On behalf of the University Council, I am pleased to introduce the 2002-03 Annual Report of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Throughout its 12th year, the University had major challenges to tackle, both in its own right as an institution and together with the Hong Kong community. I must express my thanks and appreciation to all members of HKUST for the way they responded.

Court and Council members, university administrators, academics, students, alumni and staff came together to ensure the University continued to move forward in dif cult economic times and throughout the uncertain weeks during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak. The results can be seen in this report which records our ongoing successes in all areas of the University's research and development work, teaching and learning in the past 12 months.

Despite its short history, the University has gained recognition for its achievements in the international arena. Within Hong Kong, too, I believe that the University's essential role in spurring economic change, through both research and development and the knowledge we provide to our young people, and with an emphasis on science and technology, is becoming more widely acknowledged.

The realization of the University's value to the community is reward for the tremendous hard work and effort that our members have made to provide Hong Kong with a university that draws the attention of the world.

However, within the University, we are certainly not sitting still. During the year, we have been taking further steps to enhance the quality of our teaching and learning, to raise money to support development of our facilities and programs, and to foster changes in resource management that enable us to adapt to more stringent nancial times.

Few universities are speci cally tasked with social and economic progress. But HKUST has, from the outset, embodied the fostering of Hong Kong and regional development as part of its mission. It is one of the elements that sets HKUST apart as an institution, while at the same time joining the University rmly to the community at large.

Thus I call on all our Court and Council members, the Government, the business sector and the people of Hong Kong to support the University and its members in their endeavors. In doing so, we will sustain this world-class University, and ensure a strong and prosperous future for Hong Kong.