Driving APRU sustainability efforts forward

The symposium provides a platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange on biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource use.

Organised by the School of Life Sciences (SLS), the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) International Symposium on Biodiversity Conservation and Utilisation was successfully held on 27–28 November 2025, attracting about 100 participants hailing from over 10 universities and research institutions across seven countries and regions. The symposium, held under the APRU Pacific Rim Biodiversity and Sustainability Programme (APRU Biodiversity Programme) led by CUHK, provided a platform to explore strategies for promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable resource utilisation against the backdrop of climate change and rapid development.

Prof. Liwen Jiang, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (External Affairs), officiated at the opening ceremony, emphasising the pivotal role of international collaboration in addressing ecological challenges and advancing sustainability. He called on the academic community to work together to foster interdisciplinary research and policy advocacy.

The symposium featured 12 thematic talks and a poster session, covering areas such as agriculture and food security, sustainable use of wild species, invasive species detection, forest ecosystem resilience, and applications of genomics. Participants included representatives from CUHK, the University of Hong Kong, the University of Sydney, Sun Yat-sen University, University of Malaya, University of Southampton, Northeast Agricultural University, Kunming Institute of Botany (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Alliance of Biodiversity International and CIAT, and Kasetsart University, fostering rich interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration. 

An eco-tour to Sai Kung offers participants an opportunity to appreciate Hong Kong’s natural landscapes while strengthening the connection between research and education.

To explore synergies between the APRU Biodiversity Programme and the newly launched APRU Food Security and Agritech Programme led by the National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University, and Simon Fraser University, Prof. Hon Ming Lam and Prof. Martin Tsui from SLS took part in the inaugural APRU Food Security and Agritech Symposium at NUS during 2–4 November. During the event, they discussed collaboration opportunities with programme leads and presented papers on climate-resilient soybean and pollutant remediation.

Prof. Hon Ming Lam (1st left) and Prof. Martin Tsui (2nd left) participate in the APRU Food Security and Agritech Symposium.