MEEM allies with industry

Regina Lau

04 Dec 2003

CityU's Department of Manufacturing Engineering and Engineering Management (MEEM) announced the Industry - MEEM Alliance Programme (I - MAP) enabling the department to enhance the competitiveness of industrial companies.

To date, 15 local companies have become I-MAP members entitled to use MEEM's laboratory equipment, managerial expertise and consulting services. In support of the programme, each member has committed an annual donation of HK$50,000 to the development of CityU.

"Industrial companies are often unaware and seldom take full advantage of the opportunities and assistance available in engineering departments which have outstanding achievements in applied research," I-MAP Director and MEEM Associate Professor, Dr Richard Fung said. "I-MAP provides a mechanism to enable MEEM to work more closely with industrial companies, so as to give them an edge in the market."

At the inaugural ceremony of the alliance programme on 4 December at CityU, Vice President (Administration) Professor Y S Wong presented certificates to the 10 member companies attending the function, after they were treated to a tour of the 13 laboratories and research centers available at MEEM, led by Professor Michael Hung and Dr Edmund Cheung, Head and Associate Head, respectively, of MEEM. Officiating at the ceremony were also Dr Raymond Ho, Member of HKSAR Legislative Council, and Professor Roderick Wong, CityU's Dean of Faculty of Science and Engineering.

"Industry and academics could complement each other for the benefit of Hong Kong" one of the I-MAP members, Ms Scarlette Leung, Vice- President of Gainford International Ltd, shared her expectation on the alliance. "As far as technical issues such as precision measurement and product testing are concerned, an academic input helps us avoid a lot of unnecessary disputes."

The 10 member companies receiving certificates at the inaugural ceremony included: