News & Stories
2025

News
Building the Future: Civil Engineering and the Advent of Smart Cities
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs has predicted that by 2050, over 68% of the global population will reside in cities. This massive projected urban population (6.5+ billion) will no doubt put a great deal of strain on infrastructure, resources and the world’s ecosystems, but, from an engineering standpoint, such large-scale urbanization also presents tremendous opportunities for technological, human as well as other societal and economic development.

News
HKUST Secures $30 Million Grant to Develop AI-Powered English Learning System
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) announced the launch of a pioneering education technology initiative aimed at revolutionizing English education for secondary school students in Hong Kong during the Opening Ceremony of Learning League 2025. With over HK$30 million in funding from the Quality Education Fund (QEF), the three-year initiative will develop an advanced AI-powered English assessment and learning system, offering free access to all secondary school students in Hong Kong.
The project, jointly initiated by HKUST Center for Language Education, HKUST Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies, and Trumptech, a leading education technology company in Hong Kong, addresses two critical goals: promoting “education equity” by supporting students from diverse backgrounds and abilities, and fostering “education equality” by providing every school with equal access to affordable professional English learning resources.
2024

News
HKUST Wins Three Prestigious International Education Awards
Two courses from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)’s Center for Education Innovation (CEI) have won three prestigious international education awards for their achievements in integrating AI and education and enhancing in-class engagement and self-learning incentives for students, underscoring HKUST’s leadership in pioneering innovative education in the era of AI.

News
Pioneering the Future of Microelectronics and Integrated Circuits
Electronic and Computer Engineering (ECE) drives computation, energy, information, and communications technologies that are at the core of a vibrant, interconnected global economy. It is the innovation engine behind 5/6G wireless networks, robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), micro-displays for augmented/virtual reality, power systems for electric vehicles and data centers, and artificial intelligence running on integrated circuits fabricated on semiconductor chips, all of which have fundamentally impacted our society. By constantly adapting to an ever-changing world, electronic and computer engineers turn challenges into possibilities.
Stories
Voices Unheard: The Mindreader who Listens to Thoughts through Cognitive Science
In your daily communications with colleagues, friends, family members, or even strangers, do you ever find it challenging to interpret their unspoken thoughts? For cognitive scientists, there are observable clues that can help decode people’s minds and behaviors—clues that even the individuals themselves may be unaware of. Professor Janet HSIAO, a new Professor at the School of Humanities and Social Science under the prestigious “30 for 30” talent acquisition campaign, is one such scientist uncovering the keys to “reading” minds.“Cognitive science is an interdisciplinary discipline that blends expertise from diverse academic areas, such as artificial intelligence (AI), neuroscience, psychology and linguistics, allowing us to decode people’s minds from various perspectives,” she explained with passion. A computer scientist’s journey into psychology

News
Discovering My Passion for Energy and Environmental Engineering
Hey there! I’m excited to share my journey with you. Growing up as a beach lover, I spent countless summer days swimming, yachting, and surfing. I loved the beach, but I always hated accidentally gulping down salty water! I wondered why seawater was salty and if it could be made tasty to drink. Little did I know, this curiosity would spark my passion for energy and environmental engineering.
Stories
Walking the Talk of Teaching
The saying that “Happy classes make happy students” is not taken lightly by Prof. Kenneth LEUNG Wai-Ting, Assistant Professor of Engineering Education at HKUST’s School of Engineering. A three-time recipient of the Common Core Teaching Excellence Award, Prof. Leung is a believer in the transformative power of education that engages learners.