News & Stories

16 teams from HKUST showcased their innovative prowess at the Hong Kong Techathon 2026, jointly organized by HKSTP and 15 leading universities and institutions in Hong Kong. Remarkably, these teams secured 17 out of 46 awards, including the Best Presentation Award, three Gold Awards, five Silver Awards, four Bronze Awards, and four Merit Awards.

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.

Prof. Nancy IP, President of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), joined global leaders at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. As the sole university president representing Hong Kong, she participated in high-level dialogues on neuroscience, the evolving role of universities, the future of global research, and health innovation.Held under the theme "A Spirit of Dialogue", this year's Annual Meeting convened over 3,000 esteemed leaders from government, business, civil society, and academia from more than 130 countries—including nearly 65 heads of state and about 850 top CEOs—to address complex geopolitical and technological challenges.

“STEAM Day@HKUST”, organized by the Center for Global and Community Engagement under the School of Engineering of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), is taking place from January 22 to 24, 2026, on campus. The opening ceremony held today marked the launch of 130 activities and programs designed to spark interest in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) among more than 5,000 participants throughout the three-day event.Now in its third edition, this event has grown to be the University’s largest popular science initiative. It provides an experiential learning platform for primary and secondary school students to explore STEAM through interactive and hands-on experiences, in alignment with the primary school curriculum reform in the 2025-26 academic year.

Researchers from the School of Engineering at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have pioneered a mechanical bond strategy to create quasi-solid-state electrolytes (QSSEs) for lithium-metal batteries (LMBs). This marks the first use of mechanically interlocked molecules (MIMs) in covalent organic frameworks (COFs) to achieve high-performance battery operation, harnessing the unique chemistry of interlocked systems to enable safe, stable, and high-energy-density LMBs.

Researchers from the School of Engineering at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have developed a robust coating layer that significantly enhances the durability of perovskite solar cells. In tests simulating intense midday sunlight at 85°C, these solar cells retained over 95% of their initial efficiency after more than 1,100 hours of continuous operation. This breakthrough demonstrates the real-world application of perovskite cells in outdoor environments, paving the way for durable, high-efficiency, and low-cost solar technology.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is honored to name the Talent Hub on the ground floor of its Main Academic Building the "Yip Kit Chuen and Yuen Yuk Hing Talent Hub", in recognition of a generous donation from Dr. YIP Kit-Chuen, Founder of G.E.W. Corporation Limited and Chairman of GEW Holdings Limited, in support of the University's long-term development.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) welcomed Consul General of Switzerland in Hong Kong Mr. Daniel FREIHOFER, and his delegation to campus on January 9, for an in-depth exchange on education, research, and innovation.President Prof. Nancy IP and Associate Provost (Institutional Data and Research) Dr. Alison LLOYD hosted the Swiss delegation, highlighting the University’s longstanding partnerships with the World Economic Forum and Swiss institutions in areas such as robotics, artificial intelligence, and student mobility.Discussions also reflected on HKUST leadership’s recent delegation to Switzerland, which further strengthened ties with academic and research partners. The University’s expanding footprint in Chinese Mainland — including the HKUST Guangzhou campus and the recently established Shanghai Center — was presented as a platform for new opportunities to deepen collaboration with Swiss institutions and corporates.