November 16, 2023, Republic of Korea  — The International Vaccine Institute (IVI), an international organization with a mission to discover, develop, and deliver safe, effective, and affordable vaccines for global health, signed an MOU yesterday with University of Cambridge (UCAM), University of Hong Kong (HKU), and the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) to promote vaccine research and global health initiatives, including the establishment of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Institute (HKJCGHI).

  HKJC will support the HKJCGHI through one of their largest donations in history, aiming to advance vaccine research and development, particularly for pathogens of pandemic potential, while offering a robust training and education program for post-graduate students and future public health leaders. Leveraging their respective strengths, the founding partners seek to establish a center specialized in vaccine process and platform development, epidemiology, immunology, health economics, and capacity-building.

  With a commitment to strengthening pandemic preparedness and regional prevention and control of infectious diseases, HKJCGHI will bring the latest translational vaccine technology to Hong Kong and bolster local and regional vaccine industries.

  George Bickerstaff, Chairperson of IVI’s Board of Trustees, said: “We are incredibly excited to join forces with the University of Cambridge, University of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Jockey Club to create a vital new hub for vaccine science and education. The founding of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Institute is an exemplar of positive partnership between research, academia, and philanthropy coming together for public good. IVI is grateful to the Hong Kong Jockey Club for the support and opportunity to take part in this essential effort.”

  Michael Lee, Chairman of HKJC, said: “Hosted by the University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Institute will bring world-leading scientists and research teams from the International Vaccine Institute and the University of Cambridge to Hong Kong to work on translational vaccine research. With vaccines being the most powerful means of disease control, we want it to become a platform for fostering collaboration and cross-pollination of cutting-edge technologies.”

  Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of IVI, said: “IVI is proud to collaborate with the University of Cambridge, University of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Jockey Club to create a global center at the cutting edge of vaccine R&D and training. With an emphasis on translational research, public-private partnership, and capacity-building, HKJCGHI aims to advance the access and affordability of critical vaccine technologies ahead of future pandemics. We look forward to integrating the institute into the broader global health ecosystem.”

  The MOU signing ceremony took place on the campus of HKU with the signatures of Mr. Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, CEO, HKJC; Prof. Xiang Zhang, President and Vice-Chancellor, HKU; Prof. Patrick Maxwell, Regius Professor of Physics and Head of School, School of Clinical Medicine, UCAM; and Dr. Jerome H. Kim, Director General, IVI.

  Mr. George Bickerstaff, Chairperson of IVI’s Board of Trustees, attended the ceremony as well as Ms. Lily Li, IVI Board Member and CEO and Founder of Harvard Wealth Strategy and Management, and Dr. Florian Marks, Deputy Director General of Epidemiology, Public Health, and Impact at IVI.

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    About the International Vaccine Institute (IVI)

The International Vaccine Institute (IVI) is a non-profit international organization established in 1997 at the initiative of the United Nations Development Programme with a mission to discover, develop, and deliver safe, effective, and affordable vaccines for global health.

IVI’s current portfolio includes vaccines at all stages of pre-clinical and clinical development for infectious diseases that disproportionately affect low- and middle-income countries, such as cholera, typhoid, chikungunya, shigella, salmonella, schistosomiasis, hepatitis E, HPV, COVID-19, and more. IVI developed the world’s first low-cost oral cholera vaccine, pre-qualified by the World Health Organization (WHO), and developed a new-generation typhoid conjugate vaccine that is currently under assessment for WHO PQ.

IVI is headquartered in Seoul, Republic of Korea with a Europe Regional Office in Sweden, Country Office in Austria, and Collaborating Centers in Ghana, Ethiopia, and Madagascar. 39 countries and the WHO are members of IVI, and the governments of the Republic of Korea, Sweden, India, Finland, and Thailand provide state funding. For more information, please visit https://www.ivi.int.

    CONTACT

Aerie Em, Global Communications & Advocacy Manager

+82 2 881 1386 | aerie.em@ivi.int