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Coordinates: 22°20′15″N 114°15′47″E / 22.3375°N 114.263°E / 22.3375; 114.263
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|name = The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
|name = The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
|image_name = UST.svg
|image_name = UST.svg
|image_size = 80px
|image_size = 90px
|established = 1991
|established = 1991
|type = [[Public University|Public]]
|type = [[Public University|Public]]

Revision as of 16:06, 20 March 2013

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
TypePublic
Established1991
ChancellorCY Leung
PresidentTony F. Chan
Academic staff
537 [1]
Undergraduates8,699[1]
Postgraduates3,904[1]
Local students9,011[1]
Non-local students3,592[1]
Location
Clear Water Bay
,
Kowloon
,
Hong Kong

22°20′15″N 114°15′47″E / 22.3375°N 114.263°E / 22.3375; 114.263
CampusUrban, 60 hectares (0.60 km2)
AffiliationsASAIHL, APRU
Websitewww.ust.hk
File:Hkust logo.gif
The Sundial
The main gate on the Clear Water Bay Road

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Abbreviation: HKUST) is a public university established in 1991 under Hong Kong Law Chapter 1141 (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Ordinance) which made it become one of the nine universities in Hong Kong. It consists of five Schools, including Schools of Business & Management, Sciences, Humanities & Social Science, Engineering, and the HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School with 8,699 undergraduates and 3,904 postgraduate students.[2]

HKUST has been consistently viewed as one of the top three research universities in Hong Kong, the other two being the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.[3] The university has also topped the QS Asian University Rankings in 2011 and 2012.[4][5]

History

Main entrance of HKUST with the red sundial

In the late 1980s the Hong Kong Government anticipated a strong demand for university graduates to fuel an economy increasingly based on services. Sir Chung Sze Yuen and the governor of Hong Kong, Sir Edward Youde, conceived the idea of another university. Planning for the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology began in 1986. Construction began at the former British garrison Kohima Camp in Tai Po Tsai on the Clear Water Bay Peninsula.

Originally scheduled to finish in 1994,[6] the death of Sir Edward in 1986 led to increased effort and allowed for UST to open its doors early — in 1991. Several leading scientists and researchers took up positions at the new university in its early years, including physicist Leroy Chang who arrived in 1993 as Dean of Science and went on to become Vice-President for Academic Affairs.[7] Thomas E. Stelson was also a founding member of the administration.[8]

The project was criticized for surpassing the budget set forth by the Hong Kong Government and Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club. However, under the fund-raising efforts of its vice-chancellor, Woo Chia-wei, the first students enrolled in October 1991. By 1992, accommodation and athletic facilities were expanded to support about 7,000 students. Several more expansion projects such as the construction of the HKUST Enterprise Centre have since been completed and efforts included the expansion of housing facilities scheduled for completion for 2009.

Campus

HKUST campus view looking from above

The university campus (layout) occupies a 60 hectares (0.60 km2) site which is divided into a several sections: the Academic Building, S.H. Ho Sports Hall, student halls, outdoor sports facilities, the University Centre, apartments, staff quarters and the President's Lodge. Constructed along the slope of the surrounding hills, Port Shelter is visible from virtually every building on campus. Arranged in cascades, the buildings are connected by walkways and balconies that offer a spectacular view of the South China Sea.

The Academic Building

The Academic Building contains 10 lecture theaters (A-H, J-K) as well as a multitude of classrooms, laboratories and administrative offices. The lecture theaters can accommodate classes of up to 450 students and offer audiovisual equipment.

The University Library

The Lee Shau Kee Library
The Lee Shau Kee Library in a rare moment, when the sunset landscape reflects onto it
Computers in the library
Bookcases in the library

The HKUST Library, part of the Hong Kong Academic Library Link (HKALL), occupies a central location of the campus. Connected to the Academic Building, it is accessible directly from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Atrium. It spans five floors with over 12,350 sq m[9] of floor space, providing 3,100 seats as well as computing facilities. It offers a wide array of information resources, both local and remote. In addition to over 700,000 print volumes and a large collection of media resources, it provides access to more than 34,000 periodical titles, a large number of e-books, databases, and other digital information resources.[9]

The library owns a collection of old maps of China and the rest of Asia, produced by Chinese and Western cartographers over the last 500 years.[10] A selection of these maps, providing an insight into the history of international geographic knowledge, was published by the library in a limited-edition (1000 copies) volume in 2003.[11]

Health services

Located on LG1, next to the Sports Hall entrance, the Health Center consists of a medical clinic, a student dental clinic as well as a staff dental clinic. The medical clinic provides free outpatient service to all full-time students and staff. Specialist services in Allergy, Dermatology, ENT, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Ophthalmology, Pulmonology, Surgery and Physiotherapy are available subject to a charge.

