2 EUILDING A UNlVERSVlTY
6 TEACHING
8 RESEARCH
12 ACADEMIC SER\?ICES
14 CAlUiPiS LIFE
OCATED
at the geographical
heart
of Asia,
Hong
Kong
is justly
famed as one of the unique and special
places in the world.
A vibrant modern
ciqr of six million
people,
Hong
Kong
has no natural
resources to speak of other than its superb
harbour. Yet it is the world’s third largest
financial centre and tenth largest trading
partner. It is home to more than 700 banks and interna-
tional corporations.
While Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty
in
1997 has captured
the world’s attention,
a more far-
reaching
transition
has already
begun.
WI th labour-
intensive
factory-floor
manufacturing
relocating
elsewhere,
Hong
Kong’s economv
is shifting
towards
upstream
industrial
activities
as well as sophisticated
products
and selTices.
Hong Kong is also beginning
to create a capacity for
technological
innovation
that will be needed for contin-
ued economic
growth in the 21st century.
Hong Kong’s commitment
to its titure
can be seen
in a host of new initiatives and \rentures. But nowhere
is
this commitment
more evident than in its bold creation
of a world-class
university
dedicated
to science,
engineering,
and management.
BUILDING
A UNIVERSITY
kfE story of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technolo_q begins with the late Sir Edward You’de, Governor of Hong Kong from 1982 to 1986, Sir S. Y. Chung, and the people of‘ Hong Kong who foresaw the need in the territory for an educational institution to lead the way in the areas of science and technology vital to the region’s economic future.
In March 1986, the Hong Kong Government set in motion an order to establish a committee to work out in detail the creation of a new ulliversity. In September of that year, the new university’s Planning Committee held its first meeting, with Sir S. Y. Chung as Chairman.
In October 198~1, the I<o!ral Hong Kong Jockey Club presented to the Government a dramatic proposal to help fund the university’s construction cost with a donation of HKsl.6 billion (later increased to HK$l .926 billion, in addition to a Government allocation of HK$l.622 billion). l’he Jockey Club’s offer and its willingness to manage the entire construction project made it possible to trim three years offche projecteii timetable-the new university would open in 1991 rather than 19’%, and would enrol 7,000 students by 1996.
With the formal incorporation of the Hong Kong University of Science and l’echnology on 10 April 1988, the University Council came into being. Sirs. Y. Chungwas appointed its first Chairman. Sir David Wilson, Youde’s successor as Governor and Chancellor of Hong Kong’s two 01 her universities, became HKUST’s Chancellor as \vcll.
The University’? founding chief executive, Professor Chia-Wei Woo, h,ld been designated Vice-Chancellor and President in November 1987 while serving a; President of San Francisco State University. A physicist., and the firxt person of Chinese descent ever appointed to head a t-n.ljorAmeric,Ln university, Professor Woo returned to Hong Kong and took up his new position in September 19S8.
As amiademic pla mmg accelerated, growth projections and staff requirelnlents were ;>rogressively refined. Preliminary models for schools and dcpartmk:nts were drawn up with the voluntary assistance ofa network ofdistinguished academics in North America, and plans for the University’s administrative organisation, central facilities, and support services \?verc* del4oped.
Me tanwhile, architec tural and enginee ring con- s&ants commis- sioned by the Jockey Clltb had been at work on
the physical plans and site formation for the LTniversity campus. In November 1989 the first contract was let to commence the building of the campus on a spectacular 60-hectarr site on the waterfront of one of Hong Kong’s most attractive residential areas.
Situated on a steep slope beside the sllore, the calnpus grounds were terrac.ed to afford buildings on all levels with unobstructed panoramic views ofthe sea. The mGn academic complex itselfwas to be located on the highest level of the slope, with student residential halls and outdoor sports facilities placed close to the water and the natural marina.
Without exception, the contractors and consultants said it was the fastest construction project they had ever worked on. In order for the University to open on 2 October 199 I , a scheme t If “fast track” construction had been adopted, mandating that design and construc- tion proceed concurrently, with design keeping only one step ahead. The master plan fiu-ther mandated that the LTniversity be built in three phases, writh the first two phases constituting a core campus accommodating 7,000 students, and the final phascb providing a future expansion of capacity to 10,000 students.
