Global Female Rising Stars in Engineering Gather for Dialogue in Future Engineering Education in AI, Mentorship and Exchange
Through the Asian Deans’ Forum 2026 and the Rising Stars Women in Engineering Workshop, HKUST is advancing a shared commitment to empowering female engineers to thrive in academia, industry, and beyond.
Helping women realize their ambitions in engineering requires visible role models, access to mentorship, and institutions committed to creating opportunities.
Through the Asian Deans’ Forum (ADF) 2026 and the Rising Stars Women in Engineering Workshop (September 13 to 15), HKUST has placed these priorities at the heart of a collaborative effort in promoting diversity, mentorship, and excellence in engineering education across the region.
The landmark event brought together nearly 50 outstanding early-career women engineering scholars, researchers, and professionals from 14 universities across four continents, underscoring HKUST's role as a catalyst for advancing women's participation and leadership in engineering.
Celebrating and Empowering Women in Engineering
Since its inaugural edition at HKUST in 2018, the workshop has grown into a premier platform for nurturing female scholars, fostering inter-institutional collaboration, and deepening exchanges within the engineering education community across Asia. This year's event holds special significance as HKUST hosts the workshop once again to celebrate its 35th anniversary.
The workshop was jointly organized by seven leading engineering schools in the Asia-Pacific region: HKUST, the University of New South Wales, Seoul National University, the National University of Singapore, National Taiwan University, the University of Tokyo, and Tsinghua University.
Advancing excellence through diversity
The opening session featured welcome addresses from Prof. Nancy IP, President of HKUST, and Prof. Hong K. LO, Dean of Engineering. Ms Mable CHAN, Secretary for Transport and Logistics of the HKSAR Government, served as Guest of Honor and delivered the opening remarks. Representatives from the seven organizing institutions also attended the opening ceremony.
In her welcome remarks, Prof. Ip emphasized that diversity drives excellence and reaffirmed the University's commitment to recognizing and celebrating women's achievements.
“My own journey from neuroscientist to becoming the first woman president of a publicly funded university in Hong Kong has reinforced my belief that passion, perseverance, and the support of mentors and colleagues can empower individuals to overcome barriers and achieve their aspirations,” she said.
Prof. Ip noted that diversity is not only a matter of fairness but a catalyst for excellence and innovation. She reaffirmed HKUST’s commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where people from different backgrounds can reach their full potential and contribute their unique perspectives.
“As we celebrate our 35th anniversary and embark on exciting new initiatives, including the establishment of HKUST School of Medicine and the launch of the new Department of Materials, we welcome talented women from around the world to join us in advancing discovery, driving innovation, and creating lasting impact for society,” she added.
Female engineers as valued team members
Ms. Mable Chan, emphasized the pivotal role that female engineers have played in delivering major infrastructure projects in recent years. She pointed to opportunities arising from Smart and Green Mass Transit Systems, the low-altitude economy, and AI-driven public licensing and traffic management initiatives. She also underscored the need for responsible, human-centered innovation and noted the increasingly important contributions of women leaders in engineering.
Emphasizing the growing opportunities available to women in engineering, Ms Chan encouraged more young women to pursue careers in the profession. She stated that diverse perspectives are essential to developing people-centered solutions and advancing innovation in rapidly evolving fields such as smart mobility, artificial intelligence and the low-altitude economy.
Mentoring the rising stars
This year's program placed a special focus on the transformative role of AI in higher education and research. The workshop featured a plenary session by Prof. GUO Yike, HKUST Provost and Director of the Hong Kong Generative AI Research and Development Center, on "AI Empowers the Future Development of Higher Education."
Participants also attended a presentation on "Human-AI Co-Intelligence Education" delivered by Prof. WANG Yu-Hsing, Director of the HKUST Center for Engineering Education Innovation. Key engineering faculty members from all the partner universities took part in several sessions focused on the following themes:
• The Next Frontier in Engineering Education
• Early-Career Advice: Academic Research & Innovation
• Women’s Leadership in Industry Collaboration and Technology Transfer
During the workshop, shortlisted PhD students, research associates, research fellows, and postdoctoral fellows from the seven universities, as well as participants from other leading global institutions, received mentoring and career development advice.
From Visibility to Opportunity
By supporting mentorship, celebrating women’s achievements, and encouraging collaboration across institutions and disciplines, the participating universities are helping create an environment in which emerging female engineers can pursue their ambitions with greater confidence.
The forum also reinforces the message that this is a shared responsibility. Universities, industry and government all have a role in opening doors and supporting women’s progression into leadership.
