Hong Kong University of Science and Technology's research institute in Nansha has been accredited as a base for international co-operation by mainland authorities.
The HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School in the southern suburb of Guangzhou was given the recognition by the Ministry of Science and Technology late last month.
There are now 60 recognised international science and technology co-operation bases on the mainland and five are located in Guangdong.
The institute has been working with overseas universities, corporate research units, and local and multinational companies. Its research is focused on biotechnology, information technology, environmental protection and advanced materials.
A HKUST spokeswoman said the status would help the Nansha school expand collaboration opportunities.
'The new technologies we developed have been used by local manufacturers in Guangdong. For example, we developed new methods to enhance the durability of materials for aeroplane components manufactured by factories in Nansha,' the spokeswoman said. 'With the new recognition, hopefully more foreign researchers with an interest in China's scientific developments will come to know about our work.'