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HKUST 2011-2012 Annual Report
GOVERNANCE
The University Ordinance and Statutes provide for a number of bodies to govern or
advise the University. Three major bodies in the University’s governance structure are
the Court, Council and Senate.
The Court
Court Members held their annual meeting in December 2011. They met again in March 2012 to
receive an early appraisal of the University’s preparedness in meeting the formidable challenge of
twice as many first-year students arriving in September 2012. This is due to the implementation
of the four-year undergraduate degree alongside the final cohort of three-year degree students.
Members’ keen interest in the University’s development and its future direction was exhibited
through active exchanges of views at both meetings. In addition to meetings, some Court
Members participated in the inauguration ceremony for the Shenzhen Industry, Education and
Research Building in September 2011 and the HKUST Science and Technology Forum in December
2011.
During the review period, a total of eight new Members joined the Court, some having retreated
from the Council.
The Council
The Council continued to work closely with management to steer the University in its strategic
direction. Members participated in various committees under the purview of the Council, namely
Campus Development, Human Resources, Institutional Advancement and Outreach, Audit,
Finance, and the Standing Committee. From key performance indicators developed as part of the
University’s Operation Plan, the Council kept track of the progress of each strategic initiative and
used the Annual Performance Review Report as the basis for future planning.
The Council initiated an annual review of the membership and terms of reference of all Council
committees, starting from June 2012. Three new non-executive Members joined the Council
during the year under review.
The Senate
The Senate is the supreme academic body of the University. It is responsible for directing and
regulating the teaching and research conducted at the University. During the year, a number of
new programs, notably interdisciplinary programs, were introduced while modifications were
made to certain programs to keep abreast of market and curriculum developments. The four-
year undergraduate degree to be launched in September 2012 ushered in a series of changes.
The merging of the Language Center into the School of Humanities and Social Science is a
case in point. The move reflects the University’s commitment to enhance students’ capability in
communicating ideas.
