Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

香港科技大學
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Type	Public
Established	1991
Chancellor	CY Leung
President	Tony F. Chan
Academic staff	531
Undergraduates	8,981
Postgraduates	4,475
Local students	9,630
Non-local students	3,826
Location	Clear Water Bay , New Territories , Hong Kong
Campus	Rural, 60 hectares (0.60 km2)
Colours	Blue & gold
Affiliations	ASAIHL, APRU
Website	Official website
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Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Traditional Chinese	香港科技大學
Simplified Chinese	香港科技大学
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Xiānggǎng Kējì Dàxué Yue: Cantonese Jyutping Hoeng1 gong2 fo1 gei6 daai6 hok6 Yale Romanization Hēunggóng Fōgeih Daaihhohk

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is a public research university in Clear Water Bay Peninsula, Hong Kong. Established in 1991, it is the territory's youngest higher learning institution with no precursory existence.

The university consists of four disciplinary schools, which offer degrees in business and management, engineering, science, and humanities and social science, alongside the Interdisciplinary Programs Office, which provides cross-disciplinary programs, and Fok Ying Tung Graduate School/Fok Ying Tung Research Institute, which promotes technology transfer and commercialisation. HKUST has been continuously viewed as one of the top three higher education institutions in Hong Kong.

History

Established in 1991 under Chapter 1141 of the Laws of Hong Kong (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Ordinance), HKUST is one of the eight statutory universities in Hong Kong.

In the late 1980s the Hong Kong Government anticipated a strong demand for university graduates to fuel an economy increasingly based on services. Sir Chung Sze Yuen and the then Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Edward Youde, conceived the idea of another university in addition to the pre-existing two universities (HKU and CUHK).

Planning for the "Third University", named The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology later, began in 1986. Construction began at the Kohima Camp site in Tai Po Tsai on the Clear Water Bay Peninsula. The site was earmarked for the construction of a new British Army garrison, but plans for the construction of the garrison were shelved after the Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed in 1984.

Originally scheduled to finish in 1994, the death of Sir Edward in 1986 led to increased effort and allowed UST to open its doors early – in 1991. Several leading scientists and researchers took up positions at the new university in its early years, including physicist Leroy Chang who arrived in 1993 as Dean of Science and went on to become Vice-President for Academic Affairs. Thomas E. Stelson was also a founding member of the administration.

The project was criticised for surpassing the budget set forth by the Hong Kong Government and the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club. However, under the fund-raising efforts of its President, Woo Chia-wei, the first students enrolled in October 1991. By 1992, accommodation and athletic facilities were expanded to support about 7,000 students.

Several more expansion projects such as the construction of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Enterprise Centre have since been completed. The library extension building, Lee Shau Kee Business Building (LSK), Lo Ka Chung Building South Bus Station, Undergraduate Halls VIII and IX, Cheng Yu Tung Building (CYT) and the Conference Lodge, are the latest additions to the campus.

Campus

Bird's-eye view of the HKUST campus

The university is situated at the northern part of Clear Water Bay Peninsula in Sai Kung District, New Territories, Hong Kong, occupying a 60-hectare site overlooking Port Shelter in Tai Po Tsai. In addition to the academic complexes, the campus also boasts student halls of residence, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, the University Center, staff quarters and the President's Lodge, making use of the sloped terrain to divide the campus for different uses.

Academic Building

The Academic Building contains 10 lecture theatres (A-H, J-K), a multitude of classrooms, laboratories and administrative offices, as well as ancillary facilities such as canteens, banks, a bookstore and a supermarket. The lecture theatres can accommodate classes of up to 450 students and offer audiovisual equipment. In addition, an information center and a souvenir shop can be found at the Piazza.

Lee Shau Kee Business Building (LSK), completed in 2013 and named after entrepreneur Lee Shau Kee, houses offices and classrooms of the School of Business and Management (SBM). Before LSK went into operation, offices and classrooms used by all of the 4 schools were grouped under the same roof in the Academic Building.

The latest addition to the campus is the Cheng Yu Tung Building (CYT), which mainly consist of classrooms and laboratories, completed in 2015.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Library

The HKUST Library, part of the Hong Kong Academic Library Link (HKALL), occupies a central location of the campus. Connected to the Academic Building, it is accessible directly from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Atrium. It spans five floors with over 12,350 sq m of floor space, providing more than 3,674 seats as well as computing facilities. It offers a wide array of information resources, both local and remote. In addition to over 720,000 print and electronic volumes and a large collection of media resources, it provides access to more than 47,000 periodical titles, a large number of e-books, databases, and other digital information resources.

