HKUST Annual Report 2019-2020

Interactive Real-Time Teaching and Learning Responding rapidly to the new teaching and learning needs are required as COVID-19 restrictions widened, HKUST became one of the first to switch from traditional in-class teaching to interactive real-time online teaching mode in Spring 2020, meaning teachers taught and learners took their courses via Zoom as scheduled in real time. The move enabled students to continue their studies no matter where they were while safeguarding the health and safety of the University community. In preparation, training sessions took place at the beginning of the Spring Term to introduce faculty members and teaching assistants to video conferencing tools for remote teaching. Advanced features, such as group chat, polling, and breakout groups, helped faculty to enhance interaction with students. This wholesale approach to real-time online classes also helped to break down any psychological barriers among faculty about using technology to enhance teaching and learning, laying a robust foundation to add other advanced technologies to the University’s educational approach. Student Housing Hall places were reserved in Summer 2020 in coordination with the Office of the Vice-President for Administration and Business to allow undergraduate and postgraduate students without a home base in Hong Kong with hall offers for 2020-21 to undergo 14 days’ mandatory quarantine on and off campus (see P.39) to allow them to seamlessly transition. Easing Anxiety 2019-20 brought two new co-curricular, namely Managing Conflict: for Healthy Relationships and Positive Psychology: The Science of Well-Being to help students cope with the added stress they faced during the time of social incidents and the pandemic. Students were given a safe and intimate environment over Zoom to reflect on how to manage conflict, and to stay positive despite many of their plans and expectations being disrupted. FIGHTING COVID-19 STUDENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP Entrepreneurial Moves and Mindset As an indication of the University’s entrepreneurial enthusiasm, over 3,340 participants engaged in Entrepreneurship Center seminars and workshops in 2019- 20, an increase of 6% over the previous year. Among many innovative initiatives, the Technopreneurship (Tech-Ship) Program was introduced by the University’s Entrepreneurship Center and Technology Transfer Center in 2020 as a platform to bring together student entrepreneurship development with faculty technologies. The program’s goal is to facilitate partnerships for technopreneurship – an emerging type of entrepreneurship where the use of technology is an integral element of an innovation or solution for any sector. Showing the dynamic nature of the HKUST community, 162 students and alumni became involved, and 14 faculty technologies/research outcomes were put forward in just three months, from April to June 2020, resulting in over 30 technopreneur partnerships. Regarding on-going opportunities, the Leapfrog Program engaged over 60 students in experiential learning, along with ideas and cultural exchange with overseas students and entrepreneurs over the year. Activities included an exchange learning program in Sydney, Australia, with Macquarie University students, an outreach program also to Australia, where students from HKUST and other local universities visited hi-tech start-ups and explored leading technologies, such as satellite internet of things and quantum computing, and an overseas entrepreneurship program in Bangkok, Thailand. Competitive Opportunities InNovember 2019, the School of Business andManagement organized Bizkathon@HKUST, Hong Kong’s first virtual banking hackathon for tertiary students and alumni. The event helped those taking part to prepare for the arrival of virtual banking services in Hong Kong, with alumni mentors and practitioners providing advice to participating teams. In addition, the novel online H^2 Innovation Challenge, a gerontechnology hackathon co-hosted with New World Development, replaced the University’s signature Hackathon@HKUST software and hardware competitions. This year’s Hackathon@HKUST was cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The H^2 event attracted 86 entries from student teams at universities in the Greater Bay Area, along with a host of smart aging ideas. The flagship HKUST-Sino One Million Dollar Entrepreneurship Competition, now expanded to eight regions across China, serves as an energizing platform for young entrepreneurs to demonstrate their creative ideas for new businesses. In Hong Kong, the 2020 regional contest went ahead in digital form, with its Elevator Pitch and Business Plan Presentation held online in April 2020 and June 2020 respectively. More than 150 teams still participated, nearly 30% more than the previous year, with most teams comprising HKUST students, alumni, faculty, and staff from the Schools of Science, Engineering, and Business Management. The President’s Award, the main prize, went to biotechnology start-up SPES Tech (see P.21) for its cutting-edge hydrogel solutions to advance 3D and organoid culture in biomedical research and assist scientists to better understand the pathology of diseases. Strengthening Social Bonds An “On-Air Café”, organized by Dean of Students’ Office via Zoom in April and May 2020, kept HKUST students in touch with each around the world. Nine online sessions hosted by undergraduate and postgraduate students from different cultural backgrounds took place, with the occasions memorably captured by a master of graphic recordings. Additional online activities, such as a K-pop dance class and online games provided further social and mental support under the overall theme of “Together in Distance, Together We Stand”. Career Opportunities for Fresh Graduates With the pandemic creating an unprecedented challenge for graduates, the University’s alumni groups came together to launch the HKUST United program, with over 580 alumni around the world delivering support to over 560 students, with more than 250 jobs and internships referred to students and graduates through our alumni. HKUST ANNUAL REPORT 2019-2020 17 16 Learning For Life