13
Enhancing Diversity and Career Development
HKUST has made considerable in-roads in creating a
multicultural and vibrant campus for local and overseas
students. With an extensive student exchange programme,
vigorous recruitment of full-time non-local students from
around the world, and outreach to local international schools,
the University retained its position as the campus with the
most diversified student body at the undergraduate level in
2014-15.
Diversity is further enhanced through an increasing number
of scholarship opportunities recognizing a variety of talents.
These include local and non-local high academic achievers as
well as those who excel in endeavors such as sport and arts.
In the year under review, 2,332 students received scholarships,
amounting to $64.03 million.
The University has also established a solid international
reputation for producing highly employable graduates.
Despite the relatively short history of the University,
HKUST’s graduates are sought after worldwide. In a global
survey conducted by Emerging, a French human resources
consultancy, and Trendence, a leading German research
institute, HKUST ranked 16
th
worldwide in the employability
of graduates in 2014, up two places from the previous year.
This was further reflected in a Universum survey based on
7,200 students from local universities. Universum, a global
employer branding leader, awarded HKUST Career Center
three of the nine awards in 2015: Best Career Service
Satisfaction Award, Best Employability Rating Award, and
Best University Experience Rating Award.
Widening Overseas Learning Opportunities
Student exchanges and the learning opportunities they provide
grew in both number and diversity. Over 50% of students
in the same cohort spent a term or more overseas through
the University’s regular exchange program. The number of
exchange-in and exchange-out students increased to 1,047
and 962 respectively in 2014-15.
In addition to regular international exchange, there was a
steady increase in student participants in overseas internships
and service learning programs. In 2014-15, the number of
overall internships increased, reaching 537. Among them,
230 were overseas internships.
Fostering Interest in Research
The University’s signature Undergraduate Research Opportunities
Program (UROP) celebrated its 10
th
anniversary in 2015.
The program provides undergraduate students with an
opportunity to work on research projects with professors
and nurtures young scientists and academic explorers. Since
its inception, over 2,600 students have taken part in the
program and many participants, inspired by their experience,
decided to pursue advanced study upon graduation. The
scale and faculty involvement in UROP, with close to 25%
serving as project supervisors, make it the largest of its kind
among UGC institutions.
Cultivating All-Round Abilities
Common Core courses and other programs and activities
that encourage creativity through arts education have drawn
strong interest from students. In 2014-15, over 2,200 of
8,940 undergraduates enrolled in creative arts education
classes: 1,555 in Music and Composition, 561 in Co-
curricular Arts Performance, and 161 in Literature and
Creative Writing. In the same year, 7,154 students and
members of the University community attended University
music performances (including 600 who attended
student-led events) while another 400 attended Literature
and Creative Writing workshops and presentations. The
University has decided to establish the HKUST SHSS Center
for Creative Arts Education.
Non-local Undergraduate Enrollment of UGC-funded Programs by Institution
Breakdown of Non-local UG Enrolled Students by Origin, 2014/2015
0
20
40
60
80
100
51.46%
41.83%
6.70%
62.58%
34.26%
3.16%
67.27%
29.75%
2.98%
88.46%
9.62%
1.92%
75.12%
20.72%
4.16%
94.85%
5.15%
0.00%
78.34%
18.50%
3.16%
97.65%
0.28%
2.68%
A
HKUST
C
D
E
F
B
G
Other UGC-Funded Institutions
Mainland China
Other Places in Asia
The Rest of the World
Percentage of
Non-local UG Enrollment
Data source: UGC