Phase I of the campus was handed over to the University i, August 1991, barely in time to be outfitted for HKUST’s first student intake-a feat deemed “little short ofmirxulous” by knowledgeable observers.
The opening of the University was celebrated 011 10 October 1991. Pride at what had been accomplished in so short a time, together with bright hopes for the future, was the order of the day. Only five years had elapsed since the first meeting of the Planning Committee. In another five years the ITniversity would be in full stride with well-established teaching and research prcrgrammes, an enrolment of 7,000, and a faculty of 640.
i-11: speed with which the campus was constructed and the rapid growth of the University during its first years an: one of the most striking aspects of the creation of HKUST. Only in Hong Kong, it is said, could this take place. Yet speed alone has never been the aim. The real achi~vcment of the University is to be found in the excellenir of its faculty, the quality of its facilities, and the pelfor- mance of its students.
‘v?sitors to HI<‘I.ST are often overwhelmed by the beauty of the architecture in its natural surroundings. But beyond this first impression, the camp‘ls reveals itself to be truly functional. Carefully planned facilities sucll as
. .L well-st0ckt.d Ii brary built on the latest information t e;hnology
l a high-speed fibre-optic network linking co~nputi~~g re-
sources in all parts of the campus and reaching out to all corners of tht world
l texhing and research laboratories equipped \jith state-of-
the-art instrumentation and devices
create an envxonment for learning that is quite unique in the region
,4s a I esult, admission to HKUST is highly sought. For its third intake of students in 1993, the University had more rhan 19,000 applicants for 1,345 undergraduate places. It selected-and continues to seek--1lighIy qualified men and women who have inquiring minds, br!,ad interests, and leadership abilities. The Liniverslt\r’s goal is tc engage them in a continuous dialogue and to help them become 1 ersatile, innovative, and caring, citizens of x&t\..
For its faculty, HKUST has mounted an extensive international recruitment campaign. Tapping the resources of a u,orldu?de net- work of advisors, the University has succeeded in 51ssen~bling an exceptionally able and distinguished group of scholars--pioneers drawn to the challenge of building a new university from the ground up.
Beginning M’ith a founding facult) of 100, the University continues to add new faculty members at a steady rate as student enrolment climbs toward its current target of 7,000. This recruitment campaign will resulr in more than 10 new appoint- ments per month at least through 19915.
Today, every faculty member at HKLJST at the rank of Lecturer/.issistant Professor or higher holds a dclctoral degree from an established university. Some 60% of the faculty hold doctorates from the following instituti~x~s:
Caltech Cambridge Carnegie Mellon Chicago Columbia Cornell Harvard Illinois London Mich.lgan Minnesota MIT Northv,~sterrl Oa ford Princeton Purdue Stan ford Toronto LJB( : UC Rerkeley LTCI “4 L’X Washington Yale
thrm~$J I 13 th: doct mt-e The School of Humanltics and Social SC ~CIU F I-O\ lries ge ICI ~1 &lcation for all undergraduates and
: elrrl)i’~ gt-. du.ile mtdc nt\ ~111 to the doctoral level.
‘1’11~ uJ4crgradu IK c II~I-~C ulum is founded on a credit based s! stem, ~trikin:; a C.IOP~I omise bet~wn the sharp fcxx~s prcvalcnt in traditlol~zl Chnesr: 111 id Bril isl- universities and the h-cad approx1i cI~~r,~~cristi~ of Amc rial unjversities. To elJsure overall breadth, urldqy~~luatt s arc ~,c,.p~~ed to take one-third of their credits o,lthld(.’ t Jell- ~3~ijOl- ~Cpal~tPJJelJt, including 12% Of dltir COUI-ses ill ~ tile &:i8?( )oi loi‘ Huma~llties .~nd Social Science.
/ *it HKUST, the practice of
“L ot-;tinuous assessment” in teaching utilises homework, periodis tests, and L.lassroom discussion to ensure that \[ildcnts IJJake sustained progress in ILxming and self-expression.
