The University of Macau (UM) and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) signed an agreement today (12 February) at UM to establish the first joint laboratory co-funded by Macao and Hong Kong—the Joint Laboratory for Robotics and Embodied Intelligence. The initiative aims to strengthen collaborative innovation in higher education and scientific research in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. In addition, UM and PolyU announced the launch of a dual PhD programme featuring joint supervision by faculty members from both universities, marking a significant step forward in collaboration on frontier technologies and high-level talent development. The joint PhD programme is now open for applications.

Yonghua Song, rector of UM, said that the Joint Laboratory for Robotics and Embodied Intelligence brings together UM’s strengths in interdisciplinary research, artificial intelligence, and engineering with PolyU’s expertise in applied science and engineering practice. The laboratory will advance fundamental research and promote technology transfer in cutting-edge fields such as intelligent robotics and embodied artificial intelligence. In addition to building on the two universities’ long-standing research collaboration, the laboratory will serve as a strategic platform for cultivating high-quality innovative talent. Song added that the four-year dual PhD programme features joint supervision by faculty members from both institutions. Students will have the opportunity to study and conduct research in both Macao and Hong Kong and will receive doctoral degrees from both universities upon graduation. The initiative aims to synergise the disciplinary and technological strengths of both institutions and establish an internationally competitive doctoral training model for the Greater Bay Area, thereby supporting China’s high-quality development and the development of world-class research hubs.

Teng Jin-Guang, president of PolyU, said that the launch of the laboratory—the first joint laboratory co-funded by Hong Kong and Macao—and the dual PhD programme reflects the shared vision of UM and PolyU to advance frontier innovation in robotics and embodied intelligence, strengthen cross-border research collaboration, and nurture high-calibre talent for the development of the Greater Bay Area. He noted that these initiatives not only respond to regional development priorities but also align with the country’s long‑term goals of advancing technological innovation and socio‑economic progress. He added that PolyU, as an innovative world‑class university, has decades of experience in translating research outcomes into real‑world applications. The initiatives provide a significant platform for collaboration, enabling interdisciplinary teams from both universities to conduct impactful research, address challenges in transformative technologies, and accelerate the translation of research results for the benefit of Hong Kong, Macao, and the country as a whole.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Song; Teng; Ge Wei, vice rector of UM; and Christopher Chao, senior vice president (Research and Innovation) of PolyU. Xu Cheng-Zhong, dean of UM’s Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), and Chen Wen-Hua, interim head of PolyU’s Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering, signed the ‘Joint Laboratory Cooperation Agreement’. Wong Pak Kin, dean of UM’s Graduate School, and Wang Zuankai, associate vice president (Research) and dean of the Graduate School at PolyU, signed the ‘Dual PhD Degree Programme Agreement’. Following the signing ceremony, the joint laboratory was formally inaugurated. Faculty members from both universities then presented their initial collaborative projects and toured the laboratory facilities.

For more information about the dual PhD programme, please visit the website of UM’s FST: https://www.fst.um.edu.mo/event/dual-doctoral-degree-programme-in-robotics-and-embodied-intelligence/. For enquiries, please contact the FST office (email: fst.enquiry@um.edu.mo; phone: +853 8822 4963).