You Zheng, president of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), visited the East Lake High-tech Development Zone (also known as Optics Valley of China, or OVC) on May 20. The two sides discussed and reached agreements on areas of mutual concern, such as provincial key laboratories and the double first-class university project.

You reflected on the past 30 years, during which time HUST – a prestigious university known for its engineering disciplines – cultivated a number of outstanding engineers for OVC. He also expressed a strong desire to work together with the valley over the next 30 years.

Liu Jie, secretary of the valley's working committee, said that she hoped the two sides can further strengthen strategic collaborations, give full play to the innovative "core + alliance + ecosystem" model, accelerate the development of the East Lake Science City, and make OVC internationally influential.

OVC will continue to help HUST in its journey to become one of the world's top universities, and provide practical assistance to scientists and researchers based in the valley.

Over the past three dacades, HUST has achieved integrated development with OVC by jointly building a sound optoelectronic information industry, fostering several listed companies such as HGTECH and HuazhongCNC, and helping CICT, TCL and other leading enterprises set up local technology centers.

In July of last year, HUST established a future technological research institute and an IC research institute in OVC.