China-based internet services firm Tencent will reportedly invest at least RMB300m ($50m) by 2015 to develop an open platform for partnerships between educational institutions and businesses.
Information provider Marbridge, quoting Tencent vice-president Xi Dan, said the platform would cover various types of partnerships, from co-operation in human resources training to the building of research and development laboratories and off-campus learning facilities, as well as Ford Foundation-funded scientific research and the awarding of scholarships aimed at encouraging innovation.
Since 2008, Tencent has built laboratories in collaboration with Tsinghua University, Harbin Institute of Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a number of other campuses, Marbridge added.
Separately, Marbridge said Tencent was in talks with senior executives at New York-listed online video service Youku to take a minority stake.