HKUST Annual Report 2024-2025

22 HKUST ANNUAL REPORT 2024-25 ADVANCING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, NURTURING WORK-READY GRADUATES The career-readiness of HKUST graduates is world-renowned. The University was ranked No. 24 in the 2025 Times Higher Education Global Employability University Ranking and topped the list of universities in Hong Kong. This marked the 12th consecutive year that HKUST has been ranked among the world’s top 30 universities for graduate employability. To further advance graduates’ preparedness, our career education programs in 2024-25 enhanced the employability skills of over 8,100 participants. We also provided more than 1,700 personalized one-on-one sessions to offer tailored guidance on career aspirations and challenges. Student interest in early work experience was evidenced by overwhelming participation in InvestHK’s STEM Internship Scheme, which resulted in more than 950 placements. Beyond Hong Kong, over 140 students engaged in internships with top companies and organizations such as the Bank of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices, and HSBC, with placements spanning the Chinese Mainland, Europe, Australasia, Asia, and the United States. One of our new initiatives was the introduction of the University-wide credit-bearing Co-op program for undergraduates. The pilot engaged over 20 students and six with the program designed to integrate academic learning with hands-on professional experience. Over 30 employers have signed up for 2025–26, offering 235 places for Fall 2025. Our two on-campus Career Mosaic fairs successfully attracted over 440 companies and featured 100 in-person talks. Alongside our established long-term partners, these fairs welcomed new participants including lululemon, Xiaohongshu, Crypto.com, Banco Santander, Alibaba International and Hong Kong Tramways. We also hosted the Government Career Fair@HKUST 2024, which connected students with prospective employers from 21 government departments and offices. Ranked #24 Worldwide for Graduate Employability