News & Stories

The School of Engineering of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is reinventing its curriculum with an aim to producing future engineers that are globally competitive. This will mean that on top of imparting specialist knowledge in specific fields in engineering, the curriculum will incorporate a broad range of transferable competencies. These competencies will include enterpreneurship skills such as business management, business ethics, business law, and soft skills such as team-building skills, negotiation skills, communication skills, and even foreign languages. Prof Khaled Ben Letaief, new Dean of Engineering since 1 September last year, said, “Our goal is to nurture 21st century engineers, engineers who are versatile and who command a solid global perspective.” “The introduction of the 4-year curriculum in 2012 will offer a golden opportunity for us to launch our new initiatives,” he added.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) today (7 January 2010) officially inaugurated its Division of Environment with an inaugural lecture by three-time Pulitzer Prize winner Mr Thomas Friedman entitled “Reflections on Our Hot, Flat and Crowded World”. A foreign affairs columnist with New York Times, Mr Friedman is often hailed up as the world’s most influential journalist. The inaugural ceremony was officiated by the Secretary for the Environment The Hon Edward Yau, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry Sir Harold Kroto, Hang Lung Properties Chairman Mr Ronnie Chan, Civic Exchange CEO Dr Christine Loh, HKUST President Tony F Chan, Mr Thomas Friedman, and Acting Head of Division of Environment Prof Chak Chan.

香 港 科 技 大 學 （ 港 科 大 ） 與 正 在 深 圳 籌 劃 中 的 南 方 科 技 大 學 （ 南 科 大 ） 日 前 就 兩 校 的 長 遠 發 展 與 合 作 事 宜 簽 署 了 合 作 框 架 協 議 。 協 議 內 容 分 三 方 面 ： 建 立 兩 校 長 期 合 作 ； 港 科 大 將 在 能 力 所 及 的 範 圍 內 ， 協 助 南 科 大 進 行 院 系 規 劃 ； 以 及 港 科 大 在 校 長 統 一 協 調 及 安 排 下 ， 某 些 教 職 員 可 參 與 南 科 大 的 建 設 工 作 。 在 協 議 下 ， 港 科 大 將 盡 量 協 助 南 科 大 進 行 院 系 規 劃 ， 而 未 來 南 科 大 將 為 港 科 大 在 深 圳 校 園 內 進 行 學 術 研 究 和 教 育 工 作 提 供 場 所 、 設 施 和 資 源 。 此 外 ， 兩 校 將 探 討 在 共 同 建 立 聯 辦 學 院 、 聯 辦 科 研 機 構 ， 以 至 聯 合 研 究 院 。 港 科 大 將 在 能 力 許 可 下 為 南 科 大 的 教 學 、 科 研 及 行 政 人 員 提 供 實 習 培 訓 。 另 一 方 面 ， 參 與 南 科 大 工 作 的 港 科 大 教 研 人 員 將 可 在 國 家 政 策 範 圍 內 以 南 科 大 教 研 人 員 身 分 申 請 國 內 各 項 研 究 基 金 ， 例 如 國 家 自 然 科 學 基 金 、 「 863 」 、 「 973 」 、 國 家 專 項 基 金 及 省 市 各 種 基 金 。 南 科 大 將 在 項 目 申 報 上 給 予 支 持 。 協 議 為 期 三 年 ， 由 港 科 大 校 長 陳 繁 昌 教 授 及 南 科 大 創 校 校 長 朱 清 時 教 授 簽 署 。 陳 繁 昌 校 長 說 ： 「 南 科 大 和 港 科 大 都 開 宗 名 義 以 科 技 創 校 ， 都 負 有 相 同 的 歷 史 任 務 ， 就 是 配 合 國 家 的 科 技 創 新 政 策 ， 推 動 科 研 和 培 養 科 技 人 才 。

An HKUST professor today announced the successful development of a hair-based drug testing technology as an alternative to other drug testing methods, including the urine-based drug test commonly used in Hong Kong. It is also 1,000 times more sensitive than the hair-based drug testing method often used in China and the USA. Called the High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Chip-Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-Chip-MS/MS), the hair-based drug testing technology developed by HKUST can trace a person’s drug-taking history over the past 3 months or more – in terms of what drugs have been taken, when, and the actual dosage. Prof Karl Tsim, Head of the Department of Biology at HKUST, has spent over a year developing this new technology. “This hair-based test provides the answer to a range of technical challenges associated with the urine-based drug testing technology commonly employed in Hong Kong,” he said.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) today launched a university-wide community engagement program in preparation for the implementation of the 4-year undergraduate curriculum in 2012. Called “HKUST Connect”, it involves the entire university community – students, faculty and staff members – in a well-coordinated effort to develop sustainable partnerships with the community at large. Dr Rosanna Wong Yick-Ming, Executive Director of The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups, said at the launching ceremony, “I have always believed that education serves a public purpose. This is because putting knowledge to work is how a society progresses. For this reason I find HKUST Connect a very exciting and relevant process which nurtures in students a desire to engage in the community through responsible and civic endeavors, while also strengthening their commitment to service. On these foundation stones rest Hong Kong’s successful and sustainable development.”

Prof Fugee Tsung, Acting Head of Industrial Engineering and Logistics Management at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has been elected Fellow of the American Society for Quality (ASQ), becoming one of only four ASQ Fellows in the Greater China Region. Founded in 1946, ASQ is the largest professional association and the global leading authority on quality improvement, quality control and certification in all fields, including manufacturing, education, healthcare, service and government. Now, ASQ has expanded to over 100 countries with more than 100,000 members worldwide.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) will run unprecedented workshops where composers and performing musicians work hand in hand to create music for public performance. This is one of the major initiatives proposed by Prof James Z Lee, Dean of Humanities and Social Science at HKUST, in consultation with Prof Bright Sheng, a world-renowned composer who will be visiting HKUST regularly in the capacity of YK Pao Distinguished Professor. “At present, composers and performers are different groups of musicians and they do not often communicate with one another. As a result, composers often fail to produce what is best for the performers and the audience. The aim of our proposed workshop is to enable composers and performers to convene and to refine new musical works,” said Prof Lee.

Over 180 stalls selling new and preloved items will be set up at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) this Saturday (5 December 2009). The proceeds from the stall hire will be donated to the Operation Santa Claus, and the event also supports the Recycle-Reduce-Reuse (3Rs) campaign. The bi-annual Garage Sale to be held at the multi-level covered car park on HKUST campus will be selling an extensive variety of exciting new and preloved goods. The sale will be run from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. Mrs Jean Hudson, the coordinator, said, "We are delighted that the response from vendors both the HKUST community and outside is overwhelming. The response from 3R enthusiasts is so keen that some of the interested vendors had to be turned down due to space limitation."