Collaboration aims to drive innovation and nurture talent that could help power sustainable business growth for the company
Hong Kong, July 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- EuroEyes International Eye Clinic Limited ("EuroEyes" or the "Company", together with its subsidiaries, the "Group", HKEX: 1846) announced on 27 July that it has signed a tri-party agreement of mutual cooperation ("AMC") with the Eye Center of Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University Eye Hospital and The David J. Apple International Laboratory for Ocular Pathology & International Vision Correction Research Centre (IVCRC), University Eye Clinic of the Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg. The AMC aims to establish closer cooperation between eye care professionals in the PRC and Germany that could foster new innovations in ophthalmology, and enhance the skills of surgeons at EuroEyes and in the two countries who could contribute to the continued development in eye care.
(Top): Prof. WANG Jian'an (Bottom left to right): JIN Xiuming; Prof. HUANG Jian; Prof. YAO Ke; YANG Mingli, Prof. Dr. Gerd U. Auffarth; Dr. med. Jørn S. Jørgensen; Prof. Dr. Michael Knorz
The online signing ceremony was co-chaired by Prof. HUANG Jian, Executive Vice President of The Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine and Prof. Dr. Gerd U. Auffarth, Chairman of University Eye Clinic of the Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg. Other representatives from China include Prof. WANG Jian'an, Head of The Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine; Prof. YAO Ke, and JIN Xiuming, the Chair and Deputy-Chair of Eye Center of The Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine; YANG Mingli, Director of International Affairs Office of The Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine and Mr. Michael ZHANG, COO of China of EuroEyes International Clinics. The German representatives are Dr. med. Jørn S. Jørgensen, Founder, Chairman and CEO of EuroEyes and Prof. Dr. Michael Knorz, EuroEyes Senior Vice President and Professor of Ophthalmology at University of Heidelberg, Medical Faculty Mannheim.
The AMC includes joint participation in respective scientific and educational activities, such as research projects and publication of findings, advocacy campaigns, and organisation of conferences, all of which to help discover breakthroughs in ophthalmology.
All parties will also establish an exchange programme for young doctors to conduct scientific research, improve surgical skills, and share experiences in the different locations. Ophthalmologists from EuroEyes, Heidelberg University Eye Clinic and Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine will have the opportunity to pursue a 3 to 6 months fellowship in the PRC and Germany.
Participants from the PRC will be able to pursue a PhD thesis and gain experience at an EuroEyes clinic in Germany; those from Germany will be able to participate in research projects and are enabled to perform surgery to improve their experiences in intraocular lens surgery, laser vision correction and cataract complication management.
Dr. med. Jørn S. Jørgensen, Founder, Chairman and CEO of EuroEyes, said: "We are excited to foster the alliances of medical and science development among EuroEyes, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine and Heidelberg University Eye Clinic. We believe the collaboration will help EuroEyes identify talented students and surgeons in the PRC, offering them with local understandings, postgraduate experiences and knowledge exchanges in Germany. Meanwhile, surgeons in Germany will be given opportunities to possess a wealth of on-the-ground experience in the PRC. This programme could help EuroEyes address any unmet medical needs in both markets, while at the same time help nurture a new generation of eye doctors. We will put a lot of effort into this collaboration and we look forward to working together."
Professor Yao Ke, Chair of Eye Center of Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University Eye Hospital, said: "Zhejiang University has kept a close relationship with Heidelberg University and the experts from EuroEyes for the past decades, and today we are pleased to witness this crucial moment of taking our collaboration to a next level. The new fellowship programme will help train a large number of medical students and refractive surgeons, furnish them with excellent trainings and years of surgical experiences from both countries. This would allow us to share the best practices and together discover medical breakthroughs in ophthalmology, all of which will benefit patients worldwide."
Professor Dr. Gerd U. Auffarth, Chairman of University Eye Clinic of the Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg, said: "This AMC is an all-win situation for the three parties and we are pleased to be part of it. It is a remarkable achievement to gather ophthalmology, education and entrepreneurship at this high level. With the support from Dr. Jørgensen, who is the creative power behind the collaboration, the exchange between PhD students and doctors from all parties could be carried out in a more formalised way. As Dr. Jørgensen brought the excellence of German ophthalmology to China, we are delighted to have Chinese ophthalmologists in Germany to share their expertise and know-hows. This AMC will certainly lead us to a bright future and we look forward to working together."
Dr. Jørn S. Jørgensen added: "Despite the challenges brought by severe COVID-19 situations in China and unfavourable global environment in the first half of the year, we managed to remain resistant to the external challenges. We have been prudent in our expansion plan, strive to improve our profitability, and maintain a healthy cash flow. With our far-reaching geographical coverage with operations in Germany, China, Denmark and United Kingdom, which helps diversity potential business risks from a single market, we are confident in the sustainable growth of the Group."
About EuroEyes International Eye Clinic Limited (1846.HK)
EuroEyes was established in 1993 and is one of the leading brands in the vision correction industry that combines German ophthalmology excellence and over 25 years of experience with individualised customer care. EuroEyes is one of the few eye clinic groups with a far-reaching geographical coverage, with operations in Germany, Denmark, the PRC and the United Kingdom. The Group's vision correction services include (i) refractive laser surgery (which includes ReLEx smile and Femto LASIK); (ii) phakic lens (ICL) surgery; (iii) lens exchange surgery (which includes the monofocal and trifocal lens exchange surgery) and (iv) others (which include PRK/LASEK and ICRS implantation). For more information, please visit www.euroeyes.hk.
About Eye Center of Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University Eye Hospital
Eye Center of Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University School of Medicine was established in 1869. It offers Bachelor, Master and Doctoral degrees in ophthalmology and postdoctoral stations. It is one of the first hospitals to provide standard residency training and continuing medical education. In 2017, Zhejiang University, Eye Center of Second Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang University and Topchoice Medical Investment Corporation jointly signed an agreement to launch Zhejiang University Eye Hospital.
About The David J. Apple International Laboratory for Ocular Pathology & International Vision Correction Research Centre (IVCRC), University Eye Clinic of the Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg
Founded by David Apple, The David J. Apple International Laboratory for Ocular Pathology & International Vision Correction Research Centre (IVCRC), University Eye Clinic of the Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg was a research laboratory, following David's vision to improve intraocular lenses, cataract surgical techniques, and patient care. The laboratory was shipped to Heidelberg Germany in 2012, continuing David's research work on intraocular devices and extending the network by bringing together ophthalmic device manufacturers and ophthalmic surgeons from all over the world. Established in 1868, University Eye Clinic of the Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg is one of the most renowned and oldest Eye Hospitals in Germany with a lineage of ophthalmic surgeons of international standing. The clinic provides a range of outpatient services including strabismus and neuro-ophthalmology, ophthalmic rehabilitation and laser or microsurgical correction of ametropia.
For more information, please contact:
Hume Brophy Communications – Ashley So / Jane Hung / Connie Chan, euroeyeshk@humebrophy.com
