P R E S S   R E L E A S E

The Chinese University of Hong Kong has successfully developed and introduced an advanced electronic procurement system e-jing that operates through the Internet.  The University Bursary has used e-jing since May, placing CUHK at the forefront of electronic procurement among local universities.  The same system can help local businesses, large and small, to reduce the cost of tendering and improve efficiency.  This success reflects CUHK's enviable track record in research and development, with e-commerce being one of the major areas of emphasis.

"The Chinese University of Hong Kong is proud of its success, and will do everything it can to share its expertise in e-commerce with local enterprises.  Through the transfer of its technology to the marketplace, the University hopes to make available a fast, reliable and bilingual e-commerce platform for the commercial and industrial sectors in Hong Kong.  The adoption of e-procurement will help Hong Kong to transform itself into an information economy and an e-commerce centre in Asia," said Professor Kenneth Young, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Professor Ching Pak Chung, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, pointed out that e-jing is more than a system for the University's internal use.  The system, which is compatible with major accounting softwares, can also fulfill the purchasing needs of enterprises from different sectors.

"Led by several top scientists, the development team of e-jing has been engaged in a number of collaborative projects with well-known global enterprises such as Motorola and IBM.  The professors, researchers and graduate students in the team have worked hard to design and build this system.  It is heartening to see that the quality of a local research product can be as good as brand-name softwares in the market that cost ten times more," said Professor Ching Pak Chung.

 Speaking from a user's perspective, Mr Terence Chan, the University Bursar, said that about 400 companies have already registered on the new e-tendering system since its launch in May.  One company has secured over HK$200,000 worth of business from CUHK by tendering through e-jing.  The new system economizes on manpower, cuts down on paper, increases transaction efficiency and enlarges the pool of suppliers.  As a result, the cost of procurement is reduced and the whole process takes place in a more open, fair and accountable environment.

"In the coming year alone, CUHK's equipment tenders through e-jing will amount to at least eight figures.  At the same time, we are also planning to automate the entire procurement process using the e-jing platform," said Mr Terence Chan.
 

Website for e-jing: http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/bus/e-procurement or http://www.e-jing.net