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HKUST 2015-2016 Annual Report
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From basic research breakthroughs to industrial partnerships and
entrepreneurship, HKUST initiatives looked ahead to address key
local and global challenges
T
he explosive growth in the global knowledge
base in the wake of recent technological
advances and computing power has opened
up fresh horizons for the research community,
reshaping traditional academic boundaries and calling
for innovative approaches to tackle the complex social
and economic challenges now facing the world. To
ensure that HKUST is well positioned to continue its role
as a leading international research university in this
new era, the University increased its emphasis on cross-
disciplinary initiatives, groundbreaking research and
development, partnerships with industry, and innovation
and entrepreneurship in 2015-16.
FIVE STRATEGIC RESEARCH AREAS
Through a major consultative exercise, involving senior
research management and academics across all 20
of the University’s departments and divisions,
five strategic areas – Data Science, Sustainability,
Autonomous Systems and Robotics, Public Policy, and
Design Thinking and Entrepreneurship – were identified
as globally significant areas where HKUST research could
contribute substantially to future society. Faculty cluster
hiring got underway to foster the five strategic areas.
HKUST also set up three more research institutes, namely
RESEARCH
DEVELOPMENT
The Robotics Institute, Big Data Institute, and Institute
for Public Policy. These cross-disciplinary centers will
serve as platforms for researchers to work together on
high-impact large-scale projects across fields, as well
as complement existing platforms, such as the Energy
Institute, Institute for the Environment, and HKUST
Institute for Emerging Market Studies, and work carried
out in individual Schools.
To further strengthen capabilities, a review of the
University’s central research facilities took place,
leading to a multi-year strategy to systematically
recapitalize and upgrade these vital hubs for
multidisciplinary inspiration and studies. The Animal
and Plant Care Facility received a major upgrade
and expansion to meet the needs of successful and
promising research programs in these areas and the
Environmental Central Facility was remodeled to
accommodate emerging research initiatives.
OPENING THE DOOR TO A NEW WORLD
To support the University’s discovery and solution-
building, HKUST researchers seek external research
funding support. During 2015-16, more than $484
million was successfully secured from various funding
FIVE STRATEGIC AREAS
Data Science Sustainability Autonomous
Systems and
Robotics
Public Policy
Design
Thinking and
Entrepreneurship
Mainland Chinese sponsors accounted for the
majority of this funding, with other contributions from
Taiwan, Japan, Pakistan, the US, and others.
HKUST’s Mainland China platforms attracted a combined
total of RMB33.67 million for 43 research projects from
the National Natural Science Foundation, Ministry
of Science and Technology, Guangdong Provincial
Department of Science and Technology, Nansha Science
and Information Technology Bureau, and others. Two
out of the five Hong Kong branches of Chinese National
Engineering Research Centers were awarded to HKUST
by the Ministry of Science and Technology, namely
Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction and Control and
Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution. They were each
allocated $17.5 million.
SETTING KNOWLEDGE TO WORK
Knowledge transfer is a key way in which HKUST
contributes to innovation and entrepreneurship in
the wider community by enabling the University’s
discoveries and solutions to be utilized by others.
Leadership at HKUST in this area was enhanced by
aligning the operations covered by the Technology
Transfer Center, HKUST R and D Corporation and
Entrepreneurship Center at Clear Water Bay campus
and the technology and commercialization platforms in
Nansha, Shenzhen and Foshan under the supervision
of the Associate Vice-President for Knowledge Transfer.
Prof Enboa Wu was appointed to the position during
the year, with concurrent appointments in the School of
Engineering and as Dean of Fok Ying Tung Graduate
School. In addition, a Knowledge Transfer Committee
at the University Council level was set up in March 2016
to oversee overall knowledge transfer strategy and
governance.
The review of University policies and processes
related to intellectual property (IP) management,
commercialization and technology transfer continued
during 2015-16. The review will help position HKUST to
cope with the rapid changes occurring in innovation
and entrepreneurship. Streamlining of invention
disclosure and review processes also took place, with
new review procedures set to launch in Fall 2016.
A total of 100 inventions were disclosed and 157 new
patent applications filed in 2015-16, including the
University’s satellite campus. With 162 newly granted
patents, HKUST’s current IP portfolio contains 1,026
active patents and patent applications.
The Proof-of-Concept Fund attracted 16 new applications
in 2015-16. The fund provides gap support to enable pre-
commercialization development of promising, cutting-edge
technologies emerging from the University’s research. The
selection committee recommended eight of the projects for
bodies, including the Hong Kong Research Grants
Council (RGC), government and government-related
organizations, Hong Kong private funds, and non-
Hong Kong sources.
Local Projects
The University was awarded 207 new projects by the
RGC, with a total project value of $178 million. HKUST
again achieved the highest success rate (51%) among
all eligible institutions in the competitive General
Research Fund in the year under review.
Two HKUST-led proposals submitted to the Theme-
based Research Scheme were approved for funding
of $33 million each. Both projects come under the
Developing a Sustainable Environment category and
will tackle pressing urban infrastructure problems. One
project will create a smart diagnostic system for urban
water supply networks by developing new techniques
for detecting pipeline leakages and blockages;
the other will explore landslide and debris flow
mechanisms and find ways to mitigate their risks.
The University was awarded $18.72 million in total for
three projects under the Collaborative Research Fund:
two Group Research Grants and one Equipment Grant.
The first two projects received over $6 million each
to study the transcription accuracy of RNA polymerase
II and to analyze the risk of landslides in Hong Kong
respectively. The $5.67 million equipment grant will
help purchase a state-of-the-art mask-making system
for the Nanosystem Fabrication Facility, providing
a significant research tool not only for HKUST but other
UGC-funded institutions, local research institutions,
and industry.
A record 87 applications were submitted to the
Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF) in 2015-16
and secured substantial funding. The total for the
28 ITF-funded projects was $112 million, up from
$96 million the previous year. The growing amount
of ITF funding signifies the substantial commitment
of the private sector to work with HKUST researchers
on knowledge generation.
In another highlight of the year, Prof Gyu Boong Jo
(Physics) received a prestigious Croucher innovation
Award and $5 million for his research in synthetic
quantum systems using ultracold atoms. The award
recognizes exceptionally talented young scientists
working at an internationally competitive level.
Mainland and International Projects
and Collaborations
Seventy-eight HKUST research projects were funded
by non-Hong Kong sources, worth over $58.01 million.