Safety and Environment

It is important that a research university be in compliance with relevant safety and environmentally friendly manner to conduct all its teaching, research and other operations. Heads of all campus units have the responsibility to implement the University safety policy and to ensure a safe and environmentally healthy workplace. All members of the campus community must follow safety and environmental procedures and watch out for the safety and health of one another. The Health, Safety and Environment Office (HSEO) was established to develop and help implement safety and environmental policies and procedures, and to provide necessary services to facilitate the realization of this commitment. The Office also provides leadership in the promotion of safety and environmental protection culture and awareness.[12]

Rankings

Template:Infobox world university ranking

The positions of HKUST in major updated university rankings are as follows:

QS World University Rankings (2012): 33rd in the world; 4th in Asia and 2nd in Hong Kong[13]
QS Asian University Rankings (2012): 1st in both Asia and Hong Kong[4]
Times Higher Education World University Rankings (2012-13): 65th in the world; 9th in Asia and 2nd in Hong Kong[14]
ARWU (2012): 201-300th in the world and 3-5th in Hong Kong[15]

The university also ranked 2nd in the QS rankings of top 50 universities under 50[16] and 3rd in the Times rankings of top 100 under 50 universities.[17]

Moreover, HKUST is particularly famous for its education in business field: the Kellogg-HKUST Executive MBA (EMBA) program has topped the Financial Times EMBA rankings for four consecutive years (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012).[18] HKUST’s School of Business Management MBA program ranked 10th in Global MBA Rankings and the best in Asia by the Financial Times.[19]

Academic Organizations

Schools and Exchange Programs

The overall academic organization structure is as follows:

School of Science School of Engineering School of Business and Management (HKUST Business School) School of Humanities and Social Science
Interdisciplinary Programs Office

School of Science

A broad spectrum of programs in the biological science, physics, chemistry and mathematics are available for undergraduates [20] and postgraduates,[21] and special emphasis is placed on developing innovative curricula in areas of technological importance. Its diverse faculty is engaged in advanced R&D in many emerging and dynamic fields which include nanoscience and new functional materials, neuroscience, marine and environmental science, drug design and synthesis, number theory, and financial mathematics, among others. A new Division of Life Science was recently established by integrating the former Departments of Biochemistry and Biology. The re-organization is intended to promote collaborations within the Division and create synergism with other Departments and Schools at HKUST. Central facilities and institutes are also available to provide specialized research support. These include the Biotechnology Research Institute,[22] the William Mong Institute of Nano Science and Technology,[23] the Animal and Plant Care Facility,[24] the Biosciences Central Research Facility,[25] and the Materials Characterization and Preparation Facility.[26]

The School of Science emphasizes the whole-person development and international exposure of students. Its undergraduate exchange program provides science students with as many international learning opportunities as it can throughout their studies. The School has teamed up with over 60 exchange partners[27] from regions including Australia, United Kingdom, United States, Mainland China, and Japan.

School of Engineering

Computer science, industrial engineering, logistics management , mechanical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, electronic and computer engineering, and Hong Kong’s only chemical engineering department are all undertaken at HKUST.

Notable facilities include the world’s first Geotechnical Centrifuge Facility equipped with biaxial shaking table and a Huawei-HKUST Innovative Laboratory established to explore telecom networks, wireless technologies and other relevant emerging technologies. The School is also home to the Ministry of Education/Microsoft Research Asia Information Technology Key Laboratory, a model for collaboration between university, industry, and government. Another exciting advance is the Center for Engineering Education Innovation (E²I), now helping to propel the School to the forefront of engineering education and student development.

The School of Engineering has student exchange programs with over 90 reputable overseas and Mainland China universities, including Cornell University, Georgia Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Purdue University, University of Pennsylvania, University College London, University of Bristol, Technical University of Munich, University of California, etc. The School also offers summer study programs as an alternative to the exchange programs in regular semesters. The study programs enable the students to be exposed to a foreign culture while studying in a new learning environment.

