HKUST Annual Report 2022-2023

Hong Kong's First Dual Degree Program in Global Marine Resources Management 44 45 In further pace-setting developments, HKUST established the Cyber-Physical Learning Alliance in collaboration with Aalto University, Zhejiang University, Tecnológico de Monterrey, and Singapore University of Technology and Design. This global alliance aims to spearhead joint projects in cyber-physical learning including mixed reality education, encourage inter- institution mobility, and explore the influence of diverse cultural contexts on cyber-physical learning. Boosting Regional and Global Thought Leadership Regionally, 2022-23 saw HKUST honored with the Executive Presidency of the 15-member Asian Universities Alliance (AUA) for 2023-24. Our role is to take the lead in fostering collaboration among member institutions from Asia and the Middle East in addressing regional and global development challenges in higher education, science, technology, and economics. As a leader in global discourse, HKUST continued to shape critical agendas through platforms such as the World Economic Forum. In June 2023, five eminent faculty members took center stage at the Summer Davos in Tianjin, addressing diverse challenges from healthcare and well-being to economic growth and innovation’s role in improving people’s lives. As the sole Hong Kong institution invited to speak at this event, we connected with over 1,500 top minds from more than 90 countries and regions. Additionally, University management and faculty shared insights at a series of high-profile Times Higher Education (THE) conferences. Topics ranged from guiding research directions to fostering world-class research environments, and to exploring blockchain and metaverse impacts. Driving Forward Internationalization Through Campus Outreach Further fortifying our global ties, HKUST welcomed around 30 delegations from countries including Thailand, the UK, the US, and Sweden, among others, to our campus. The University nurtured robust relationships with over 30 Consuls-General in Hong Kong through meetings, campus visits, and HKUST-led initiatives. One such initiative was the “HKUST Global Dialogue Series” offering a platform for Consuls-General to exchange ideas and perspectives on global issues. HKUST also hosted numerous high-level exchanges with global experts. One notable occasion was the inaugural Needham Conference 2023, co-hosted with the Joseph Needham Foundation for Science & Civilisation, Needham Research Institute (Cambridge), University of Hong Kong, and University of Cambridge. Featuring 20 renowned scholars as speakers, the conference delved into how multi-civilizational exchanges have shaped modern science. Photo: The World Economic Forum