The library owns a collection of old maps of China and the rest of Asia, produced by Chinese and Western cartographers over the last 500 years. A selection of these maps, providing an insight into the history of international geographic knowledge, was published by the library in a limited-edition (1000 copies) volume in 2003.

Unlike other university libraries in Hong Kong where access is limited to persons affiliated to the institutions, HKUST Library is open to the public except during examinations.

Health services

Located on LG1, next to the Sports Hall entrance, the Health Centre consists of a medical clinic, a student dental clinic as well as a staff dental clinic. The medical clinic provides free outpatient service to all full-time students and staff. Specialist services in Allergy, Dermatology, ENT, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Ophthalmology, Pulmonology, Surgery and Physiotherapy are available subject to a charge.

Safety and environment

The Health, Safety and Environment Office (HSEO) was established to develop and help implement safety and environmental policies and procedures, and to provide necessary services to facilitate the realisation of this commitment.

Reputation and rankings

University rankings
Global
ARWU	201–300
Times	59
QS	28
Asia
ARWU	27-42
Times	7
QS (Global version) QS (Asia version)	4 5

HKUST had been previously ranked Asia's No.1 by the independent regional QS University Rankings: Asia for three consecutive years from 2011 to 2013. It's one of the fastest growing institutions as ranked #1 and #4 by QS world's under-50 universities and Times 100 under 50 universities respectively in 2014.The THE's World Reputation Rankings of 2015 considered it the second reputable in the territory, while it was third in the HKU Public Opinion Programme survey (2012). According to Global Employability University Ranking 2015, the University's graduates have the most employment rate among Greater China, ranked 14th worldwide.

Academic organisation

The overall academic organisation structure is as follows:

School of Science (SSCI)	School of Engineering (SENG)	School of Business and Management (SBM)	School of Humanities and Social Science (SHSS)	Interdisciplinary Programs Office (IPO)	Dean of Students
Division of Life Science Department of Chemistry Department of Mathematics Department of Physics	Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Department of Computer Science and Engineering Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering Department of Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering	Department of Accounting Department of Economics Department of Finance Department of Information Systems, Business Statistics and Operations Management Department of Marketing Department of Management	Division of Humanities Division of Social Science Centre for Language Education	Division of Biomedical Engineering Division of Environment Dual Degree Program Office Risk Management and Business Intelligence Program Office	Office of Undergraduate Recruitment and Admission Student Affairs Office

Moreover, in 2012, there is also a collaboration and consultation effort between Xi’an Jiaotong University (XJTU) and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) in establishing a School of Sustainable Development, namely “XJTU-HKUST Joint School of Sustainable Development (JSSD)”.

School of Science

There are Division of Life Science, Department of Chemistry, Department of Mathematics and Department Physics under the School of Science. The School of Science emphasises the whole-person development and international exposure of students. Its undergraduate exchange program provides science students with as many international learning opportunities as it can throughout their studies. The School has teamed up with over 60 exchange partners from regions including Australia, United Kingdom, United States, Mainland China, and Japan.

School of Engineering

The School of Engineering (SENG) is the largest of the 6 Schools within HKUST. It has 6 departments: Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Computer Science and Engineering, Electronic and Computer Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. It is the only education provider on chemical engineering in Hong Kong. The School provides more than 40 degree programs at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels.

In 2015-16, Times Higher Education World University Rankings in Engineering and Technology placed HKUST Engineering No.16 globally, the best ever position achieved by any local university since the establishment of this league table in 2010. QS World University Rankings by Faculty 2015 - Engineering and Technology ranked HKUST No.14 globally which made SENG No. 1 in Hong Kong for six consecutive years. SENG has over 100 exchange partner universities in 26 countries/regions in the world.

Centre for Global & Community Engagement

The Centre for Global & Community Engagement (GCE) is established as co-curricular program under the School of Engineering, engaging students to make contributions to the community and to broaden their international exposure. GCE supports individuals and student teams such as the HKUST Robotics Team to participate in international competitions.

