University turns silver anniversary into milestone for golden future

Widely recognised as a pioneering research university, and respected for its interdisciplinary studies, over the past 25 years Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has consistently expanded its prestigious international reputation by building on a momentum of international student exchange programmes and fostering important connections among academic, government, science and technology, and business leaders from across the globe.

As HKUST approaches its 25th anniversary, the university is home to more than 13,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students spanning more than 30 countries over five continents. In the 2015 Times Higher Education ratings, HKUST was ranked 59th among 800 universities and fourth in the world’s top 100 universities that have been in existence for less than 50 years.

Eden Woon, HKUST vice-president for institutional advancement, says its underlying culture is international in a way that goes beyond consistently achieving high global rankings. Although high rankings are important for students, parents and faculty because they place HKUST on the global recognition map of ability and achievement, Woon says the university’s international perspectives are underpinned by a wide range of factors, including its international outlook, research focus, student exchange programmes, multi-ethnic faculty, diverse student mix, and strong ties to global institutions, in addition to wide-ranging connections with the mainland. At the same time, it makes a valuable ongoing contribution to Hong Kong’s socio-economic development by working with local companies including SMEs and start-up enterprises. 

HKUST graduates ranked 14th in the world this year in the annual Global Employability University Survey, and ranked second in Asia behind the University of Tokyo in a survey involving 4,500 recruiters and executives from 20 countries including the US, China, Japan, Britain, Mexico, Morocco and Spain. “This is an astonishing result, and indicates employers have experience of hiring HKUST graduates who do a good job because of their education and international outlook,” says Woon, adding that the international experience HKUST students have helps them to be more at ease working with people from different cultures and backgrounds.