The University of Macau (UM) announced in a statement yesterday that it and Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have co-funded the first “Joint Laboratory for Robotics and Embodied Intelligence”* on the UM campus, aiming to strengthen collaborative innovation in higher education and scientific research in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).
Meanwhile, the two public universities announced the launch of a dual Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme featuring joint supervision by faculty members from both universities, marking a significant step forwards in collaboration on frontier technologies and high-level talent development, the statement said, adding that the joint PhD programme is now open for applications.
UM Rector Song Yonghua said that the joint laboratory aims to bring together UM’s strengths in interdisciplinary research, artificial intelligence (AI), and engineering with PolyU’s expertise in applied science and engineering practice, the statement said, adding that the laboratory will advance fundamental research and promote technology transfer in cutting-edge fields such as intelligent robotics and embodied AI.
Song added that the four-year dual PhD programme features joint supervision by faculty members from both institutions. He pointed out that students will have the opportunity to study and conduct research in both Macau and Hong Kong and will receive doctoral degrees from both universities upon graduation, aiming to synergise the disciplinary and technological strengths of both institutions and establish an internationally competitive doctoral training model for the Greater Bay Area, thereby supporting China’s high-quality development and the development of world-class research hubs.
According to the statement, the launch of the first joint laboratory co-funded by Hong Kong and Macau, and the dual PhD programme reflects the shared vision of UM and PolyU to advance innovation in robotics and embodied intelligence, strengthen cross-border research collaboration, and nurture high-calibre talent for the development of the Greater Bay Area, PolyU President Teng Jinguang said, adding that PolyU, as an innovative world-class university, has decades of experience in translating research outcomes into real world applications.
*In artificial intelligence, embodied intelligence (or embodied AI) refers to systems that possess a physical or virtual body and interact directly with their environment to perceive, reason, and act. Unlike traditional “disembodied” AI, which operates purely in digital realms processing static data, embodied AI relies on a perception-action loop where intelligence emerges from physical engagement with the world. Embodied intelligence is often viewed as a critical stepping stone toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) because it requires AI to handle the messy, unpredictable fluidity of the real world – something digital-only models struggle to do. – Google AI Mode
This undated handout photo provided by the University of Macau (UM) yesterday shows UM Rector Song Yonghua (fifth from right) and other attendees posing for a group photo during yesterday’s launching ceremony of the “Joint Laboratory for Robotics and Embodied Intelligence” on the UM campus in Hengqin.
