To deepen university-enterprise collaboration, integrate the scientific research strengths of universities with the technological advantages of enterprises, and promote the innovative application of artificial intelligence, embodied intelligence, flight big data, flight simulation and other related technologies in the aviation sector, the Faculty of Innovation Engineering (FIE) of Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST), has jointly established the Joint Research Center for Frontier Technologies in Intelligent Aviation Simulation with Zhuhai Xiangyi Aviation Technology Co., Ltd. and China Southern SCI-TECH. This is the first intelligent aviation simulation technology joint research center established by China Southern Airlines in cooperation with a university in the Greater Bay Area. The Center held its inauguration ceremony on March 12, 2026, marking the official launch of the tripartite cooperation in the field of intelligent aviation simulation.
Group Photo
Distinguished guests including Li Yongxian, Deputy Director of the Education and Youth Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region; Che Weng Keong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute; Chan Chou Weng, Deputy Director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau; Sio Hon Pan, Curator of the Macao Science Center; Cheang Kun Wai, Member of the Administrative Committee of the Science and Technology Development Fund; Chen Ling, Director of the Science and Technology and Talent Division of the Economic Development Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-Deepth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin; Chan Weng Hong, Chairman of the Executive Committee of Macau International Airport Co., Ltd.; Anabela Barros, Managing Director of Menzies Macau Airport Services Ltd.; Michael Choi, Chairman and CEO of MTel Telecommunication Company Limited; Chair Prof. Joseph Hun-wei Lee, Chairman of the University Advisory Committee, Director of the Key Laboratory of River Basin Digital Twinning of Ministry of Water Resources, and Chief Scientist; Chair Prof. Chen Yong, Vice-President of MUST; and Prof. Sun Qiao, Dean of FIE, along with other guests and MUST faculty members and students, attended the ceremony and witnessed the establishment of the Center.
Inauguration Ceremony
Chair Prof. Chen Yong, Vice-President of MUST, stated that the establishment of the Center stands as an important milestone in deepening university-enterprise integration and collaborative innovation. The Center will focus on addressing core technological challenges in aviation simulation, strive to elevate technological standards, cultivate high-end talents, and build a key platform for talent development and scientific and technological innovation, thereby serving the coordinated development of the aviation and technology industries in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Speech by Vice-President Chen Yong
Mr. Chan Chou Weng, Deputy Director of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau (DSEDT), extended congratulations on the establishment of the Center. He noted that the founding of the Center is a successful example of the Macao SAR Government’s support for local universities and research institutions in conducting external cooperation. He expressed the hope that the Center would integrate resources from Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, overcome core technological challenges, accelerate the transformation of achievements in the Greater Bay Area, and cultivate high-level talents.
Speech by Deputy Director Chan Chou Weng
Finally, Prof. Sun Qiao, Dean of FIE, provided a detailed analysis of the Center’s strategic positioning from national, regional, and local perspectives. She expressed the hope that, in addition to conducting research, the Center would also become a platform to spark young people’s interest in science and technology. In the future, it will invite local school groups to visit, organize science activities, allow a wider community to experience the charm of aviation research, and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.
Speech by Dean Sun Qiao
Looking ahead, FIE will fully promote the Center to become a model of university-enterprise cooperation, a highland for technological innovation, and a base for cultivating high-end talents, making greater contributions to the development of Macao’s and the nation’s aviation industry.
Guests Visiting the Center
