HKUST Annual Report 2017-18

12 Nurturing Diversity and Global Vision In 2017-18, over 1,000 students benefited from the University’s signature exchange program, studying at exchange partner institutions around the world. Credit- bearing study abroad summer programs, offered together with partner universities, brought additional opportunities to experience other cultural and social environments. Almost 300 students participated in programs held at London School of Economics and Political Science, Oxford University, Cambridge University, Princeton University, Stanford University, University of California, Los Angeles, and University of California, Berkeley. Locations for other summer programs included Brunei, Czech Republic, Estonia, Mainland China, Poland, Taiwan and Singapore. On campus HKUST has worked hard to achieve the most diverse group of non-local undergraduates (16.2%) among University Grants Committee-funded institutions. In 2017-18, 44.73% of non-local students came from Mainland China, 49.58% from other places in Asia and 5.69% from the rest of the world. To continue broadening the non-local student mix, the Undergraduate Recruitment and Admissions Office (URAO) organized a counselor fly-in program in Spring 2018. The visit brought 32 high school counsellors from Turkey, Kazakhstan, and the Middle East to HKUST to learn more about the University’s undergraduate programs, campus facilities, and education opportunities for their students. In addition, URAO established regional scholarships for both Mainland and international students. For the 2018 intake, the Office provided up to 12 full/half renewable scholarships for outstanding students from five Mainland provinces. Scholarships for international students are due to commence in the next admission cycle. High Achievers Recognized Many other scholarships are available to support leading academic and non- academic talents and foster excellence. In 2017-18, over 1,750 undergraduates received 2,200 awards, totaling $70.1 million, with around 25% granted more than one scholarship. Three HKUST high flyers received Belt and Road Scholarships for students from Malaysia, out of a total of 10 such honors funded by the Hong Kong government and other donors. Two top student athletes, who excel in taekwondo and archery respectively, secured Alumni Endowment Fund Sports Scholarships. Internship Insights Internships provide a great opportunity for students to explore career interests, gain work experience, and enhance their competitiveness before graduation. Overall, in 2017-18, around 24 HKUST departments/offices hired around 400 students, while 85 students participated in overseas internships in 19 countries across five continents, and some 200 students joined Mainland internship programs in various cities. Fresh initiatives saw 22 students take up winter and summer internships at Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in Shanghai, Chengdu, Wuhan, Tianjin, Guangxi, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Twenty-three participants joined a 14-day Japan Career Exploration Program, visiting 17 well-known companies in Tokyo during the winter break and making business presentations to senior executives. Some 50 students secured summer internships under the Pilot Scheme on Corporate Summer Internship on the Mainland and Overseas, spearheaded by the Hong Kong government’s Home Affairs Bureau. Employability Boost A record 361 companies joined Career Mosaic to recruit interns and fill graduate positions. Career Mosaic is a bi-annual University-wide job fair organized by the Career Center. Reinforcing the University’s competitive edge in the graduate job market, HKUST moved to 12th place worldwide and No.1 in Greater China in the 2017 Global Employability University Ranking, conducted by Emerging, a human resources consultancy and Trendence, a leading research institute. The University’s graduates have been among the world’s top 20 most employable and the most employable in Greater China for five years in a row. Strengthening Heart to Serve The HKUST Connect community engagement program, under the Student Affairs Office, collaborated with 80 partners to open up different service opportunities and engaged 2,253 students in 173 service projects in 2017-18. Activities included one local workcamp and 12 service learning trips to Mainland China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Nepal, the US, and a pilot study trip to Seoul to explore positive innovation. HKUST Service Learning Day recruited over 900 students, faculty members, staff and alumni to serve in 57 service projects in April 2018. Through HKUST Connect, the University forged a distinctive research and traineeship partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to encourage humanitarian work and global vision among the University community. Under the arrangement, HKUST faculty and students will work with ICRC on a project to quantify the economic impact of humanitarian intervention in developing countries. A trainee position will also be designated exclusively for HKUST students at ICRC’s Geneva headquarters for the first time. Education Development