Hong Kong / Region

Public Debate

As part of the University's mission to propel Hong Kong's economic and social development, two major events were organized to promote public discussion and debate on the future development of Hong Kong and its economy.

The "HKUST Forum on the Future Development of Hong Kong" gathered together senior members of Government, business, think tanks, academia and students to exchange views and explore options on Hong Kong's future. Three sessions were arranged between May and July, 2002.

In the 29 May session, panels were convened to review Hong Kong's positioning in relation to the Pearl River Delta in four areas: manufacturing, services, infrastructure and logistics, and jobs and human resources. The 17 June session explored innovation and entrepreneurship as drivers for economic growth. The theme of the 12 July session was "The Government's Role in the Economy". Issues and possible solutions emerging from the Forum have been consolidated into a report and submitted to the Government for policy reference.

"Economic Development through Commercialization of Science and Technology", a thought provoking symposium presented by HKUST from 19 to 22 March 2002, brought together technology, business and academic leaders from 10 major economies to share their experiences in promoting technology-driven growth. Held in Hong Kong and Nansha, the symposium upheld HKUST's mission: to propel the territory into a knowledge-based society in partnership with the Government, business and industry.

Cyber University
Around 150 academically gifted secondary-school students from nearly 30 local schools took university-level courses through HKUST's Cyber University program. The first of its kind in Hong Kong, the program offers high achievers from local secondary schools the opportunity to attend lectures and earn course credits via the Internet. This is supplemented by online chat sessions with course instructors and regular face-to-face tutorials on the HKUST campus. The program was supported by a HK$2.2 million grant from the Quality Education Fund.

Community Project
A team of HKUST specialists in transportation logistics, software engineering and project management undertook a project to computerize the Rehabus door-to-door transportation service for the Hong Kong Society of Rehabilitation. Funded with a HK$700,000 grant from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the new Rehabus Information Management System provides intelligent booking, scheduling and management for the 84-minibus fleet that serves the community's disabled passengers.