Warwick strengthens global research network through landmark partnerships in East and Southeast Asia
The University of Warwick has strengthened its global research network across East and Southeast Asia through a series of strategic partnerships announced during a high-level visit to Hong Kong SAR led by Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Stuart Croft.
Professor Ding Kuiling, SJTU, President, Professor Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of Warwick, Professor Ho Teck-Hua, NTU President (left to right).
Central to the visit was the signing of a new trilateral Joint Seed Fund agreement between Warwick, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. The initiative will support collaborative research projects across the three institutions, providing funding to help academics develop innovative solutions to global challenges while building stronger international research networks.
The agreement marks a significant expansion of Warwick's research partnerships in East and Southeast Asia. Warwick has longstanding and successful collaborations with both SJTU and NTU, and bringing these relationships together through a shared funding mechanism will create new opportunities to connect expertise across institutions and disciplines, amplifying the potential for research excellence and global impact.
Alongside the trilateral agreement, Warwick also signed a bilateral agreement with The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), further strengthening an established partnership between the two universities and creating new opportunities for research collaboration, academic exchange and innovation.
These latest developments build on Warwick's wider network of longstanding partnerships across Hong Kong SAR. Among the University's most established relationships is that with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) with which Warwick has worked for almost 40 years. The partnership continues to flourish through a successful Joint Seed Fund that supports collaborative research projects, reflecting the shared commitment of both institutions to advancing knowledge and addressing shared global challenges.
Professor Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of Warwick and Professor Nancy Ip, President Hong Kong University of Science and Technology sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions (left to right).
Professor Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor and President, University of Warwick and Huai Jinpeng, Minister of Education of the People's Republic of China (left to right).
During the visit, Professor Croft participated in the World Class University Presidents Forum, organised by HKUST, where he chaired a panel discussion titled Bridges Across Borders: Advancing Open Science.
Joining senior university leaders from around the world, the discussion explored how universities can sustain international research collaboration in an increasingly complex global environment. The panel examined the opportunities and challenges of advancing open science across different legal systems, research cultures and geopolitical contexts, while ensuring collaboration remains responsible, reciprocal and underpinned by research integrity, security and trust.
The visit also comes at a significant moment for Warwick's international activities following the recent transformational gift from the Red Avenue FoundationLink opens in a new window, which will support pioneering research and innovation with global reach and further strengthen the University's connections across Asia.
Professor Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Warwick, said:
Our partnerships across East and Southeast Asia demonstrate the need for international collaboration in addressing the world's most pressing challenges. The new trilateral seed fund agreement with SJTU and NTU, alongside our strengthened partnership with HKUST and our longstanding collaboration with PolyU, will create exciting new opportunities for our researchers to work together across disciplines, share expertise and deliver impact on a global scale.
As a globally connected university, Warwick is committed to building long-term partnerships that support discovery, innovation and education, while creating opportunities for our students, academics and communities around the world.
Together, these developments reflect Warwick's longstanding commitment to East and Southeast Asia and its ambition to deepen research, education and innovation links across the region. Through its university, industry and alumni networks, Warwick continues to expand opportunities for global engagement, knowledge exchange and real-world impact.