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Innovation and technology are important drivers for change, improvement and progress, the Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, Miss Janet Wong said today (June 8).
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the University of Hong Kong/Oxford Isis Technology Transfer Training Workshop 2010, Miss Wong said that the Government firmly believed that innovation and technology held the key to the future in this knowledge-based era.
Miss Wong noted that innovation and technology had been identified by the Task Force on Economic Challenges as one of the six new economic areas in which Hong Kong enjoyed clear advantages.
She said, "Hong Kong has one of the world's most approachable governments, and we are determined to maintain this. Our key objective in the world of science and technology is to act as a facilitator. We will continue to provide the best soft and hard infrastructure to make our city an innovation and technology hub."
On hardware, Miss Wong said that the Government had decided to support the development of Science Park Phase 3. The $4.9 billion project will contribute significantly to Hong Kong's innovation and technology industry.
Regarding software, the Innovation and Technology Commission set up a $200 million Research and Development (R&D) Cash Rebate Scheme in April this year, under which enterprises conducting applied R&D projects with the support of the Innovation and Technology Fund or in partnership with local designated research institutions will enjoy a cash rebate equivalent to 10% of their investments.
Miss Wong said, "We hope this scheme will inculcate a research culture among enterprises and encourage them to establish long-term partnerships with research institutions. As a result, the R&D capabilities of Hong Kong will be enhanced, and more business and employment opportunities will be created."
Turning to commercialisation, Miss Wong said, "Over the past decade, we have seen the mushrooming of technology start-ups in Hong Kong. Some have been doing very successfully and are featuring prominently internationally. They have demonstrated that Hong Kong has not only the potential but also the real capability to commercialise innovative ideas and bring them to the global market."
Noting that promoting commercialisation was the key to an innovative economy, she said the Government would encourage local universities to step up their efforts in technology transfer and to instill in project investigators the importance of commercialisation.
The workshop, which brings together technology transfer experts from around the world, would hopefully spark ideas and ultimately bring about new success stories, she said.
Jointly organised by the commercialisation arms of the University of Hong Kong and the University of Oxford, the four-day workshop brings together the two universities' technology transfer experts to present the essential best practices in key technology transfer activities and share with participants their experience in transferring research ideas from university research laboratories into industry. Participants of the workshop include technology transfer professionals in universities, R&D centres, government agencies and industry from around the world.
Ends/Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Issued at HKT 15:45
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