The School of Communication is collaborating with Tencent to establish partnerships in the area of new media technological development, including artificial intelligence, big data journalism and virtual reality. The strategic cooperation framework agreement was signed on 11 October by Professor Huang Yu, Dean of School of Communication of HKBU and Mr Wang Yongzhi, General Manager of Business Development of Tencent Technologies in China.

Under the agreement, Tencent will authorise the School of Communication’s AI Media Research laboratory, currently under construction, to use its new media operating software for teaching and research purposes. The School will also become Tencent’s business training and experimental base in Hong Kong. In order to strengthen cooperation and exchanges between academic institutions and the media industry, both parties will also co-organise new media-related activities in Hong Kong or mainland China in the form of forums and lectures.

“New media technological development and strong ties with the industry have always been the School’s priorities. This strategic cooperation we have established with Tencent, the biggest Chinese media content provider in mainland China, is a major milestone in the history of our School,” said Professor Huang. The School of Communication is not only constructing the AI Media Research laboratory but will also launch programmes and academic research projects on big data and artificial intelligence. Starting from academic year 2018-19, its Department of Journalism will offer an interdisciplinary concentration on Data and Media Communication jointly with the Department of Computer Science.

Tencent is the largest global Chinese media content provider. Over the past few years it has been devoted to the study and application of artificial intelligence through Tencent’s research departments. The automated newswriting software, Dreamwriter, was launched by Tencent in 2015. More than 2,500 pieces of news on finance, technology and sports are released by Dreamwriter daily. Mr Wang stated, “Tencent has strived to develop new media technology in recent years, particularly in artificial intelligence. This collaboration with HKBU School of Communication, a renowned communication school in Asia, marks an important step for Tencent.”