School of Business and Management

HKUST's School of Business and Management (SBM) is branded the HKUST Business School. Its Kellogg-HKUST EMBA program has been ranked the world’s No.1 six times (2007, 2009-2013) by the Financial Times, while its full-time MBA program has been ranked the world’s Top 10 four times (2010-2013). The School has been awarded AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) accreditation since 1999.

There are over 140 faculties. The School offers degree programs– undergraduate, MBA, EMBA, MSc and PhD – and a range of executive education. 12 research centres are assigned to areas from business case studies and investing to Asian Financial Markets and China Business & Management. The School is also placed to leverage its international and regional knowledge base as Asia rises in significance in the global economy. A new purpose-built campus is in place to enable the School to develop further.

School of Humanities and Social Science

The School of Humanities and Social Science supports interdisciplinary academic training and research in fields including anthropology, economics, geography, history, innovation studies, languages, linguistics, literature, music, philosophy, political science, psychology, sociology, and visual art.

Interdisciplinary Programs Office

The interdisciplinary programs bring together two or more different fields of study, offering a great opportunity for students with more than one interest to integrate their abilities. Programs are referenced to Hong Kong’s needs and global trends to ensure relevance, with strong input from business and industry to keep training and skills in line with market demand. Research projects in partnership with industry and the community are encouraged through the Dual Degree Program in Technology and Management and Risk Management and Business Intelligence Program to allow full engagement of the students with the community.

Research studies

HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School/ HKUST Fok Ying Tung Research Institute

On 25 January 2007, the HKUST officially named its graduate school in Nansha as HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School/ HKUST Fok Ying Tung Research Institute in a ceremony that combined the official opening of the graduate school and the ground-breaking of its Nansha campus.

HKUST Jockey Club Institute for Advanced Study

HKUST Jockey Club Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) at HKUST champions collaborative projects across disciplines and institutions. It forges relationships with academic, business, community, and government leaders. The IAS organised its inaugural lecture by noted scientist Prof. Stephen Hawking in June 2006.

Student life

Students' residence

All full-time registered UG students, in-time full-time HKUST research postgraduate students (RPgs) and full-time HKUST taught postgraduate students (TPgs) of the University are eligible to apply for student housing. Under the current policy, all local UG students are guaranteed one semester of hall residence in their first year of study, whilst their non-local counterparts are guaranteed two years of residency.

The nine on-campus undergraduate halls provide a total of 146 bed places in single rooms, 3,094 in double rooms (twin + bunk) and 792 in triple rooms. 220 places in single rooms are provided for the residence of Taught Postgraduate Students (TPgs) and Visiting Interns, and another 960 places in single or double rooms are for Research Postgraduate Students (RPgs).

Name of hall	House SA or equivalent system	Remarks
UG Hall I 學生宿舍第一座	█ The Undergraduate House One Students' Association, HKUSTSU (社一)	First student residence in HKUST
UG Hall II 學生宿舍第二座	█ Vertex, House II Students' Association, HKUSTSU (翱峰)
UG Hall III 學生宿舍第三座	█ Glacier, House III Students' Association, HKUSTSU (冰川)
UG Hall IV 學生宿舍第四座	█ Vista, House IV Students' Association, HKUSTSU (嶄越)
PG Hall II, UG Hall V 研究生宿舍二座, 學生宿舍第五座	█ Endeavour, House V Students' Association, HKUSTSU (卓毅)
UG Hall VI 學生宿舍第六座	"Living Learning Communities" (LLCs) system adopted instead of House SA	opened in 2006 as "New Hall"
Chan Sui Kau and Chan Lam Moon Chun Hall (UG Hall VII) 陳瑞球林滿珍伉儷樓（學生宿舍第七座）	"Living Learning Communities" (LLCs) system, implementation by the "Leadership Team" of student residents	opened in 2009 donated by industrialist Dr Chan Sui-kau
UG Hall VIII 學生宿舍第八座	No House SA formed, events organised by an Organizing Team formed by student representatives	opened in 2013
UG Hall IX 學生宿舍第九座

There are also off-campus accommodations available. 15 apartments in Tai Po Tsai Village(TPT308 and Wan's Lodge) and 6 apartments in Sam Long Village (SL Apartments) are rented by the University to accommodate 126 TPgs.