School of Business and Management (HKUST Business School)

HKUST Business School is consistently ranked among the best in the world. It was the first business school in Asia to be awarded accreditation by both the US-based Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) and European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS).[28] Global perspectives are assisted by the School’s 140-strong international faculty whose diverse national, cultural and ethnic background provides a stimulating environment for research, teaching and learning as well as informal interaction. Always innovative in approach, the School ensures that its degree programs– undergraduate, MBA, EMBA, and PhD – and range of executive education,keep students at the forefront of developments while signature programs such as the much sought-after BBA in Global Business have helped break new ground in Hong Kong. With 11 research centers [29] devoted to areas from business case studies and investing to Asian Financial Markets and China Business & Management, the School is also superbly placed to leverage its international and regional knowledge base as Asia rises in significance in the global economy. A new purpose-built campus at HKUST [30] is set to enable the School to develop further, offering state-of-the-art facilities and a cohesive environment from which to generate the business pioneers of the future.

The School of Business and Management has one of the largest undergraduate exchange programs in Asia, with more than 110 partner schools worldwide.[31] Its partners consist of universities in Asia, New Zealand, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. Every year close to 400 undergraduates, over half of the School’s BBA/BSc student population, spend a semester at business schools overseas. Some students can be selected for two semester exchanges at different universities in two continents.

School of Humanities and Social Science

The School of Humanities and Social Science supports interdisciplinary academic training and research in fields including anthropology, economics, geography, history, innovation studies, languages, linguistics, literature, music, philosophy, political science, psychology, sociology, and visual art. Our geographic focus on China, including Hong Kong, and our disciplinary emphases on the comparative, the interdisciplinary, and the quantitative are reflected in our graduate training programs as well as by our new undergraduate major on Global China Studies.[32]

Research Studies

HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School

On 25 January 2007, the HKUST officially named its graduate school in Nansha as HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School[33] in a ceremony that combined the official opening of the graduate school and the ground-breaking of its Nansha campus.

Institute for Advanced Study

The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS)[34] at HKUST champions collaborative projects across disciplines and institutions. It forges relationships with academic, business, community, and government leaders. The IAS organised its inaugural lecture by noted scientist Prof. Stephen Hawking in June 2006.

Research Institutes and Centers

Student life

Students' residence

All full-time registered UG students, in-time[note 1] full-time HKUST research postgraduate students (RPgs) and full time HKUST taught postgraduate students (TPgs) of the University are eligible to apply for student housing. International as well as exchange students are generally guaranteed on-campus housing. The on-campus residential halls provide a total of 2,976 places in double or triple rooms for UG students and 356 places in single or double rooms for UG students. There will be 701 places scheduled to be completed by Spring 2013. 120 places in single rooms for Taught Postgraduate Students (TPgs) and Visiting Interns. 854 places in single or double rooms for Research Postgraduate Students (RPgs). Two more undergraduate halls are under construction. They are expected to be completed by 2013, providing another 700 hall places.

There are also off-campus accommodations available. 20 apartments in Tai Po Tsai (Royal Garden and Wan's Lodge) and 6 apartments in Sam Long (SL Apartments) are rented by the University to accommodate 156 TPgs. In 2012/2013, 232 bed spaces in Hong Kong Adventist College (HKAC) are arranged for UGs. Housing fees are relatively low to off-campus accommodation and there are several halls.[35]

On 27 April 2012, research post graduate students organized a sit-down strike to raise the voice of the voiceless and reiterate the concerns of the RPg[who?] students about the serious housing issue.[36]

Students' Union

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Students' Union (HKUSTSU) consists of four independent bodies, the Executive Committee, the Council, the Editorial Board and the Court. All student societies are affiliated under the Students' Union.[citation needed]

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is the executive branch of the S.U. It consists of standing committees to take care of issues regarding the Union and its members such as Academic Affairs, External and Current Affairs, International Affairs, Public Relations, Publication, Social Activities, Orientation Affairs, University Affairs, and Welfare Matters.[citation needed]

Council

The Council acts as the legislature branch, which is responsible for legislation and regulation of finance and operations of Union. Its duties include:

  • Hold all elections regarding Students' Union
  • Consideration and approval of applications for affiliation to the Union
  • Supervision, advice, proposing and passing rules and regulations on all sub-organizations
  • Interpretation of and proposing amendment to the Constitution of Union
  • Consideration and approval of Master Budget of the Union
  • Consideration and approval of application of Union subsidies

To practice the above duties, the Council has four standing committees: Affiliated Societies Committee, Constitution Committee, Election Committee and Finance Committee.[citation needed]

Editorial Board

The Editorial Board maintains the official publication of Union. Its main functions are:

