The University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) Hefei high-tech zone held its launching ceremony in the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone in East China’s Anhui province on Sept 1, 2018. The event is a part of the 60th anniversary celebration of the university.

Since the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone’s foundation, the zone and the university have collaborated for 27 years, and have made breakthroughs in advanced technology and the industrialization of the new generation of artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum information.

The zone has become the most important partner and transformation base for scientific and technological achievements of the university’s science and technology innovation, and the stage for the university alumni to realize their dreams. Many enterprises with core technology founded by the university alumni have settled down in the zone, such as iFly Tek, QuantumCTek Co and Huami technology. 

In March, the zone unveiled its plan for AI industry development. Based on the university high-tech zone, it will create an innovation platform for science and education, with resources from the university’s intelligence and information science center, key laboratories and joint laboratories.

The zone also plans to build China (Hefei) artificial intelligence industrial park, covering 5,000 mu (3.3 square kilometers). The AI park is planned into seven functional areas, including science research and education, intelligent voice, chip and innovation incubators, as well as intelligent vision and the voice industry. The founding of the AI park will act as a big boost to efforts to advance the university high-tech zone in terms of its innovative capabilities. 

The AI park plans to start a “Silicon Valley” way of development, and create a global pioneering area of artificial intelligence with originality and an international industry innovation center, relying on the university’s science and education resources. 

Taking the opportunity of the university high-tech zone’s establishment, the Hefei National High-tech Industry Development Zone will seize the chance of a new wave of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, speed up the construction of advanced light source research institutes and a brain-inspired intelligence national engineering laboratory in Hefei, and build an industrial platform of nuclear fusion, quantum, and ion medicine research centers. 

It will also attract innovative resources globally, construct a comprehensive national science center in Hefei, keep promoting its brand of “China Sound Valley” and the “quantum center”, and focus on building itself into a world-class high-tech park and a modern technology city integrating science and technology, industry, culture and landscapes, to become the “home of innovation” with a global influence.