Source: Office of Scientific Research and Development
Written by: Office of Scientific Research and Development
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

On November 7-8, International Strategic Technology Alliance (ISTA) 19th Annual General Meeting cum ISTA Knowledge Transfer Management Forum was held at Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU). Nearly a hundred delegates from about 30 universities at home and abroad attended the event, including Mr. Lei Chaozi, Deputy Director-General of Department of Science and Technology of Ministry of Education; Mr. Zhou Mutang, Deputy Inspector of Guangdong Science and Technology Department; Prof. Angelina Yuen, Chairman of ISTA and Vice President (Institutional Advancement and Partnership) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Prof. Ding Lieyun, President of Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Prof. Yang Yong, Vice President of Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Mr. Nicholas W. Yang, Executive Vice President of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University; Prof. Jin Li, Vice President of Fudan University; Prof. Mei Hong, Vice President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Prof. Zhu Changfei, Vice President of University of Science and Technology of China; Prof. Lin Pinghua, Vice President of Southeast University; Prof. Weng Zhiqian, Vice President of Northwestern Polytechnical University; Prof. Zuo Liang, Vice President of Northeastern University; Prof. Li Jianqing, Vice President of Nanjing Medical University; Prof. Zou Cairong, President of Guangzhou University; Prof. Hasan Mandal, Vice President of Sabancı University, Turkey; Prof. Zheng Detao, Secretary of SYSU Party Committee; Prof. Li Yanbao, Former Secretary of SYSU Party Committee; Prof. Yan Guangmei, Vice President of SYSU; Prof. Li Mengfeng, Vice President of SYSU; and Prof. Xia Lianghui, Assistant President of SYSU.

At the ISTA 19th Annual General Meeting on the morning of November 7, Prof. Angelina Yuen gave a report on the activities of ISTA in the previous year. Prof. Zheng Detao reviewed the history of cooperation between SYSU and ISTA and expressed the hope to further the collaborations. Mr. Zhou Mutang introduced Guangdong’s initiatives to promote industry-university-research cooperation and requirements of industrial transformation and upgrading.

The participants held a discussion on “University Venture Management & Regional Innovation”. Prof. Chen Dongmin from Peking University, Prof. Ding Lieyun, Prof. Jin Li and Prof. Zou Cairong gave a speech respectively, introducing the cases of university-industry technology transfer and the role of university in national technology transfer.

Knowledge Transfer Management Forum was held on the afternoon of November 7. Mr. Nicholas W. Yang introduced the experience of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in university-industry technology transfer; Prof. Yesha Y. Sivan, Executive Director of Collar Institute of Venture, Tel Aviv University, Israel, talked about the role and influence of university venture in promoting regional innovation and development; Prof. Xu Yong, President of Zhong Da Capital, Sun Yat-sen University, introduced the company’s experience in serve local economic and social development.

International Strategic Technology Alliance (ISTA) was founded in 1995. ISTA is an international collaboration and partnership platform among 26 renowned tertiary education institutions in China and the world in fostering applied R&D, technology transfer and commercialization of technologies and products. ISTA was established with great support from the Ministry of Education of China to leverage the expertise of renowned tertiary education institutions worldwide. It promotes intellectual exchange and cooperation among its member institutions in applied research and downstream commercialization. It also provides an open platform for the exchange of best practices and enhances the international networking and collaboration of the members.