  • Promotion of the objects of the Union
  • Providing chances for and encourage free expressions of opinion by and among the student body

Court

It is the judiciary body of HKUSTSU. Its main duties are:

  • Settle disputes within the Union
  • Provide interpretation to the Constitution

Affiliated societies

The application of Students' Societies in HKUST are approved by the Students' Union Council. They are the affiliated societies of the Students' Union. There are five types of affiliated societies of Students' Union in HKUST:

  • Independent Clubs Association and Independent Clubs
  • Sports Association and Sports Clubs
  • House Associations
  • Departmental Societies
  • School Societies
Independent Clubs Association and Independent Clubs

Independent Clubs Association and Independent Clubs are the interest club for the students, such as the Yo-hoo Club, AIESEC-LC-HKUST, the Band Society, the Film Society, the Drama Society, the Magic Club and People's Campus Radio. There are around 48 independent clubs.

Sports Association and Sports Clubs

Sports Association and Sports Clubs are the students' societies that promote sports activities to students.

House Association

House Association is the students' society of the undergraduate student hall. Each undergraduate student hall would have its own House which is responsible to organize extra-circular activities for the House Association's members. Since the New Hall is the newly built undergraduate student hall, it does not have its own house for organizing activities.

School Societies

School societies are the students' societies of the different schools, which are School of Science (SSCI), School of Engineering (SENG), School of Business and Management (SBM) and School of Humanities and Social Science (SHSS). The school unions would be responsible to serve all students in the school and organize extra-circular activities for them.

Departmental Societies

Each department in HKUST would have its own departmental society. The departmental societies would organize different activities to their departments' students.

Providing activities to students, departmental societies are also responsible for promoting their corresponding department on information day which is for giving information of the university to high school students. [citation needed]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Definition for in-time RPgs:
    - 2 years for MPhil;
    - 3 years for PhDs who have obtained an MPhil degree;
    - 4 years for PhDs who do not have an MPhil degree before joining the program.
    RPgs who will be studying beyond the above period in the academic year are regarded as out-time RPg

References

  1. ^ a b c d e The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology
  2. ^ "The Hong Kong University of Sciences and Technology: Facts and History".
  3. ^ Postiglione, Gerard A. (2011). "Chapter 3: The Rise of Research Universities: The Case of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology". In Altbach, Philip G.; Salmi, Jamil (eds.). The Road to Academic Excellence: The making of World-Class Research Universities (PDF). The World Bank. pp. 63–100. ISBN 978-0821388051.
  4. ^ a b "QS Asian University Rankings (2012)".
  5. ^ "QS Asian University Rankings (2011)".
  6. ^ The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology
  7. ^ "Leroy Chang". Array of Contemporary American Physicists. American Institute of Physics. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  8. ^ "Schedule 14A". MTS Systems Corporation. 1994-12-02. Retrieved 2010-07-14.
  9. ^ a b Introduction to the HKUST Lee Shau Kee Library
  10. ^ Special Collection "China in Maps"
  11. ^ China in European Maps. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Library. 2003. ISBN 962-86403-9-9.
  12. ^ "Health, Safety & Environment Office".
  13. ^ "QS World University Rankings (2013)".
  14. ^ "Times Higher Education University Rankings (2012-13)".
  15. ^ "ARWU 2012".
  16. ^ "QS Top 50 under 50".
  17. ^ "Times Top 100 under 50 universities".
  18. ^ "Financial Times EMBA Rankings 2012".
  19. ^ "Financial Times MBA Rankings 2012".
  20. ^ "Undergraduate Education 2013 - School of Science" (PDF).
  21. ^ "Postgraduate Programs".
  22. ^ "Biotechnology Research Institute".
  23. ^ "William Mong Institute of Nano Science and Technology".
  24. ^ "Animal and Plant Care Facility".
  25. ^ "Biosciences Central Research Facility (BioCRF)".
  26. ^ "Materials Characterization & Preparation Facility (MCPF)".
  27. ^ "Exchange Parters".
  28. ^ "About HKUST Business School".
  29. ^ "Research Centers at HKUST Business School".
  30. ^ "New Campus".
  31. ^ "Exchange Programs".
  32. ^ "Programs & Admissions".
  33. ^ "HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School".
  34. ^ "The Institute for Advanced Study".
  35. ^ "HKUST Student Affairs Office, Housing and Accommodation".
  36. ^ "HKUST RPG Students: Sit-Down Strike for PG Housing Issue!".
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