Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki, who’s visiting Germany, said on Monday he’s optimistic that higher education and cutting-edge research can jointly propel industrial advancement.

Chan is leading a delegation from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to explore Germany’s higher education institutions, focusing on the planning and development of the Northern Metropolis University Town.

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The delegation visited RWTH Aachen University -- a premier institution specializing in engineering and applied sciences in Europe. The university is noted for its close cooperation with industry, operating a demonstration factory that involves industry partners and serves research and training purposes.

Chan highlighted RWTH Aachen University’s reputation for effectively translating fundamental research into practical applications through a robust industry-led model and deep collaboration with corporations.

He hopes Hong Kong could draw on from the university’s experience in nurturing long-term fundamental research while fostering strong industry partnerships to enhance the integration of industry, academia, and research at the NMUT.

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According to a HKSAR government statement, the delegation gained insights into RWTH Aachen University’s successful practices in campus planning, industry-academia-research integration, innovation ecosystem development, technology transfers and interdisciplinary collaboration. This will provide valuable references for developing the NMUT’s campus ecosystem and industry-academia partnership.

Founded in 1870, RWTH Aachen University is Germany’s largest technology university.

The SAR team is due to continue its visit in Stuttgart on Tuesday.