HKUST Annual Report 2019-2020

INNOVATIVE CURRICULUM Establishing the Next-Generation of Sustainability Innovators To address the critical issue of sustainability of the marine world, the School of Science introduced the BSc in Ocean Science and Technology, the first degree program of its kind in Hong Kong. The program provides cross-disciplinary knowledge and first-hand experience of issues and developments related to conservation and management of ocean resources and will help to answer the need for professionals in areas ranging from marine biotechnology and ocean exploration to environmental consultancies. Seeking to further increase future sustainability talents and awareness in the community, the Interdisciplinary Programs Office’s Minor Program in Sustainability was approved to start from Fall 2020. The program will give more students the chance to gain eco-insights across disciplines and broaden problem-solving approaches. Bringing Big Data Insights to Science Boosting the use of big data beyond computer science, planning for the School of Science’s BSc in Data Analytics in Science moved ahead over the year. With growing demand for capabilities to draw insights from the deluge of information now becoming available to scientists, this joint endeavor involving the School’s five Division/Departments aims to equip students with the skills to apply practical mathematical and data analytical techniques to apply these techniques to a scientific area. Science students of 2020-21 intake can opt for this new major program in their year 2 in 2021-22. LEARNING FOR LIFE 2019-20 was a year that highlighted the University’s adaptability and dynamism as it pressed ahead, amid unforeseen events, in advancing its student learning experience across all fronts and especially online offered by the Department of Physics and Department of Mathematics, equips students with modeling skills essential in the information technology sector to facilitate smart decision-making for businesses and services. The MSc in Financial Technology, the first of its kind in Hong Kong and Mainland China, develops the fintech capabilities needed to use novel technologies and financial innovations to improve traditional financial services. The program is jointly run by the Schools of Science, Engineering, and Business and Management. The University also approved two more taught postgraduate programs to be launched in 2020-21. The MSc in Technology Leadership and Entrepreneurship is a unique program jointly offered by the Schools of Engineering and Business and Management to enable entrepreneurs or those with an entrepreneurial idea in mind to build a strategic technical advantage into their product and gain access to advanced facilities and skills for prototyping and launching their product. The MSc in Finance integrates the previous MSc in Financial Analysis and MSc in Investment Management into a new program covering all the critical areas in investment management and financial analysis to prepare students for new challenges in the financial sector. A Doctor of Business Administration program was also approved for launch in 2021-22 to develop the research capabilities of senior practicing executives and assist them in applying research methodologies and business theories to important issues they face in their business settings. HKUST(GZ) PILOT SCHEME The Pilot Scheme was rolled out in preparation for the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) (HKUST(GZ)) campus in Nansha, due in mid-2022. The scheme enrolls research postgraduate students at the Clear Water Bay campus to start conducting the cross- disciplinary research that will be the hallmark of the new campus (see P.34). The first cohort of 109 students joined in 2019-20. The Senate approved postgraduate research programs developed in 15 thrust research areas for HKUST(GZ)’s four Academic Hubs. The programs will adopt an innovative approach through cross-disciplinary education and research, with an individualized curriculum design that can respond more quickly to the world’s fast-changing developments and social and economic needs. Students will study at the Clear Water Bay campus under the Pilot Scheme while the Guangzhou campus is under construction. Four core courses on research methods and design thinking were also developed under a cross-disciplinary active learning pedagogy to be adopted at the future campus. Deepening Understanding of Human Nature A Minor Program in Psychological and Behavioral Science was launched over the year, jointly offered by the Division of Social Science under the School of Humanities and Social Science and Departments of Marketing and Management under the School of Business and Management. The program, developed in response to students’ feedback and requests, enables learners to apply the principles of psychological and behavioral science in their personal, professional, and civic lives. Research Beyond Traditional Boundaries The first cohort of creative minds whose areas of exploration do not fall into established research postgraduate degree offerings were admitted to the MPhil/ PhD in Individualized Interdisciplinary Program (Research Area). The programs, offered by Interdisciplinary Programs Office, will involve students working with a minimum of two co-supervisors from different areas. In other PhD joint supervisions, arrangements with Guangzhou Metro Group Co. Ltd, Shenzhen Bay Lab, and Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratories in Zhuhai and Guangzhou will allow doctoral students to widen their research perspectives. Building Up Skills and Mindsets for Society’s Emerging Needs The University’s taught postgraduate studies enable professionals to upgrade their skills, or develop new ones, with the start of two interdisciplinary programs indicating the increasing need for skills that span more than one field in today’s market. The MSc in Data-Driven Modeling, jointly HKUST ANNUAL REPORT 2019-2020 11 10 Learning for Life