The City University of Hong Kong (CityU) and the University of Cambridge signed a global research collaboration deal on Monday.

As part of the deal, 18 top post-doctoral researchers from around the world will be based in Cambridge, taking advantage of its laboratories and resources under supervision by principal investigators from both universities for three years.

CityU council chairman Michael Ngai said the collaboration aligns with the strategic goals of the Hong Kong government.

'It serves as a vital step in further establishing Hong Kong as a premier international hub of higher education," he said.

Six colleges and departments from each university will be collaborating together.

Key research areas range from 3D medical data to creativity in an age of intelligent machines.

CityU said the institution plans to offer attractive presidential assistant professorship positions to postdoctoral fellows upon the completion of their research contracts.

"This collaboration now represents a single largest postdoctoral fellowship programme between University of Cambridge in Asia and an Asian university," CityU president Freddy Boey said.

At the signing ceremony, University of Cambridge vice-chancellor Deborah Prentice said "this partnership will enable these outstanding scholars to have the freedom to continue to push the frontiers of research in addressing global challenges."

She added that CityU has recently been recognised as the world's most international university by Times Higher Education in both 2024 and 2025.