News & Stories

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is pleased to announce that 12 of its scholars have been named to Clarivate Analytics' Highly Cited Researchers 2025 list. This achievement underscores the University's internationally recognized research and academic excellence and highlights its contributions to socioeconomic development and technological advancement across various fields.This year, 6,868 scholars from 60 countries and regions have been named as Highly Cited Researchers. They were selected for their exceptional performance, which is demonstrated by the production of multiple highly cited papers. These papers rank in the top 1% by citations for their fields and publication year in the Web of Science over the past 11 years.The HKUST scholars featured in the Highly Cited Researchers 2025 list are as follows (ordered alphabetically by surname): 

Prof. Tim Kwang Ting CHENG, Vice-President for Research and Development and Chair Professor of the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering and the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and Director of the AI Chip Center for Emerging Smart Systems at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has recently been awarded the esteemed Pioneering Achievement Award 2025 from the Special Interest Group on Design Automation of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM SIGDA), the world’s largest educational and scientific computing society. Prof. Cheng is only the second scholar from Asia to receive this accolade since its inception.

Prof. Nancy IP, President and The Morningside Professor of Life Science at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), was conferred an Honorary Doctoral Degree by the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, in recognition of her extraordinary achievements as a world-renowned neuroscientist, a visionary educator and university leader, and a prominent trailblazer in global science policy.A Legacy of Breakthroughs and LeadershipThe conferment ceremony was held at the University of Strathclyde's magnificent Barony Hall, presided over by Prof. Stephen MCARTHUR, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University. When presenting Prof. Ip, the honorary doctorate, Prof. Duncan GRAHAM, Associate Principal and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science, acclaimed her multifaceted impact, from her seminal laboratory breakthroughs and strategic leadership of a world-class university to her international influence on science policy.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) ranked sixth in the QS Asia University Rankings 2026, ranking 2nd in Hong Kong. HKUST's progress closely aligns with the vision outlined in the recent Policy Address to strengthen Hong Kong's position as an international hub for higher education.This international acclaim underscores the University's excellence in driving innovative interdisciplinary education, fostering a global outlook, and creating a dynamic platform for groundbreaking research and transformative education.HKUST performed exceptionally across multiple key indicators in internationalization and reputation, fully demonstrating the University's commitment to building a diverse, inclusive, and globally connected academic community, as well as the role it plays in supporting Hong Kong's development as a leading international education hub.

Prof. Angela WU, Associate Professor in the Division of Life Science and the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has been named a 2025 Schmidt Polymath, a prestigious recognition celebrating transformative research across disciplines. 

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) today conferred Honorary Fellowships upon six distinguished individuals: Ms. Cally CHAN Shan-Shan, Mr. Vincent CHEUNG Sai-Sing, Prof. MAK Kin Fai, Dr. Frank TONG Fuk-Kay, Prof. David WANG Der-Wei, and Dr. ZHOU Lidong (listed in alphabetical order by surname). The ceremony was officiated by Prof. Harry SHUM, Chairman of the HKUST Council, and Prof. Nancy IP, President of HKUST.

In a world where artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming industries, its potential to ignite human creativity is quietly revolutionizing storytelling—even in filmmaking. Leading this charge is Professor RAO Anyi, an assistant professor in the newly established Division of Arts and Machine Creativity at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).  Prof. Rao, named to the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list, is pioneering AI’s role in democratizing storytelling. He develops AI tools that empower filmmakers to generate content and control complex elements or special effects like scene lighting. With a mission to merge the realms of filmmaking, art, and AI, he aims to nurture a tech-savvy generation of storytellers. 

Professors YU Jianzhen and JI Yan from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have been selected for fellowship awards under the 2025/26 Research Grants Council (RGC)’s Senior Research Fellow Scheme (SRFS) and Research Fellow Scheme (RFS) respectively. Their research projects, which focus on atmospheric analytical chemistry and investigating AI-powered imperfect competition in financial markets, have secured over HK$13.6 million in grants.