ISTIF 2025 to Be Held in Hong Kong: Nearly 90 Speakers at 1 Opening Plenary & 10 Thematic Forums to Chart the Future Blueprint for Sci-Tech Innovation
As a major international event in science and innovation, the International Science, Technology & Innovation Forum of Boao Forum for Asia 2025 Hong Kong Conference (ISTIF 2025), jointly hosted by the Boao Forum for Asia and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), will take place from 6 to 7 June 2025 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). Spanning two days, the Conference comprises one opening plenary and ten thematic sessions, establishing a high-level platform for exchange, dialogue and cooperation in the global science and innovation arena. ISTIF 2025 will discuss new trends in science and innovation development, explore new frameworks for global science and technology governance, and chart a new future where science and innovation empower sustainable development.
The event will gather government officials, representatives from international organisations, scholars, business and industry leaders, and media professionals from over 20 countries and regions to jointly promote fair and equitable global science and technology governance, as well as international scientific and technological cooperation which is open, inclusive, mutually beneficial, and sharing.
The thematic sessions will gather nearly 90leaders from government and business, alongside luminaries from the science and innovation sector, to share successful experiences and profound insights on trending cutting-edge topics including global science and technology governance, sustainable development, innovation clusters, life sciences, mobility in the future, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, financial innovation, and youth leadership. The forums aim to propose feasible recommendations and solutions for strengthening global science and technology governance, guiding the formulation of new technology rules, supporting the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, bridging the digital divide, and fostering international cooperation.
Notably, the Conference will also feature the Hong Kong special session titled “Leveraging the Advantages of Connecting with Both the Mainland and the World to Foster Global Innovation and Technology Collaboration” where government and business leaders, as well as renowned experts across various sectors in Hong Kong gather to explore how to leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages of connecting with both the Mainland and the international community to foster efficient collaboration among government, industry, academia, research, and investment sectors in order to promote global innovation and technology cooperation and development.
As the core engine of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong is accelerating the development of an international innovation and technology centre. It is forging a comprehensive and closely linked innovation ecosystem spanning “basic research—outcomes commercialization—industrial application” across the entire value chain and achieving frequent breakthroughs in various innovation and technology fields such as artificial intelligence, bio-medicine, and quantum technology. The Conference will fully leverage Hong Kong’s roles as a “super-connector” and “super value-adder”, connecting the Greater Bay Area and the global innovation network, thereby injecting fresh momentum into global innovation and technology development.
Since its inception in 2019, the International Science, Technology and Innovation Forum of the Boao Forum for Asia has successfully held three previous editions in Macao, Guangzhou, and Zhuhai. It has garnered widespread attention and participation from all sectors, and become a vital platform for exchange, dialogue, and cooperation in the science and innovation arena, actively contributing to strengthening international innovation cooperation, advancing the development of science and technology governance systems, and propelling the global sustainable development agenda.