In the second of this year’s Why HKUST? series of interviews, two students and a graduate from the Philippines detail how the University’s cross-disciplinary education approach enabled them to design their own curriculum. In doing so, all three were empowered to take measurable strides forward in their personal and professional development.

Charting your own course

Multi-talented candidates are more competitive now, so I found HKUST’s interdisciplinary learning is particularly attractive, says Clyde.

In the second episode of the three-part series “Why HKUST?”,  two students from Kazakhstan obtained scholarships to pursue undergraduate studies at HKUST. They have immersed themselves in research projects, internships, and a dynamic campus life, adding up to an outstanding personal profile for future career or further education.

Before the third wave of COVID-19 outbreak hit Hong Kong in mid-July, Ryan FUNG Kei-Ning, an HKUST Year 2 business student, along with staff of the Salvation Army Integrated Service for Street Sleepers, used to go on evening outreach trips to bring food and daily necessities to the homeless up to three times a week; recently, he has had to cut the number down to one.

HKUST’s emphases on science and technology disciplines does not deter artistic talents from pursuing their studies and interests in creative endeavors. The University offers a wide range of scholarships to honor students also for their outstanding non-academic achievements.

For Exodus SIT, one of eight recipients of the Tin Ka Ping Scholarship (Arts), HKUST’s coastal, suburban location not only is a beautiful university to pursue his undergraduate studies, but is also strategic to pursue his greatest interest - stargazing.

To promote the scholarly legacy of Dr. Joseph NEEDHAM through a future community of “Needham Scholars”, HKUST and Joseph Needham Foundation for Science & Civilisation Hong Kong (JNFSC) join hands to launch a Merit Scholarship program to draw high-caliber students to contribute to the field of science, especially in the STEM areas, with a focus on humanity at the same time. 

Dennis CHOW, a graduate of Mathematics in 2018, is a firm believer in learning by doing. And thanks to his outgoing personality and an insatiable appetite for new challenges, throughout his four years at HKUST, the young man made the most of every opportunity provided by the University to build his experiences and skills that set himself apart from his peers, and even outperformed them when they graduated.

Rachel HUANG, a final year student of Global Business and Operations Management, remembers vividly how she was shocked and saddened to see people living in extreme poverty in a drought-hit village in India as she took part in volunteer work to take care of the homeless women and children there. The unforgettable experiences made Rachel, who grew up in Taiwan and has lived a comfortable city life, realize she should never take things for granted. Moreover, it planted the passion in her heart that she wanted to do something to help the needy.