Hong Kong Science Park clarifies on 'academic meddling' claim

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An evening with Stephen Hawking at Hong Kong Science Park, on March 24 in Tai Po. The interaction was made possible by a technology called HumaGram, which created a digital hologram of the celebrated physicist. Photo: Edward Wong

Published: 5:00pm, 6 Dec 2017Updated: 12:38pm, 15 Oct 2020

We refer to two articles on December 4 relating to Hong Kong Science Park (“Lam soothes storm over ‘academic meddling’” and “Fears Science Park is losing its vision under new boss”).

We are duty-bound to respond and set the record straight.

Hong Kong Science Park provides a platform for translational research. HKSTP’s mission is to create a vibrant innovation and technology ecosystem that facilitates knowledge transfer and commercialisation, nurtures entrepreneurs and fosters collaboration among academia, researchers and industries.

As a connector and facilitator, it is our standard practice to visit partner companies to understand their R&D progress based on their admission applications.

Where companies fall short of initial commitments, HKSTP offers advice and support where necessary. We see the success of partner companies as the prime indicator of our success.

As for anchor institutions such as the Karolinska Institutet (KI), we aim to build clusters of companies around them to amplify their impact and magnify Hong Kong’s position as an innovation hub in the Greater Bay Area.

This explains the purpose of our chairwoman Fanny Law Fan Chiu-fun’s visit to KI in Stockholm and, before then, a fact-finding visit to the Ming Wai Lau Centre, which is positioned as a translational research centre at Science Park.