News & Stories

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) announced today that it has risen significantly by 11 places to 33rd in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2027.HKUST President Prof. Nancy IP celebrated the university's upward momentum in the rankings, stating, "This year's notable progress is truly heartening. It stands as clear evidence of the collective synergy among our students, faculty, staff, and alumni, and reaffirms our excellence in teaching, research, and nurturing future talent."

Prof. Kei May LAU, Research Professor in the Division of Emerging Interdisciplinary Areas at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Heinrich Welker Award, a highly esteemed honor in the international semiconductor field. She is also the first scientist/engineer to receive this distinction based on groundbreaking research achievements accomplished in Hong Kong/China.

Prof. ZHANG Limin, Head and Chair Professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), recently received a Certificate of Merit at the Fourth National Award for Excellence in Innovation, in recognition of his pioneering research achievements in  geotechnical engineering and his outstanding contributions to national disaster prevention and mitigation.  

Prof. LUK Kam-Biu, IAS Paul C W Chu Professor, Chair Professor of the Department of Physics and Director of the Center for Fundamental Physics at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has been elected a Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in recognition of his outstanding contributions to fundamental physics. This accolade not only affirms his pioneering achievements in cutting-edge basic science but also highlights HKUST's international influence in attracting world-class scholars and driving frontier research. The NAS recently announced the election of 120 members and 25 international members in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.

Prof. Jue WANG, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has been awarded the 2026 Croucher Tak Wah Mak Innovation Award for his groundbreaking research in experimental condensed matter physics. His work focuses on using ultrashort pulses of light to create and control quantum states in ultrathin materials and devices, offering transformative potential for the future of electronics, optoelectronics, and information technologies.Prof. Wang will receive HKD 5 million in funding from the Croucher Foundation to support his trailblazing research. The "Croucher Innovation Award" is one of the Foundation's top honors, recognizing Hong Kong's brightest young scientific minds who have demonstrated the potential to make significant breakthroughs in their respective fields.

United by a drive to innovate, all 62 teams from HKUST and HKUST (Guangzhou) won awards at the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva between March 11 and 15.Between them, the 36 teams from HKUST and 26 teams from HKUST (GZ) brought home 13 Gold Medals with Congratulations of the Jury, 20 Gold Medals, 20 Silver Medals, and nine Bronze Medals.This outstanding achievement by the HKUST entrants represented the highest number of awards among all higher education institutions in Hong Kong.Such a milestone emphasizes the remarkable spirit of cooperation between the two institutions, spotlighting HKUST’s deepening commitment to cross-border partnerships that boost social and economic development within the region.

Prof. Charles NG Wang-Wai, Vice-President for Institutional Advancement, CLP Holdings Professor of Sustainability, and Chair Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has been named the 65th Rankine Lecturer by the British Geotechnical Association (BGA). Widely regarded as one of the most prestigious honors in geotechnical engineering, the Rankine Lecture represents a pinnacle of recognition in the field. Prof. Ng is the first Chinese scholar to be selected since the lecture’s inception in 1961, and the first Asian scholar to receive this honor since Prof. Kenji ISHIHARA of Japan delivered the lecture in 1993.

Four scholars from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have been honored as Fellows of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the world’s largest professional organization in computer science. ACM has named 71 new Fellows globally this year, and among the 12 Fellows based in Asia, four are from HKUST.HKUST’s honourees include Prof. Tim Kwang-Ting CHENG, Vice-President for Research and Development, Chair Professor of the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering and Department of Computer Science and Engineering; Prof. Jiaya JIA, Chair Professor of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and Director of the Von Neumann Institute; Prof. Ke YI, Professor of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering; and Prof. Hui XIONG, Associate Vice-President (Knowledge Transfer) and Chair Professor of the Thrust of Artificial Intelligence at HKUST (Guangzhou).