On July 15, the International Education and Scientific Innovation Zone (Junshan Branch) of Huazhong University of Science and Technology project was officially launched. The campus was jointly built by HUST and Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WEDZ). Backed by Junshan Hill, it faces the vast Yangtze River, looking forward to a new journey towards the peak.

Dong Weimin, Member of the Standing Committee of the Hubei Provincial Party Committee and Executive Vice Governor, along with Cheng Yongwen, Mayor of Wuhan, Chen Honghui, Deputy Mayor of Wuhan and other government officials attended the event. Li Yuanyuan, You Zheng, and other university leaders also participated in the activity.

In his speech, Chen Honghui said that the International Education and Scientific Innovation Zone (Junshan Branch) of HUST aims to serve both the major national strategic and industrial development needs provincially and municipally. The project will help construct a higher-level technological innovation system and boost the establishment of self-supporting technology. He hoped that HUST would take the project as an opportunity to advance discipline development and talent training, empowering the transformation of innovative achievements.

Chen also mentioned that WEDZ should continue to strengthen the linkage development with universities and promote the expansion and upgrading of innovation parks and carriers. He emphasized that Wuhan’s commitment to fully supporting the development of major scientific and technological innovation platforms will create a more favorable environment for innovation with distinctive Hubei characteristics.

You Zheng, President of HUST, said that 70 years ago, at the foot of Yujiashan and on the shore of East Lake, HUST was founded with hard work. Today, 70 years later, a brand-new journey will begin at the foot of Junshan Hill, beside the Yangtze River. HUST will firmly seize the important opportunity of the project to establish several interdisciplinary innovation institutes, international joint institutes, and new discipline clusters, training talents for regional development. HUST will also prioritize the strategic panning of building a world-class university with Chinese characteristics, and contribute more to the construction of Wuhan as a national key city and an international metropolis.

Liu Ziqing, secretary of WEDZ's working committee, presided over the launching ceremony. He emphasized that WEDZ will work along with HUST, promoting the high standards and high-quality construction of the International Education and Scientific Innovation Zone (Junshan Branch) of HUST. The improvement of surrounding facilities will also be accelerated to attract more innovation resources, generate more scientific and technological achievements and contribute to the technological innovation of Wuhan.

Dong Weimin made the launch announcement of the project. Accompanied by the resounding countdown sound, the senior leaders from WEDZ and HUST jointly launched the International Education and Scientific Innovation Zone (Junshan Branch) of HUST project.

Heads of relevant departments of Hubei Provincial Government, Wuhan Municipal Government, and WEDZ, representatives from HUST, and representatives of enterprises and universities participated in the event.

It is reported that the International Education and Scientific Innovation Zone (Junshan Branch) of HUST is set to be established to the south of Junshan New City. The first phase of construction is expected to take up 450,000 square meters and accommodate 10,000 students upon completion. The project is scheduled to begin this year and finish in September 2024. It will focus on key areas such as new materials, new energy, artificial intelligence, and life health, strengthening the joint research of core technologies and producing more original and leading innovation achievements to satisfy development needs.

Written by: Gao Yifei

Edited by: Hu Zhenxiang, Peng Yumeng