The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology: an oasis of opportunity for Malaysian students

WHEN Jason, an international high school graduate, received seven offers including those from the University of California, San Diego, Michigan State University and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) three years ago, it didn't take long before he pinned down HKUST as his choice of study destination.  

"Going to Hong Kong for higher education is not exactly the usual thing for Malaysian students, but as a young university, HKUST is a hidden gem for its impressive rankings," said Lew Zi Syuen – or Jason, as he is more fondly known – who is currently a business student double-majoring in Marketing and Management at HKUST. 

The young university, only celebrating its 30th anniversary next year, tops the Times Higher Education's Young University Rankings 2020 while the latest QS World University Rankings places it at 27th, among other world-leading established universities such as New York University and University of California, Los Angeles.

"But what impressed me most was HKUST's performance in THE's Global University Employability Ranking, where it ranked within the world's top 20 five years in a row. This shows that global employers regard HKUST graduates as compared to those from top U.S. colleges such as MIT, Stanford and Yale in terms of employability," said Jason.

In fact, HKUST graduates are well sought after by global employers spanning sectors from financial services to innovative technology, partly because of the international exposure and interaction with different cultures that students get. 

The university has the highest proportion of international students as compared to its local counterparts in Hong Kong. Students and faculty come from 88 and 36 countries and jurisdictions respectively, from countries nearby in Asia or afar from Africa. 

There is an International Students Association, the third-largest student body on campus with over 500 members and hosting over 20 events per year, to promote cultural exchange and diversity on campus.

Khong Chu Henn, another Malaysian student studying BEng in Computer Engineering at HKUST, agreed that the university is a great choice for students who are looking for international exchange.

The engineering student had met with people from around the world during his stay at HKUST. During the summer of 2019, he spent six weeks in Auckland, New Zealand for example, to teach the middle school students there STEM subjects in English. 

Besides the opportunity to New Zealand, more than one-third of HKUST students would spend up to a term of exchange outside of Hong Kong with the university's 300+ strategic partners that span across US, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. Some students even spend up to a year on overseas research exchange or internship opportunities, such as the one-year internship programme with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Geneva, where students are given the opportunity to join in diplomatic talks with government leaders.

"As a student ambassador of HKUST, I also got to travel around Malaysia with the university's student admission staff to share my study experience in Hong Kong. All these experiences have enriched my exposure and communication skills with people from different backgrounds," said Chu Henn, who received a one-off bursary of over RMB 90,000 upon admission.

This year, HKUST is launching an exclusive scholarship scheme to 10 outstanding Malaysian undergraduate students like Chu Henn and Jason.

"Studying in Hong Kong has really broadened my horizons as a business student. Hong Kong is a vibrant financial centre, made more prominent with its proximity to mainland China and the Greater Bay Area development plan. These factors had given me many opportunities and connections, not to mention those that I may gain from Mainland China, now one of the world's major powerhouses," said Jason.

Jason also added that he was due to spend a semester abroad in the U.S. as part of an exchange program. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, HKUST put a hold on all outbound exchange programmes for now.

PIONEER OF INNOVATIVE EDUCATION

HKUST has always been a pioneer in innovative education. It is among the first universities to realise interdisciplinary teaching, e-learning, and introduce research opportunities to undergraduate students and novel programs that meet the latest societal needs.

As one of the earliest universities to engage in MOOCs and online learning, HKUST is never shy in trying out new programmes or pedagogy if it could equip students with qualities and skills required for current and upcoming societal challenges. A recent example is the "Major + X" – a new academic framework which allows undergraduates to blend traditional programs with emerging technology subjects such as artificial intelligence or Fintech and digital media in the near future.

For those who prefer rolling up their sleeves, an innovative degree programme called Integrative Systems and Design allows them to study systems design not through a fixed curriculum, but project-based learning in teams where the "what" and "how" to learn are all individualized, through learning-by-doing. 

There are also other unique programmes like the Individualized Interdisciplinary Major, which involves a panel that helps students who have a clear goal to tailor-make their own study programme.

HKUST also has many platforms, events, funding, competitions and matching activities to encourage the HKUST community to bring their innovative ideas to life. 

Stemming from the entrepreneurial spirit cultivated through the academic programmes, HKUST has been a key producer of successful start-ups for both Hong Kong and the world. One eminent example is DJI, a major drone manufacturer in the world founded by the university's electronic and computer engineering alumnus Frank Wang in his dorm at HKUST. There are hundreds of other start-ups established by alumni who have made their names across different trades or territories, using not only the skills and knowledge they learnt at the university, but most importantly an inquisitive mindset and the can-do attitude shaped at HKUST. 

UNRIVALLED RESEARCH ABILITY AND OUTPUT

On the research front, HKUST is also a performer. It attained the highest proportion of internationally excellent research projects among its local counterparts in the last Research Assessment Exercise conducted by the city's University Grants Committee. In response to the rapid challenges placed by the global coronavirus pandemic, HKUST researchers have worked tirelessly on preventing, mitigating and treating COVID-19.