HKUST Nansha to welcome first students

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in Nansha, Guangzhou, has received over 3,000 applications for 15 masters and PhD courses for the school year starting in September, says president Lionel Ni Ming-Shuan.

Ni said the student admission is completed for the 2022-23 school year and that the Nansha campus has adopted the same admission standards as HKUST in Clearwater Bay.

"Graduates who meet the requirements will also be awarded degree certificates from HKUST," Ni said.

The Guangzhou campus offers 15 postgraduate degrees in advanced materials, intelligent transportation and microelectronics.

"We have been preparing for the new students recently, from the food in the canteen to their living environment," Ni said. "We hope they will have the opportunities to experience a diversified university life with an open atmosphere for innovation."

Students from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Henan, Shandong and Sichuan can apply to the undergraduate programs next year. Student admission is expected to extend to the rest of the country in 2024.

Undergraduates on Nansha campus who study programs in artificial intelligence, data science and big data technology and smart manufacturing may have the opportunity to complete their undergraduate and postgraduate degrees altogether in five years if they are admitted to the Red Bird Mphil Program.

The two campuses are separate legal entities with independent finance systems. But all their central research facilities will be opened to students and teachers from both institutions - such as the Intelligent Autonomous Driving Center and Brain and Intelligence Research Institute, which are now under planning.

"We will maintain consistency in the academic standard as well as faculty and program quality, while creating synergy by sharing resources and complementing each other's strengths," said HKUST president Shyy Wei.

Students can choose courses offered on both campuses and have no need to apply for course credit transfer.

HKUST president-designate and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Nancy Ip Yuk-Yu said she has confidence in "HKUST 2.0."

tsdreporter6@singtaonewscorp.com