15.12.2014 - Corporate News

Hong Kong, 15 December 2014. RIB Group, the world's leading Big Data 5D BIM technology provider, has signed a strategic partnership agreement with the University of Hong Kong (HKU), ranked as one of the top universities in both Asia and the world, to establish an iTWO 5D Lab within HKU's Shanghai Study Centre within the historic Post Office building in the prestigious Bund district of Shanghai.

This ground-breaking collaboration between RIB and HKU gives students and academic researchers at HKU and their university partners, access to leading edge, innovative and disruptive iTWO 5D BIM technology in engineering & construction management, architectural and urban design, and urban planning and management, integrating the Virtual into the Physical process. iTWO 5D technology will form the integrated Big Data platform for an exciting new international network of teaching, learning and research among HKU's staff, students and international university partners.

"We are greatly honoured to partner with HKU to develop the iTWO 5D Lab in Shanghai, creating a collaborative integrated workspace for thought leaders from academia, business, science, architecture, construction and governments. This reflects RIB's commitment to working collaboratively with exemplary universities to promote 'industry-in-education' innovations, and contribute to continuous professional development and revolutionizing the AEC industry through Big Data 5D BIM technology, process and thinking for the 21st century", said Thomas Wolf, Chairman and CEO of RIB Group.

Prof. Christopher Webster, Dean of HKU Faculty of Architecture commented, "This partnership between RIB and HKU provides a collaborative environment and unique opportunities for cross-disciplinary learning and continued cooperation between RIB & Hong Kong University's faculty, students and researchers, entrepreneurs, government bodies and industry. It will create many new possibilities in terms of both scientific research and commercial practices. We are very excited to be the first institution in Asia to offer this facility to our students, providing them with industry relevant, 21st century education with a 21st century iTWO 5D technology."

About the University of Hong Kong (HKU)
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is a comprehensive research-intensive institution comprising ten faculties. HKU's high-calibre staff and students - recruited from around the region and the world - engage in innovative research with local, regional and global significance across the University's faculties, research centres and institutes.

HKU consistently ranks high among the world's top universities. It has the most academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences/Engineering of any local institution, and many of its scholars are amongst the top 1% in their field according to ISI's Essential Science Indicators.

In research output, HKU holds a leading position in Hong Kong, both in the amount of output and the number of citations. The University has a wide range of international collaborations, through collaborative research projects, visiting professorships, and joint doctorate programmes with world-class institutions, and actively participates in international networks. Under Dean Webster's leadership, HKU's Faculty of Architecture will operate under the HKUrbanLab brand, fostering leading-edge research, teaching and innovation with an interdisciplinary Built Environment emphasis at the Chinese epicentre of 21st Century urbanization.


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