News & Stories

The demand for active, technology-enhanced teaching is reshaping expectations for learning spaces, according to Dr. Sean McMINN, Director of the Center for Education Innovation (CEI). As teaching practices evolve, faculty and students increasingly require more flexible environments for collaboration, experimentation, and experiential learning, Dr. McMinn added.To meet these needs and reinforce HKUST’s role in educational innovation, a new facility has been launched as a shared space within CEI for examining how students learn amid the growth of AI and emerging technologies.The Advanced Learning Hub (ALH) brings together teaching innovation, evidence-building, and partnership pathways in one integrated cycle. This allows promising ideas to move from prototype to proof to wider adoption with clearer ownership and momentum.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), together with the other seven universities funded by the University Grants Committee (UGC), co-hosted the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE) 2026 Conference and Exhibition (February 23-27). Through a variety of international education and collaboration activities, the University fully supported the concurrent "Study in Hong Kong" Week, echoing the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government's initiative to strengthen the "Study in Hong Kong" brand and to foster Hong Kong's development as a global education hub and an international center for high-caliber talent. The event showcased the unity and collaborative spirit of Hong Kong's higher education sector, further solidifying in advancing Hong Kong's position among the world's top education hub by deepening international engagement through academic excellence and strategic partnerships.

The Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the Department of Computer Science and Technology at Tsinghua University (Tsinghua) announced the launch of a pioneering "3+1+X" Joint Undergraduate – Postgraduate Training Program, set to begin in the 2026/27 academic year.This program establishes a seamless academic pathway, allowing undergraduate students from both institutions to spend their fourth-year courses at either Tsinghua or HKUST. Following graduation, participants will have the opportunity to pursue master's or doctoral degree programs at the host university, further enhancing their academic and professional trajectories.

A team led by Prof. Larry LI, Associate Head and Associate Professor of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), along with PhD student Jungjin PARK, has developed an AI-enabled augmented reality (AR) platform for immersive learning. This platform offers students virtual laboratory experiences, enabling them to practice experiments and grasp key concepts and theories in mechanical and aerospace engineering. Their innovative solution recently earned the Silver Award in the Immersive Experiential Learning category at the QS Reimagine Education Awards 2025, often regarded as the “Oscars” of education.

Nestled amidst the majestic mountains and verdant tea plantations of Haputale, a town perched high in Sri Lanka’s highlands, the invigorating scent of foliage enveloped a group of undergraduate students from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), rejuvenating their spirits.Captivated by the breathtaking landscapes, the students trekked up the hills, laden with backpacks and equipment, until they reached a local community. This marked the beginning of their transformative journey: introducing telemedicine to the remote communities in Sri Lanka's mountainous regions.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has introduced its groundbreaking "Major + X" curriculum, a transformative academic framework designed to directly support Hong Kong’s development into a global AI hub and contribute to the national 15th Five-Year Plan's "AI+" initiative. By empowering students to fuse their core majors with high-demand fields like AI and Sustainability, the program is building a pipeline of talent capable of driving the scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation called for in the national strategy. This initiative has already equipped more than 1,300 students with the hybrid expertise to tackle tomorrow's challenges.

HKUST Business School successfully concluded its "Navigating Tomorrow's Education: Executive Leadership Program for Principals" on 14-15 October 2025 at the Lee Shau Kee Business Building, Clear Water Bay Campus. The executive education program, which brought together over 40 local high school principals and their delegates, was met with exceptional enthusiasm, with participants actively joining discussions on leadership development, emerging technologies relevant to youth development, and future educational trends.

Prof. ZHANG Jiheng, born in Nanjing in the late 1970s, immersed himself in the captivating world of mathematics before transitioning to engineering at age 23 as a PhD candidate at Georgia Tech. After working for 12 years at HKUST, he embraced the challenge of leading the Department of Industrial Engineering and Decision Analytics (IEDA) as its Head, a role he had not foreseen but has grown to cherish. More recently, he has taken on the ambitious endeavor of contributing to Hong Kong’s vision as a smart hub through innovative Theme-Based Research.