Tel Aviv University (TAU), in collaboration with Tsinghua University in Beijing and Morningside from Hong Kong, held the first annual China Israel Innovation Forum at the Hong Kong Jockey Club in Beijing on 1-2 September.

The invitation-only forum brought together influential individuals from academia, government and industry – from both China and Israel – to explore the latest in technological developments and universitydriven innovations.

“The China Israel Innovation Forum reflects the mission of leading universities like Tel Aviv and Tsinghua to be global forces for higher education and technological advancement,” said Professor Joseph Klafter, TAU President. Klafter cochaired the event along with Professor Qiu Yong, President of Tsinghua University, and Ronnie C. Chan, Co-founder of Morningside and Chairman of Hang Lung Properties.

The union of Israeli and Chinese academia, government and industry was unprecedented. “This forum is literally about improving the world,” continued Klafter. “Through the power of partnership and collaboration we can take life-changing innovations from the lab to the marketplace and bring university discoveries to the general public.”

In 2014, TAU and Tsinghua University launched the XIN Center as a hub of research and innovation to address global challenges. “After years of fruitful collaboration with Tel Aviv University, the Forum takes our partnership to a higher level,” said Professor Qiu. “Tsinghua has always endeavoured to cultivate innovative talent capable of tackling global challenges. By bringing together the leaders of China and Israel’s private, public and academic sectors in the same place for the first time ever, this Forum will help turn promise into possibility and ideas into reality.”