Deeply involved with a Hong Kong-mainland joint higher education institution since its inception, mathematician Tang Tao finds non-math solutions for obstacles as he charts a new course. Li Bingcun reports from Shenzhen.

For mathematician Tang Tao, leading the nation's first joint Chinese mainland-Hong Kong higher education institution might be no less challenging than solving the most complicated equation.

When he became president of United International College in Zhuhai in 2019, Tang inherited a young and ambitious institution weighed down by debt. Its development was further constrained by a shortage of available land.

"As the leader of a university, the prominent job should be recruiting talent and strengthening the school's research ability, definitely not wracking the brain for loans to build the campus," said Tang.

Though more conversant with computational mathematics than economics, Tang took on this task by applying his training as a scientist. The perseverance and passion he acquired over an academic career spanning decades proved to be an asset as he went about steering the school ahead of the curve.

His deep involvement with the school ever since its inception nearly 20 years ago also prepared him for his new role.

Tang was in charge of Hong Kong Baptist University's collaboration with the mainland when, in 2003, China first rolled out policies supporting mainland-overseas higher learning collaboration.

He became university president Ng Ching-fai's right-hand man when they embarked on a journey on the mainland, scouring a wide array of cities for partners and a school site. They waded through strict epidemic-control measures that were still in place shortly after the SARS outbreak was put under control. After searching near and far — visiting Beijing in northern China, Chengdu in the southwest, and Zhuhai in the south, among other cities — they set their eyes on Zhuhai, and got a new school off the ground in 2005.