On 27 April 2012, research postgraduate students organised a sit-down strike to raise the voice of the voiceless and reiterate the concerns of the research postgraduate students about the serious housing issue.

Students' Union

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Students' Union (HKUSTSU) consists of four independent statutory bodies, namely the Executive Committee, the Council, the Editorial Board and the Court. Apart of the "sponsored student groups" sponsored by the university's Student Affairs Office (SAO), all student societies recognised by the university authority are affiliated under the Students' Union.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee (幹事會) is the executive branch of the SU. It consists of standing committees to take care of issues regarding the Union and its members such as Academic Affairs, External and Current Affairs, International Affairs, Public Relations, Publication, Social Activities, Orientation Affairs, University Affairs, and Welfare Matters.

Council

The Council (評議會) acts as the legislature branch, which is responsible for legislation and regulation of finance and operations of Union. Its duties include:

• Hold all elections regarding Students' Union
• Consideration and approval of applications for affiliation to the Union
• Supervision, advice, proposing and passing rules and regulations on all sub-organisations
• Interpretation of and proposing amendment to the Constitution of Union
• Consideration and approval of Master Budget of the Union
• Consideration and approval of application of Union subsidies

To practice the above duties, the Council has four standing committees: Affiliated Societies Committee, Constitution Committee, Election Committee and Finance Committee.

Editorial Board

The Editorial Board (編輯委員會) is responsible for maintaining WINGS (振翅) and WINGS, High Fly Post (振翅之高飛報), the official publications of Union, as well as promoting literary development on campus. Its main functions are:

• Promotion of the objects of the Union
• Providing chances for and encourage free expressions of opinion by and among the student body

Court

The Court (仲裁委員會) is the judiciary body of HKUSTSU. Its main duties are:

• Settle disputes within the Union
• Provide interpretation to the Constitution

Affiliated societies

The application of Students' Societies in HKUST are approved by the Students' Union Council. They are the affiliated societies of the Students' Union. There are five types of affiliated societies of Students' Union in HKUST:

• Independent Clubs Association and Independent Clubs
• Sports Association and Sports Clubs
• House Associations
• Departmental Societies
• School Societies

Independent Clubs Association and Independent Clubs

Independent Clubs Association and Independent Clubs are the interest club for the students, such as the Yo-hoo Club, AIESEC-LC-HKUST, The Band Society, the Film Society, the Drama Society, the Magic Club and People's Campus Radio. There are around 48 independent clubs.

Sports associations and clubs

Sports Association and Sports Clubs are the students' societies that promote sports activities to students.

House Students' Association

House Students' Associations (House SA) are students' societies of the undergraduate student halls affiliated to the Students' Union. Such organizations, which exist in the five older undergraduate halls (UG Hall I-IV, PG Hall II), are responsible for organizing extra-circular activities for their members, .

The newer UG Halls VI-IX do not have their own House SA, and the Living Learning Communities (LLCs) system is implemented in Halls VI and VII to connect hall residents; activities in Halls VIII and IX are organised by an Organizing Team, members of which are elected by the whole resident community. Neither LLCs and organising teams are affiliated with the SU.

School Societies

Students from each of the four schools as well as those pursuing Interdisciplinary Programs have their own students' society, namely The Business Students' Union, HKUSTSU (BSU), The Engineering Students' Union (ESU), The Humanities and Social Science Students' Union (HSSU), Science Students' Union (SSU) and Interdisciplinary Programs Students' Union (IPSU).

The school unions would be responsible to serve all students in the school and organise extra-circular activities for them.

Departmental Societies

Each department in HKUST would have its own departmental society,for example, Management Students' Association (MSA), The Marketing Students' Society, HKUSTSU (MKSS) and Mathematics Students' Society (MATHS). The departmental societies would organise different activities to their departments' students.

Providing activities to students, departmental societies are also responsible for promoting their corresponding department on information day which is for giving information of the university to high school students.

See also

• Education in Hong Kong
• Higher education in Hong Kong
• List of universities in Hong Kong
• List of buildings and structures in Hong Kong
• LAOTSE, an international network of universities in Europe and Asia, including HKUST
• Hong Kong Virtual University, a collaboration project initiated by HKUST

External links

• Master of Science in Global Finance – partnership between NYU Stern School of Business and HKUST
• Information Technology Service Centre (ITSC)
  • HKUST Path Advisor