HKUST and National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center Sign Memorandum of Understanding
On March 13, 2026, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center (NMEFC) held a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony and inaugural collaborative exchange meeting at the Sir Sze-yuen Chung Council Chamber, HKUST. The Otto Poon Center for Climate Resilience and Sustainability (CCRS) at HKUST served as the lead unit on behalf of the University in signing the MoU and will be responsible for the execution and advancement of subsequent collaboration. Ms. KANG Jian, Director of NMEFC, and Prof. LU Mengqian, Director of CCRS at HKUST, signed the memorandum on behalf of their respective organizations, with Dr. Ir Otto POON, Chairman of the Board of Analogue Holdings and Founder of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation, Mr. LI Zhiqiang, Head of the Operational Science and Technology Division of NMEFC, and Prof. QIAN Peiyuan, Chair Professor of the Department of Ocean Science at HKUST, serving as witnesses to the signing ceremony.
Following the signing ceremony, the two parties held a series of academic presentations and roundtable discussions on topics including advances in operational ocean forecasting, the Seamless Prediction and Services (SEPRESS) program, the UN Ocean Decade, and tsunami early warning technologies. Both sides agreed to pursue long-term and substantive collaboration in the fields of ocean science, climate change, environmental forecasting, disaster early warning, artificial intelligence applications, and Arctic shipping support, jointly advancing the translation of research outcomes and the cultivation of high-level talent.
The signing of this MoU marks a significant step forward for both parties in responding to the United Nations International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (IDSSD) initiative. As the first year of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, the Government Work Report has clearly set forth the strategic directive to “develop the marine economy and build a maritime power,” positioning the ocean as a strategic frontier for high-quality development. Together, the two parties will actively respond to the spirit of the Two Sessions, serve China’s dual carbon goals and the marine science and technology innovation strategy outlined in the 15th Five-Year Plan, empower the building of a maritime power and ecological civilization through scientific and technological innovation, and contribute to enhancing China’s capabilities in marine environmental forecasting and climate resilience.
(This news was originally published by the Otto Poon Center for Climate Resilience and Sustainability here.)
