Nordic countries, including Denmark and Norway, I envision intensive and fruitful collaborations on education and research among our three founding universities”. 

Dean Ulla Wewer from the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at CU adds, “We look forward to collaborating with one of the most internationalized universities in the world, as well as one of the most prestigious universities in Asia. Like the University of Copenhagen and the University of Oslo, they are recognised for their unique ability to bridge education and research, so I am confident that we can achieve great accomplishments in the Hong Kong-Nordic Research Network”.

UiO Rector Svein Stølen, concludes, “The meetings and fruitful discussions illustrated the strength of existing links between our institutions. The signing of the MoU is a great promise for future cooperation within research and education.” 

Through the formal establishment of this Hong Kong-Nordic Research Network, a series of activities, including organization of annual meetings in each of the founding universities, will be conducted. Furthermore collaborations on student exchange among the universities are undergoing. UiO researcher (Dr. Evandro F. Fang) will help organize an international anti-ageing conference in the Nordic Centre Fudan University in China in the summer of 2020, along with the proposed 1^st annual meeting to be held at the same time in CUHK.  

About the Hong Kong-Nordic Research Network
A newly established network with three founding members – The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR (CUHK); The University of Oslo (UiO), Norway; and the University of Copenhagen (KU), Denmark – the Hong Kong-Nordic research network can be a driving force for the interchange of ideas between the universities, and help promote world leading research. This will be achieved by putting people in touch with each other to set up research collaborations, which will also be boosted by the great exchange opportunities offered by the universities. Both students and researchers will be given this opportunity. This will be a good way for scientists and students to expand their horizon and knowledge, and of course to meet with other peers. The network hope to foster groundbreaking research by establishing joint research collaborations.

About the Chinese University of Hong Kong
Founded in 1963, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a forward-looking comprehensive research university with a global vision and a mission to combine tradition with modernity, and to bring together China and the West. CUHK teachers and students hail from all around the world. CUHK graduates are connected worldwide through an extensive alumni network. CUHK has a unique collegiate system and strives on teaching and research excellence at international level.

About the University of Copenhagen
Driven by intellectual creativity and critical thinking since 1479, researchers and students at the University of Copenhagen have expanded horizons and contributed to moving the world forward. With its 5,000 researchers and 39,000 students, the University boasts an international research and study environment and is highly ranked on the leading ranking lists of the world's best universities. The University offers researchers and students the opportunity to develop their talent and launches ambitious interdisciplinary initiatives to support its strong academic communities. Through research-based teaching – and by involving them in research – students are equipped to address society's challenges and needs.

About the University of Oslo (UiO)
The University of Oslo (Norwegian: Universitetet i Oslo), until 1939 named the Royal Frederick University (Norwegian: Det Kongelige Frederiks Universitet), is the oldest university in Norway, located in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. UiO is Norway's oldest institution for research and higher education, with 28,000 students and 7,000 employees. UiO celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2011. UiO has 8 faculties, 2 museums and several centers. In addition, UiO has 10 Norwegian Centres of Excellence. The Academic Ranking of World Universities has ranked it the 58th best university in the world and the third best in the Nordic countries.