University-Industry Collaboration: China’s entrepreneurs visit CityU to explore pathways for high-quality development

 

To deepen industrial exchange and cooperation between Macao and mainland China, and help enterprises seize development opportunities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, City University of Macau (CityU) recently held the “International Business and Diversified Industry Strategy Conference” at the Taipa Campus. Co-organized by the International Training and Testing Center of CityU and the Macau Internet Marketers Association, the conference brought together over 200 entrepreneurs and industry representatives from the 1688 Alibaba Seller Central. Participants came from a wide range of popular industries, including electronic devices and technologies, packaging, household goods, toys, textiles and apparel, new materials, biomedicine, and smart technologies. Combining specialized teaching with enterprise exchange, the conference formed a high-end cross-industry and cross-regional platform for exchange and cooperation.

 

 

In his address, Vice Rector Zhou Wanlei extended a warm welcome to the entrepreneurs. He noted that the Macao SAR Government is advancing the moderate economic diversification through the “1+4” strategy, focusing on industries such as traditional Chinese medicine and health, modern finance, high and new technology, as well as conventions and trade, and culture and sports, creating new opportunities for mainland enterprises to expand international cooperation. He expressed the hope that participating enterprises would gain a deeper understanding of the development prospects of Macao and the Greater Bay Area through this event, translate what they have learned into practical momentum for enterprise transformation and upgrading, and use CityU as a platform to drive the industry-academia collaboration outcomes.

 

Vice Rector Zhou encouraged participants to bring real-world challenges from their business operations into the classroom, to broaden their perspectives and seek collaboration opportunities through mutual exchange and learning, and to make full use of CityU’s educational and academic platforms. He urged to translate the event outcomes into concrete and actionable collaboration projects, further advancing collaborative development between universities and enterprises, across industries, and between regions.

 

Ma Yuqing, general manager of the Zhejiang Region of the 1688 Alibaba Seller Central, stated that the event, grounded in Macao, a city known as the “window to the world”, aimed to explore innovation, upgrade and transformation under the new economic landscape. She proposed three key words for future enterprise development: globalization, intelligentialization, and diversification. She emphasized that the 1688 platform will continue to serve as a solid backing for enterprises, providing not only business matchmaking but also empowering them with infinite future possibilities. Ma expressed her hope that the partnership would help entrepreneurs seize opportunities in the Greater Bay Area and international markets, and turn what they have learned into new momentum for enterprise growth.

 

This event established a university-enterprise exchange and learning platform between CityU and mainland enterprises. Through lectures delivered by CityU academics and industry experts, combined with interactive exchanges with entrepreneurs, participating enterprise representatives learned professional knowledge and expanded their cooperation networks after the training, promoting the resource matching between the academia and industry.

 

Among the sessions, Prof. Liu Jing, program coordinator of the Faculty of Innovation and Design at CityU, delivered a talk titled “Cultural and Creative Industries and Brand Incubation Strategy”. Drawing on Macao’s local cultural resources and market characteristics, she analyzed the core pathways for transforming cultural creativity into brand assets, offering practical insights for enterprise brand renewal, IP incubation, and value upgrading.

 

Chen Zhuohua, Director of Bitfire Securities and former Director of Securities at Ant Bank Macao, spoke on “Modern Finance and Cross-Border Investment Risk Prevention”. Closely aligned with Macao’s “1+4” economic diversification strategy, he reviewed local bond and cross-border financial opportunities, and outlined a risk prevention and control framework for cross-border investment, helping enterprises conduct a robust cross-border operations.

 

Prof. Tian Yihui, associate dean of the Faculty of Business at CityU, shared insights on “AI Business Applications and Enterprise Digital Transformation”. He analyzed practical application scenarios of AI in enterprise operations, production management, and market positioning, providing professional guidance for enterprises to optimize operational processes and build digital transformation systems.

 

This conference focused on the practical needs of enterprise development, helping enterprises enhance their capabilities in international business, brand planning, industrial strategy, and cross-border operations. It further built a bridge for matchmaking and cooperation between Macao and mainland enterprises, promoting in-depth collaboration between the two sides in key areas such as brand building, cross-border investment, and digital transformation. Looking ahead, CityU will continue to carry out high-quality university-enterprise exchange and industry activities, driving deep integration between academic and industrial resources, and providing a professional platform for mainland enterprises to gain a deeper understanding of Macao, connect with international resources, and expand diversified cooperation.

 

Source: International Training and Testing Center