The Innovation & Impact 2023 | Times Higher Education | 6 November 2023 | Southern University of Science and Technology, 1088 Xueyuan Blvd, Nanshan, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, 518055

The summit will explore:
• The importance of universities in supporting the creation of new cities and new regional economies such as Shenzhen and the Greater Bay Area
• The role that universities can play in the city-wide or regional context
• How city authorities can best set the environment so that businesses can invest and universities can prosper
• The power and influence of local city leaders on universities that operate within a national system
• The types of universities that are needed by cities with fast-growing populations
• How universities can help cities adapt to the punishing effects of climate change
• The role universities can play in mitigating this impact and ensuring that cities will not just survive, but thrive, innovatively and sustainably

Agenda themes:
Creating innovation
These sessions will focus on the role universities have played in the creation of new cities and regional economies:
• Establishing universities in innovative cities
• How universities can be catalysts for transforming the prospects of urban communities
• City-to-city learning
• Showcasing partnerships between global Innovation Districts and their higher education anchor institutions
• Rise of the CXO: Chief exploration officer
• Site visits and tours of Shenzhen’s emerging tech and innovation companies

Sustaining and supporting innovation
These sessions will focus on importance of universities in sustaining, supporting and maintaining innovative cities.
• The role universities will play in the future of cities
• Ensuring a culture of constant innovation and curiosity
• Shenzhen on trajectory to make China an AI superpower
• Universities shaping innovative and sustainable mega-regions
• The next generation of innovation companies
• Site visits and tours of Shenzhen’s leading tech and innovation companies

Using innovation to build resilience
These sessions will highlight the role of universities, innovation districts and city authorities in building resilience of cities and solving regional, national and global issues.
• The role of universities in smaller cities in shaping their bigger city neighbours
• How universities increase resilience of cities to help them adapt to climate change
• How city authorities can best set the environment so that businesses can invest, and universities can prosper
• Contributions universities can make to reduce regional inequity
• Where are the world’s most innovative cities?

2023 Speakers

Kirsten Andrews
Vice-president of external engagement, The University of Sydney

Carolyn Evans
President and vice-chancellor, Griffith University

Max Lu
President and vice-chancellor, University of Surrey

Thomas Schneider
Chief executive, Association of Pacific Rim Universities

Daniel Sui
Senior vice-president of research and innovation, Virgina Tech

Yan Zheng
Chair professor of the environment and associate director of the Office of Research, Southern University of Science and Technology

2023 Partners

• The Times Higher Education
• SusTech
• Elsevier
• The Events Network