. School of Science Biochcmistq Biology C:hemisti?~ Riat!mmtil:s Physics Biotazhnolo~yy* School of Engineering ( he;nicd Enginrcring
C’ivii Lk Stmc turn1 Engineering C oniputcr ‘Lience
Electricd c9. Electronic E!lgineerinp, Indusmal Ergincixing
hIechanid Ikgineering C onlputrr -E lgineering* hIanufacturil1g Enginceri ig*
School of Business ei Manqement
Accountmg E.collomics Financr
I:lfomm;aion uld Systems Management ~Ian~grment of Organisa 5ous n Iarxetin~ L
School
of
Humanities & So&l Science Huwani:ie: S xi.11 Siier c 1 Chinese Stl!c ies* BSc BSc BSc BSc BSc BEng BEng BEng BEng BEng BEng BEng BBA BBA, BSc BBA BBA BB4 BBA MPhil, PhD MPhil, PhD MPhil, PhD MSc, MPhil, PhD MSc, MPhiI, PhD MSc MSc, MPhil, PhD MSc, MPhil, PhD MSc, MPhil, PhD MSc, MPhil, PhD MSc, MPhil, PhD MSc, MPhil, PhD MSc MBA, PI-ID MBA, PhD MBA, PhD MBA, PhD MB,4, PhD MB,4, PhD MA, MPhil, PhD MA, MPhil MAGraduate programmes leading to the.: Llasrer of Sg-iencc (MSc), Master ofArts (MA), and Master ofBcsiress hdminist ation (MBA) degrees are “taughr: degrees” in th.\t they zre based on course work, although a project report ma!. a!so be required. T le hlaster of 1Wosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosoph), (PhD I are research degrees. Graduate degrees may be earned ;:hrough palt-time as well as full-time study.
In addition to programme>, in traditlclnni academ,c discliplines, HKUST offers intrrdisciplinaq progrr\m~:lrs leading to degrees in Biotechnolo_q (MSc), Computer Engkeerinp (BEn:), h,lanufac- tunng Engineering (MSc), and Chinese ,C tudil.:s (MA )
EARCH
art of the University’s creative endeavours. -- I the creation of new knowledge forms an essential Fart of the intellectual climate at HKUST. At the same time, a dedication to sellice brings a commitment to mission- oriented research in areas critical to Hong Kong and the region’s economy.
Research at HKUST is undertaken in many different settings- :partments but across departmental boundaries in
specialised institutes, centres, and laboratories. These “organised research units” provide faculty and students with a wide range of opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary projects and to apply their scientific and technical knowledge to real-world problems.
Focused work in these centres ofexcellence will yield significant contributions to the
region’s economic growth, as well as attract the external support and collaboration needed to fulfil the University’s mission.
In the absence of national and major corporate R&D labo- ratories in HOJ~E Kong. HKUST has built its OWJ~ organisation to ‘.. interface with the community.
The University’s R&D adminis- tration is carried out by its Research and Develolmcnt Branch working through the Research Centre, the Tech~~~lo~,?r Transfer Centre, and the Office of Contract and Grant Administration.
Expediting technology transfer is the specific mission of the H KUST RandD Corporation Ltd, a company wholly owned by the University but managed by an independent Board of Directors dominated by business leaders. As a commercial entity, the RandD Corporation provides for exploitation of business opportunities arising from research c onducteti not only at HKUST but around the world in areas vital to the region’s economic prosperity.
RG.ASKE~
rcscarch
units cS.urently in operation a.tHKUST
(in the orcier of establishment) and their areas of concrntration:Biotechnology Research Institute
fiio~ncclical :nstl-umentatlon and diagnostics; drug delivery and
dcvclopmenl; agi-icultur 11 did en\~ironmental biorngincering; gcnctic engineering of ~io1n3c!-o~~~olecules; biosensor dwelop- ment; imniunology; inolc~ulx genetics of plants.
Hongkong Telecom Institute of Information Technology
I ,iglit\\,d\,c ix cl~nolog~; n(mvorIi technology; wireless communica-
non, video t~xhnolop!~.
Sino Software Research < :entre
I,O\\ -Cost i13tcl-llct 3CCeSi; Chincsc-language interface support;
heterogcnco;1s dxabnse nunapcnicnt technology; intelligent wdeo manipulatior tools; systcln rquiremcnts modeling.
