(香港，2022年12月23日) 政府公布香港創新科技發展藍圖，定出四大發展方向及八大重點策略，香港工程師學會 (下稱「學會」) 歡迎有關藍圖，認為有助推動香港成為國際創新科技中心。創科發展是需要深耕細作，憑着香港現有科研優勢，加上政府的推動及國家的助力，學會相信本地創科生態圈可以蓬勃發展。
政府的建議涵蓋上游的科研、資金投入、人才培訓，到中游的技術轉化、市場化，再到下游的產業發展，彼此環環相扣。從「再工業化」到「新型工業化」，學會樂見政府計劃加強支援策略產業包括新能源汽車及半導體晶片，這些產業除了帶來可觀的回報，亦是策略性的產業。香港現時在生命健康科技、人工智能與數據科學、先進製造與新能源科技產業的優勢較為明顯，如能加上其他策略性產業，將會成為推動香港經濟發展的新引擎。
學會留意到，政府為發展藍圖定下多項參考指標，希望到2032年，提高本地研發總開支相對本地生產總值比率至2%，並提高科研機構的研發開支佔比等。學會希望指出，政府的投入在產業發展之初具有重要價值，現時香港的創科發展正處於關鍵期，除了政府主動投入，更重要的是促進院校、投資者及市場之間的互動，令初創企業可以自給自足、處於成長期的企業可以因應市場需要自行融資及研發，這才是令創科生態圈可以持續發展的要素。
此外，資金成本往往是初創者在本地創業的重要考量因素，學會建議政府在投資政策上應要更加靈活，例如提供稅務優惠。香港與內地的公司和研究機構關係緊密，深化與大灣區和內地的科創合作，更好的融入國家發展大局，同時為本地創造更優厚的條件。香港憑其獨特優勢，也可作為大灣區乃至內地與國際市場的橋樑。
科技創新，最重要的是擁有及挽留創科人才。學會樂見政府推動充實創科人才資源，除了從海外吸引龍頭企業及相關人才，更要持續推動本地創科人材的培育。與此同時，學會亦正與教育局合作推動「工程伴理行」計劃，為參與計劃的中小學配對工程師，大力推動STEAM教育，學會亦積極在大專院校推廣。事實上，STEAM的概念包含科學、科技、工程、藝術及數學教育，對推動創科發展有着重要影響，學會相信計劃可令更多學生及早發掘自己的才能，充實香港的創科人才庫，希望政府能提供足夠的支援。另外，靈活的簽證模式、增強數據的相容流通、加大子女教育津貼、醫療等配套設施建設也是吸引海外科創人才的關鍵。
學會樂意就香港未來創新科技發展提供專業意見，亦會透過學會的網絡鼓勵各院校、創科及工程公司之間的互動，並繼續積極推動STEAM教育，建立本地人才庫，迎接未來的發展機遇。
如欲垂詢，請與香港工程師學會傳訊統籌部聯絡。
電話：2895 4446
傳真：2882 6825
(Hong Kong, 23 December 2022) The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (hereafter “the HKIE”) welcomes the Hong Kong Innovation and Technology Development Blueprint promulgated by the Government. The Blueprint sets out four broad development directions and eight major strategies. The HKIE opines that the Blueprint will help elevate Hong Kong into an international I&T centre. I&T development is not a day’s work; but the HKIE believes that, with the Government’s initiative and our country’s reinforcements added to Hong Kong’s existing advantages in scientific research, the local I&T ecosystem would flourish.
The Government’s proposals range from research, capital injection, and talent nurturing in the upstream sector, the transformation and commodification of R&D outcomes in the midstream sector, to industries development in the downstream sector—all these being intertwined with one another. From “Reindustrialisation” to “new industrialisation”, the HKIE is glad that the Government is planning to strengthen its support of strategic industries, including New Energy Vehicles (NEV) and semiconductor chips. Not only do these industries promise handsome returns, but they are also strategic. Hong Kong’s advantages in life and health technology, artificial intelligence and data science, as well as advanced manufacturing and new energy technology, are relatively more apparent; if other strategic industries come into play, new impetus will be gained to Hong Kong’s economic development.
The HKIE noted that the Government had set various reference indicators for the development blueprint, in the hope of raising the Gross Domestic Expenditure on R&D (GERD) as a ratio to GDP to 2%, the Ratio of R&D Expenditure in scientific research institutes, etc. The HKIE wishes to point out that the Government’s involvement is of great value at the beginning of industries development, Hong Kong’s I&T development being in its critical period; and that apart from its active involvement, even more important is the fostering of interactions between academies, investors and the market so that startup companies can be self-sufficient and companies at its expansion stage can arrange financing and conduct research on their own according to market needs. These are truly the elements required for the I&T ecosystem’s sustainable development.
Furthermore, since the cost of funds is inevitably an important factor for consideration to start-up entrepreneurs when starting their local business, the HKIE suggests that the Government become more flexible in its investment policies, for example by offering tax concessions. Given the close partnership between Hong Kong and the Mainland’s companies and research institutes, deepening the city’s I&T collaboration with the Greater Bay Area and the Mainland at large will better integrate it into the national development framework and simultaneously create better local conditions. With its unique advantages, Hong Kong may also serve as a bridge between the Greater Bay Area (and the Mainland generally) and the international market.
Of utmost importance in technological innovations is the possession and retention of I&T talents. The HKIE is glad that the Government is pushing forward the enrichment of I&T talent resources. Not only is it attracting corporate champions and the relevant talents from overseas, but it must also push forward the nurturing of local I&T talents. At the same time, the HKIE is collaborating with the Education Bureau on "Engineers on Campus” programme, pairing the participating primary and secondary schools with engineers, promoting STEAM education, and popularising the idea in tertiary institutions as well. In fact, “STEAM” encompasses scientific, technological, engineering, artistic, and mathematical education, exercising a huge influence on the promotion of I&T. The HKIE believes that the programme is conducive to students’ timely discovery of their own talents and to the enrichment of Hong Kong’s I&T talent reserve; it hopes that the Government can provide sufficient support. Besides, the setting-up or strengthening of ancillary measures such as flexible visa schemes, data compatibility, subsidies for education for children, and health care is key to attracting I&T talents from abroad.
The HKIE stands ready to offer professional opinions on Hong Kong’s I&T development in the future and encourage interactions between different academies, I&T companies, and engineering companies through its network. Moreover, it will keep up its efforts to push forward STEAM education proactively, thereby building up the local talent reserve to face the developmental opportunities in the future.
For media enquiries, please contact:
The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers
Corporate Communications Section
Tel: 2895 4446
Fax: 2882 6825
Email: corpcom@hkie.org.hk