HKUST Annual Report 2024-2025

50 HKUST ANNUAL REPORT 2024-25 INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIVITY The Forefront of Change and Future Life HKUST strengthened its global presence by contributing original insights at eminent international forums and thought leadership events, highlighting our role at the forefront of change and future-readiness. President Prof. Nancy IP participated as a keynote panelist in the 2025 Asia Summit on Global Health in Hong Kong. During the Plenary Session “Shaping a More Equitable and Sustainable Health System” she addressed critical health equity issues and discussed the vital role of universities in reshaping future healthcare systems. The summit attracted 2,900 participants from 40 countries and regions. Notably, 10 pioneering HKUST MedTech start-ups demonstrated their innovative technologies designed to bridge existing gaps in diagnosis, treatment, and patient care. Provost Prof. GUO Yike moderated a session on AI and competitiveness at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2025 in Hainan. Elsewhere, HKUST faculty showcased the diversity of their expertise through keynote presentations and panel discussions on sustainable innovation at the Times Higher Education Global Sustainable Development Congress 2025. They also presented on AI’s impact on human cognition and automatic coral reef segmentation at the Dubai Future Forum, a premier global gathering of futurists with scientists and experts from over 100 countries. Inspiring Academic Alliances to Empower New Vision As a founding or core member of more than 40 international alliances, HKUST plays a pivotal role in global academia. In recognition of this leadership, President Prof. Nancy IP was appointed to the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) Steering Committee for the 2025–27 term. The University was also elected Chair of the Association of East Asian Research Universities (AEARU) for 2024–2025. Capitalizing on our established reputation as a regional front-runner in startup incubation, we hosted the inaugural meeting of the Asian Universities Alliance (AUA) Innovation & Entrepreneurship Network in November 2024 during our AUA presidency.