Advanced Materials Research Institute
I-kctronic nanostructure: thin film science, semiconductor clusters, thee? of mntcrials; optic.xl magnetic: lasers and photonics, liquid cqstals, m.lylietic materials; s!rntheti< composite: polymer synthesis, nict.lls md c~~nipositcs, h.oniateriak.
Centre for Economic Development
Rcg~on.~i eil)nomic dev<~lopment and transition; business and
industrial ticvclopment n the PRC; data bank and library of rdle\ dnr stariitics.
Centre for Asian Financial Markets
Kno~~lcil~e base to supp01 t analysis offinancial products introduced
in Asian n~.ukers; data sets and teaching materials; acndcrnic illtcr-face \\.Itll gcn crnmcn. and business leaders.
Institute for Environmental Studies
Air pollution; nurinc pollutmn; water and wastewater treatment; sediment swdics; remote sensing; wind tunnel technolog; solid and liquid 7.~ lstc managwvznt; hazardous waste management.
Institute for Infrastructure Development
Full scale ,,twcture and control tests; geotechnical centrii’uge modeling; structural systems design and renewal strategies; illfrastruzurc s!‘stcms plaluling and management.
Institute for Micro Systelns
Adv,mcccl n~icroclectron~c materials; micromechanical devices. scnslxs, and actuators; f at-panel display technology; nanotech- nologiw and dc\.iccs; integration of circuits and systems.
Hainan Institute
Rcscarch, dc\~elopment, ,,nd scr\kxs focused on China’s Harnan
Pro\ incc: aujcult~lrc and fishc~-its; heha\4oural science; economics
and thn<c; envir<)nmcnt infrastrur.twc development; tcchnoioq
transfer. csecutive education programmcs.
Gevttral Facilities
N addition to departmental laboratories, HKUST has created a number of centralised facilities used fbr teaching and research by scholars from various disciplines. These facilities ;iIso invite use by researchers from other institutions and by client organisations in industry.
Two notable examples are the hlaterials Charact erisarion and Preparatioll Centre and the Microelectronics Fabricxion Centre. Other facilities currently under design or co1xxructi(qn include an advanced engineering materials ccntrc, a 12S-node parAle supercomputer, an environmental wind nuuxl, and an ocean-colour satellite receiving station.
i ACADEMIC
SERVICES
LJniversity Library
CCIJI’YIX a certrd location on campus, the HKUST Library ccm~munds five floors M,ith a spectacular view of the sea. wlr more thaIi a repository of books and periodicals, the HIWSI‘ .Library is orie of the first of a new generation of electronic libraries making extensive use of information technology and transforming traditional library facilities.
Through the Library Online System accessible from every part of the ca~mpus, users xn search the Library’s catalogue of holdings in both English and Chinese. Also available for perusing are the cataloguer of other txtiary institutions in Hong Kong, as well as numeroas library cat.ilogues and databases overseas.
As oJ‘ 1993, two years after the University’s opening, the Llbrnry’c collection consisted of 234,000 volumes, 2,700 journal subscriptions, and 2,i)OO journals in full-text electronic format. In addition , 25 databaxs on CD-ROM ranging fi.0111 scientific and technical dictionarit s to PCXIG and Shakespeare could be consulted o\‘er the campus network. Another 37 databases were a\ ail,rblc for use in the Library, including 5 full-text image databases stored ~117 1,09 1 disc;. With continual acquisitions, the Library’s cc~llection is espandirlg at an explosive pace.
Centape of Computing Sewices and Telecommunications
IiUST’s computing environment, developed and managed by the Centr~* of Computing Services and Teleconunu- nications, filli!. supports the teaching, research, and administrative activities elf the campus.blodeled on a distributed client-server architecture, the comlwting emironmc~nt is distinguished by an advanced networking infrastrucxre found ‘HI few campuses. The network backbone is a colkxtion of high-sTeed fibre distributed data interface (FDDI ) rings, each running at 100 megabits per second. The FDDI rings are interconnected by a gigaswitch, giving an aggregate network band\vidth of 3.6 gigabits per second.
