The Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Research Institute (ASTRI) has partnered with the University of Hong Kong (HKU) to jointly nurture fintech talent in the region.

The agreement will see both parties develop the Technology Oriented Practitioner (TOP) programme, a work-study scheme for first-year students enrolled on the MSc programme in FinTech and Data Analytics at HKU.

Following that, ASTRI will be providing paid full-time employment for up to 30 students for a nine-month period and assigning them to one of their many ongoing fintech projects.

Hugh Chow, Chief Executive Officer of ASTRI, said:

“We are fully committed to building a bridge of talent between academia and the industry and we are thrilled to be offering this opportunity to future talent in Hong Kong to gain invaluable work experience at such a crucial part of their studies.

“Being a world-leader in fintech is vital to Hong Kong’s future success and a crucial aspect of the role we will play in the Greater Bay Area, making the most of our city’s unique advantages. We are therefore thrilled to be making such an important contribution to the development of future talent,”

The TOP programme is among ASTRI’s commitments to developing talent in the I&T sector, particularly fintech. Working with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, ASTRI launched the Fintech Career Accelerator Scheme in 2016. This year, the HKMA received more than 1,400 applications, nearly twice as many as last year.

In addition to that, the ASTRI University Advisory Council (AUAC) has partnered with top universities in Hong Kong to harness knowledge and nurture talent through strategic collaboration with students, providing them with hands-on experience.

Earlier this month, ASTRI launched its Graduate Programme 2020, providing full-time employment to graduates and an opportunity to work closely with its researchers. ASTRI also offers a three-month blockchain accelerator programme, in partnership with the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park and Molecular Hub, as well as summer internships, which took in 42 students from 15 universities across the world in 2020.

Featured image: (From Left) Professor Mr S M Yiu, Dr KP Chow, Professor T W Lam and Professor Christopher Chao of The University of Hong Kong, the Commissioner of Innovation and Technology Ms Rebecca Pun, JP, and ASTRI’s CEO Mr Hugh Chow, CTO Dr Lucas Hui and COO Dr Martin Szeto at the signing of the Work-Study Scheme agreement.