HKUST Annual Report 2021-2022

18 EXPANDING GLOBAL HORIZONS Connecting up with the world to boost opportunities for undergraduates and postgraduates to extend their perspectives beyond Hong Kong, the University signed new exchange agreements over 2021-22 with educational institutions around the world. Examples included University of Bayreuth (Germany), University of Helsinki (Finland), and VinUniversity (Vietnam). In addition, the exchange arrangement with Singapore University of Technology and Design expanded from School-level to University-wide. By June 2022, HKUST’s global exchange partnership network totaled 235 worldwide. Suspension of the student exchange program caused by COVID-19 was also lifted during the year, with both inbound and outbound exchanges resuming in the Spring Term. Despite Hong Kong’s on-going pandemic-related restrictions, around 150 non-local students participated in HKUST’s inbound exchange. Meanwhile, around 400 HKUST students joined outbound exchanges, which was close to pre-pandemic levels. At the same time, the University continued to develop and offer virtual study abroad options, providing around 300 students with the opportunity to study outside HKUST without the need for in-person travel. GAINING A HEAD START ON CAREER OPTIONS The University’s strong connections with industry partners and alumni employers resulted in expanding job and internship opportunities for students, with the number of job postings on the HKUST-exclusive job board increasing 42% year-on-year to almost 10,000. Postings included rising opportunities in the Greater Bay Area. In its second year, the STEM Internship Scheme for university students, supported by Hong Kong’s Innovation and Technology Commission, engaged 921 HKUST interns, once again the highest among all participating universities. Over 60 employers joined the vMosaic Engineering virtual job fair in October 2021, a new event in response to the burgeoning demand for talents in technology and engineering fields. In addition, mentorship opportunities grew, with a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the University and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to advance fintech research, applications, and talent development. A fintech mentorship program also took place with J.P. Morgan. The program teamed students from business, science, and engineering majors with industry experts to solve actual business problems.