The JSSD, jointly developed with Xi’an Jiaotong
University, moved ahead in several areas. The School,
which will enable HKUST to contribute to education
and research in the key area of sustainability, obtained
formal approval from the Ministry of Education in April
2014 and plans to launch its undergraduate program
in 2015-16. Following a global search, and approval by
the JSSD Steering Committee, Prof Jingshen Wu was
appointed Founding Dean.
HKUST formed a Strategic Partnership with Shanghai
Jiaotong University in December 2013 to boost faculty
exchange and research on aerospace engineering,
mathematics, and smart cities. In addition, eight
Memoranda of Understanding were signed during
the year.
Deeper Engagement
The University got plans underway to organize the
14th National Challenge Cup Contest in 2015 with
the Guangdong University of Technology. The science
and innovation competition has gained iconic status,
involving thousands of university students from
hundreds of institutions in China. HKUST will be the
first Hong Kong institution to co-host the biennial
national event.
Mo r e t han 4 0 0 f a c u l t y, p o s t g r a dua t e s and
undergraduates participated in academic workshops,
research projects and cultural tours to Mainland China
through a collaborative scheme administered by the
Ministry of Education. In addition, the University
received 100 delegations from Mainland China in
2013-14, comprising more than 1,300 delegates from
industry, government and academics.
Connecting with Business
HKUST continued to extend its interaction with
Mainland enterprises. A cooperation agreement
with China Merchants Group in June 2013 created
undergraduate internships and job openings, among
other opportunities. University management and faculty
also explored collaborations with major companies,
including Alibaba, Aviation Industry Corporation of
China, and Digital China. Professional executive training
courses were provided to organizations including
Huawei, Lenovo, Tencent, and TCL Corporation.
HKUST signed a strategic partnership agreement
with Lenovo in August 2013 and a series of research
collaborations were launched. Mr Chuanzhi Liu,
Chairman of Legend Holdings and Founder and
Honorary Chairman of the Lenovo Group, shared his
views on China’s manufacturing growth at the UC
RUSAL President’s Forum at HKUST in March 2014.
Alibaba Group’s Chief Technology Officer Dr Jian
Wang, and Chief Financial Officer Ms Maggie Wu
gave talks on Alibaba’s cloud based technology, the
development of the Alibaba e-commerce ecosystem in
November 2013, March and April 2014, respectively.
49
HKUST 2013-2014 Annual Report
