Since the late 1970s, CUHK has worked in partnership with mainland universities and institutes in research and programme collaborations. In 2006, CUHK established the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Shenzhen municipal government. In 2009, CUHK started to build the CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute in Nan Shan District, scheduled for completion in late 2010, as a base for research, development, training, and technology transfer. In March 2009, the University also established the CUHK-BGI Genome Centre in collaboration with the Beijing Genomics Institute, Shenzhen.

China's investment in education and research has increased rapidly in recent years. Deepened collaboration with Shenzhen will sustain and stimulate the growth of the University and contribute to the development of the PRD Region. One opportunity is to establish a second campus in Shenzhen offering degree programmes.

The establishment of a Shenzhen campus would be supported by separate funding, with land and capital expenditures provided by Shenzhen. There would not be any cross-subsidy from the Shatin campus. The programmes offered there would be subject to the same quality assurance measures as in Shatin. Not only mainland students but students from Hong Kong and overseas can study at the Shenzhen campus and enjoy the internship and career opportunities offered on the mainland.