HKUST Annual Report 2021-2022

45 HKUST Annual Report 2021-2022 In a wider community venture, HKUST was honored to take up project management and coordination of the Jockey Club Sustainable Campus Consumer Programme, launched over the year across all eight UGC-funded universities. With funding of more than HK$15 million over three years from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the initiative seeks to engage over 100,000 students to forge a new generation of thoughtful consumers to meet the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal No.12 on Responsible Consumption and Production. APPLYING ECO-RESEARCH IDEAS ON OUR “LIVING LAB” CAMPUS HKUST’s Sustainable Smart Campus as a Living Lab (SSC) initiative, established in 2019, gained overseas recognition, receiving the Honorary Member Award at the International Sustainable Campus Network 2022 Excellence in Sustainability Awards. The pioneering concept supports the HKUST community in testing out their sustainable smart solutions within the campus environment. In addition, the SSC Hub opened on the University’s Academic Concourse to draw greater awareness of the scheme internally and externally. Since its launch, over 150 faculty members and 400 students have participated in 30-plus SSC-funded projects. Recent applications have included a smart cooling coating for photovoltaic panels and the development of a tree-inspired and solar-driven transpiration system for humidity control in buildings. A series of workshops for staff and faculty on well-being and net-zero carbon took place over the year to foster on-going momentum while the new 2021 Sustainable Smart Campus Student Competition provided opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate students to share innovative ideas and implement sustainable smart projects on campus. EMBEDDING SUSTAINABILITY INTO THE CURRICULUM In teaching and learning, sustainability-related pilot projects and initiatives are being further embedded into HKUST undergraduate and postgraduate education. To expand this effort, a Life Cycle Lab was formed in 2022, creating a platform for training, research, and support for students, academics, and practitioners, a first for an academic institution in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area. Meanwhile, steady progress was seen over 2021- 22 in HKUST’s efforts to foster students’ understanding of sustainability issues, with 68% of recent graduates having completed two or more sustainability-focused courses, and 95% of graduates having taken at least one course. Sustainable Horizons