New Degree Programmes at HKUST Will Address Environmental Concerns

For Immediate Release 7 September 1995

NEW DEGREE PROGRAMMES AT HKUST

WILL ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

environment was shattered recently when more t a an 150 applicants competed for 40 people as apathetic about the places in two new Environmental Studies degree programmes offered by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

“We are overwhelmed by the response to the programmes. It reflects the great demand for more environment-oriented postgraduate courses by the local community,” says Professor PO-Lock Yue, Head of Chemical Engineering and Programme Director of the Master of Science (MSc) programmes.

The MSc programmes available from this year will provide Hong Kong with more environmental engineers and scientists, educated to tackle existing and future pollution problems.

Recent large-scale infrastructure development in Hong Kong has exerted tremendous pressure on the local environment. New measures are needed to counter the territory’s increasingly complex pollution problem.

To provide much-needed training in this area, faculty from a variety of disciplines at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology are teaming up to offer new multi-disciplinary postgraduate degree programmes.

“Our objective is to equip students with the professional knowledge and skills that are relevant to finding innovative solutions to the whole gamut of environmental problems in Hong Kong. The course content will continue to evolve to meet ever- changing needs,” says Professor Yue.

Students from both science and engineering disciplines will be accepted. Depending on their background, students can choose either environmental science or engineering foundation courses, leading to an MSc in Environmental Science or Environmental Engineering.

Career prospects for graduates will also differ. Environmental Science graduates will be well positioned for research-oriented jobs in government departments, while Environmental Engineering graduates are more likely to be recruited by private sector companies that design and build pollution treatment systems.

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