News & Stories

Global healthcare is facing a wide range of challenges, including ageing populations and an increase in chronic diseases, which are putting immense strain on healthcare systems. The demand for advanced medical technologies like less invasive and more precise surgical tools has never been more urgent. The situation prompted a global wave of innovation in micro-scale medical robotics designed to assist clinicians with unprecedented accuracy and effectiveness.  This ambition drives Professor SHEN Yajing and his research team at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)’s Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering on their journey toward medical innovation. Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics technologies, they have recently developed three pioneering smart medical devices for health monitoring, surgical assistance, and rehabilitation, ushering in a new era of smart healthcare.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has been appointed by the Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies (APO), a collaborative partnership hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Regional Office for the Western Pacific, to spearhead a regional research consortium focused on digital health innovation. This prestigious appointment, secured through a competitive process, underscores HKUST’s global leadership in policy research under the theme “Leveraging Digital Health Technologies and Data to Strengthen Health System Outcomes.”

  In a world still grappling with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, health disparities are widening and healthcare worker shortages persist, revealing vulnerabilities in our health systems. “Yet within all these challenges lie immense opportunities for collaboration and innovation,” noted Professor Nancy IP, President of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), at the 2025 Asia Summit on Global Health. As a keynote panelist, she asserted that universities can play a pivotal role in shaping a more equitable and sustainable health system. 

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has long been dedicated to advancing medical technology and fostering innovation to drive technological breakthroughs. HKUST recently hosted its inaugural short course for senior healthcare executives from the Mainland. This course is the first short course under "The Hong Kong Jockey Club Medical and Health Scholarship-cum-Fellowship for Top Talent in the Mainland" following the signing of the “Collaboration Agreement Between the National Health Commission and The Hong Kong Jockey Club on a Scholarship-cum-Fellowship for Top Talent in the Mainland” last year.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) received a HK$40 million donation from Seal of Love Charitable Foundation (Foundation).  The gift is set to empower HKUST students in solving real-world problems with innovative thinking and technology know-how, and to deliver social impact with tangible solutions in resource-limited communities. The generous gift from the Foundation – a charitable organization dedicated to helping others with projects mostly focused on supporting education and the underprivileged in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia – will be used to set up an endowment fund called the “Seal of Love Foundation Student Innovative Service Fund” (Fund).  In appreciation of the Foundation’s benevolent support, the University has named a wing of its semi-circular Academic Building “Seal of Love Charitable Foundation Wing”.