‘Ihe c.ampus net\wrk itself is connected to Harnet (the Hong Kong Ac;iden-iic & Research Nct\~~ork) via a 1.544 megabits-per- second circuit, and to the Internet \ia a dedicated 64 kilobits-per-
second circuit to the United States. Expmsion is under \\zy. All campus microcomputers and scientific workstations are connected to the nenvork. Po\ver%l smw computers provide campus-wide nenq.ork services, making clcctronic n inil and a fill1 range of sofiware applications available not only in ofices and laboratories, but in student dormitories and staffapartmcnts as well. In addition, a number of “computer barns ” in various locations on campus prwride PC, Macintosh, and Unix workstatic\n facilities for undergraduate teaching and student ~1s~.
Lamguagje Cen iYe
HE Language Ccntre offers language co~~rses fol students and stafiF of the Lrniversity who wish to impro\te the ir proficiency in English, Chinese, and other languages.
First-year undergraduates in need
of
l:nglish-lanpuage training are required to attend the l,angu,lge Centre’s programme of instruction. These classes pro\ idc practical language tuition with particular reference to English for acadenric purposes. In ‘iddition, the Langu,Ige Centre of?ers courses designed to meer the needs of specific groups of graduate ard untlcrgraduate students, as recommended by academic departments.The Language Centre has three Z-l-booth audio-vlsunl language laboratories for use by class groups. These laboratories are augmented by a Self-Access Centre offering a growing collection (sfa.ritten and taped materials in a variety of Asian and other languages. The Self- Access Centre has within it an 18-booth language laboratory and full listening and \rieu:ing facilities.
The L<mguage Centre also operates a Writing (Zentre where students are trained in academic and proj‘essional WY ting through workshops and individual tuition.
Educatio
PzalTechnology Cen tre
HE Educational Technologjr (Zentre err bodies the Uni\wsit),‘s commitment to high standards and up-to-date methods bt)th in teaching and in the communications of research results.
The Centre provides a comprehensive service for all academic and research staff: It maintains a Mride range of’resour<es related to instructional media and assists academic staff in producing x.arious teaching and learning materi.&. including slide presentations, overhead transparencies, video tapes, and printed materi&. In addition, the Centrc provides high-speed, high-volume reprographic and offset printing senices.
The Centre also semes as a resource fol information on teaching methods, instructional formats, and materials related tl) research on teaching. It organises seminars and warkshops on topics such as selection and use of mediated instructional materials, producrion of teaching and learning packages, and methods of soliL iting student f?edback o11 teaching effectiveness.
13
.- . _ _
. . . . . . ./’ ,”
I 1.. i _, <. ,J”
! FACTS 6; FIGURES
Inrolment l 3,13 6 undergraduate and 796 graduate students in
1993-94.
. 7,000 (full-time equivalent) students by 199697. Financial l
assistance
Corporate and foundation support for merit scholarships and student loans reached Ha7.58 milllon in 1993-94.
. Virtually a11 full-time research graduate students are SUPI korted. Faculty 8 . . Research l . Campus l . . 360 in December 1993; 640 by 1996-97.
34% grew up in Hong Kong, 24% on the Chinese Mainland, 13% in Taiwan.
60% ofthc faculty hold doctorates from the following institutions:
Calt<:ch London Cambridge ., Michigan Carl !egie Mellon Minnesota Chic ago MIT Coh mbia Northwestern Con tell Oxford Har\ arc1 Princeton Illin~ )is Purdue
Stanford Toronto UBC UC Berkeley UCLA USC Washington Yale
Interdisciplinary research at HKUST focuses on:
Adv;tnced materials Information technology Asian financial markets Infrastructure development Biotfzchnology Manufacturing
Ecollomic development Micro systems Environmental studies Scientific computation Hail Ian Software engineering GraJits and contracts totaling HK$38.3 million were’ awarded to HKUST by external agencies in
1992-93, the second year of the University’s open ation, rising to approximately HK$66 million in 1393-94. HKUST’s success rate in competition for grants from Hong Kong’s Research Grants Council exceeds 70%.
60 hectares, located on the scenic Clear Water Bay peninsula in East Kowloon, about 20 minutes from Kai Tak International Airport and the city centre. Student accommodation: 1,722 places in undtzrgraduate residence halls; 356 in graduate residence halls. More student housing will be built. StaA‘ apartments: 158 for research and support stall, 182 for senior staff, plus 66 under con- struti+on and 156 under planning.
