HKU is committed to preparing our students to meet society’s future needs and challenges. Technological changes, in particular, loom large and we are responding by taking the lead. Over the past year, important initiatives were developed to bring artificial intelligence into the curriculum for all students. We also prepared to welcome increased numbers of non-local students with programmes to accommodate them and integrate them more closely with local students, providing cross-cultural enrichment for everyone.

Starting from September 2025, all undergraduate students will have to complete two micro-credential courses that improve their AI literacy and skills (similar to our English-language requirement), both generally and in their chosen disciplines. At the same time, AI will also become an Area of Inquiry under the Common Core, meaning all incoming undergraduate students will need to take at least one course about the implications and ethics of AI.

New AI-influenced programmes are also being prepared for offer in 2025 to give our students the edge. The new interdisciplinary School of Computing and Data Science, which is administering the micro-credential courses, will offer two new programmes related to AI and data science, while the Faculties of Arts and Engineering are preparing eight new programmes to cultivate leadership in new technology. In addition, the new School of Innovation is drawing up plans to offer a new Bachelor of Science in Innovation and Technology programme that teaches science and technology through project-based learning.

The new interdisciplinary School of Computing and Data Science strives to advance data-driven education and innovation and nurture talent in critical areas such as computer science, data science, artificial intelligence, FinTech, and actuarial science.

Professor Xiang Zhang (first from left), President and Vice-Chancellor of HKU, was joined by around 100 local and non-local HKU students for a ferry ride around the Victoria Harbour.

AI has also figured in the work of the Centre of Development and Resources for Students, which in 2023–24 helped students prepare for the future workplace with an AI-focussed careers day, Hong Kong’s first student internships in AI and an industry report highlighting the importance of AI skills to employers.

Apart from these provisions, our teachers continued to innovate the teaching and learning experience, earning recognition in the University Grants Committee (UGC)’s Teaching Award and the international QS Reimagine Education Awards (see below). Their forward-thinking commitment, plus the high quality of education at HKU, help us attract top students. In 2024, our new intake had the highest average score in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination among all universities in Hong Kong. We also welcomed nearly 1,300 high-performing non-local students from more than 60 countries and regions, after the government doubled the quota of non-local students from 20% to 40% of undergraduate enrolment – a move HKU strongly endorses.

The University’s focus on continuous improvement and the highest academic standards was recognised by the Quality Assurance Council of the UGC, which conducted its third institutional audit of HKU in 2024. Staying ahead of the curve can be challenging in this ever-changing world but we are determined to prepare our students to anticipate, lead and trailblaze, and make impactful contributions to society.

Career AIgnition Day, which marked the launch of HKU’s Career AI Initiatives, drew a full house of over 300 HKU students and staff and provided a unique opportunity for attendees to gain valuable insights into the rapidly evolving landscape of AI and its impact on career development.

FIRST CLASS

OLYMPIC COMPETITOR

Olympian Cindy Cheung Sum Yuet joined HKU in September to pursue a Bachelor of Social Sciences in psychology and sociology. She was the youngest swimmer from Hong Kong to ever achieve the Olympic Qualifying Time and represented the city in the women’s 100m and 200m backstroke at the Paris Olympics 2024. Ms Cheung came to HKU through the Top Athletes Direct Admission Scheme, but she also remains a full-time swimmer, training four hours a day on top of her studies. She hopes to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

I chose HKU because of its prestige and excellent learning facilities. I am fascinated by how much our psychological well-being affects our daily lives and I hope to understand more about how it might benefit my swimming career, too. One of the things I’m most looking forward to at HKU is furthering my knowledge in different fields, especially the wide variety of topics offered by the Common Core, and meeting new people from different cultural backgrounds.

Cindy Cheung Sum Yuet
Bachelor of Social Sciences

TOP PERFORMER

President’s Scholar Geoff Wong Shue Hei was a top scorer in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination and he received offers from top UK universities, such as Imperial College London. But he decided to pursue an MBBS at HKU because of the unique curriculum and opportunities offered. He was particularly attracted by the Enrichment Year, during which medical students pursue an interest – be it research, service or studying a new subject – before the demands of the clinical years kick in. HKUMed’s Distinguished MedScholar programme for gifted students was also a factor in his decision, given the intensive research training and mentoring it offers.

With the Distinguished MedScholar programme, my elite mentor has kindly given me guidance and provided inspiring exposure opportunities. Thanks to him, I can plan early on my future career in an informed manner. I also cannot overstate my excitement towards my university life in HKU’s internationalised setting. I hope to connect and exchange ideas with the brightest minds from all over the globe.

Geoff Wong Shue Hei
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

Eirik Thorsten Fleck-Baustian comes from a multinational background – his parents are a combination of German, Norwegian and Hungarian and he lived in Shanghai for three years as a child. So when it came time to choose a university, the chance to explore a new place (he had never been to Hong Kong before) was a big pull. The chance to pursue his passion here – ecology and biodiversity studies – sealed the deal. He is now enrolled in the Bachelor of Science programme and hopes to become a conservational biologist to address the existential crisis threatening the natural world.

I think I understand why HKU is such a highly ranked university and that is due to the progress that goes on in its research. Even as an undergraduate, I am learning of opportunities to contribute to the vastly diverse studies that are ongoing at the University. Seeing the great research opportunities here at HKU, I am also hoping to do some research in my fields of interest.

Eirik Thorsten Fleck-Baustian
Bachelor of Science

AGENT FOR CHANGE

Anzal Tayyibah’s aspiration to study at university was considered unusual where she grew up – many in her low-income neighbourhood told her she had unrealistic ambitions. But that only added fuel to her flame. With support from her parents, Ms Tayyibah performed well in her examinations and came to HKU through the School Nominations Direct Admission Scheme. She has enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Global Health and Development and hopes to become a public health consultant in under-served areas in places such as the Middle East and East Asia.

I have always aspired to be an agent for change. From a young age, I became aware of the pressing issues in our world, such as poverty and infectious diseases, and I wanted to contribute meaningful solutions. I was drawn to HKU because of its top reputation, and to this programme because of its interdisciplinary approach and the six-month placement in an NGO, which will give me practical exposure.

Anzal Tayyibah
Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Global Health and Development

GLOBAL HONOURS FOR HKU TEACHERS

Two teaching teams from HKU were honoured in the ‘Oscars’ of education, the global Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Reimagine Education Awards, presented in Abu Dhabi in December 2023. The awards honour the most innovative and effective approaches to enhancing student learning and employability.

The HKU Common Core team won a Silver Award in the category ‘Developing Emerging Skills and Competencies’, for the success and scalability of the Common Core curriculum. Introduced in 2012, the Common Core requires students to step outside their disciplines and learn in the community and through a wide variety of media. All undergraduate students are required to select courses (from among more than 160 offered each year) in each of four thematic pillars – Science, Technology and Big Data; Arts and Humanities; Global Issues; and China: Culture, State and Society. A fifth pillar on artificial intelligence is planned for September 2025.

The team is led by the Common Core’s Director Professor Julian Tanner, Dexter H C Man Family Professor in Medical Science, and Associate Director Dr Jack Tsao. Their submission to the QS Awards was titled ‘Transdisciplinarity for Future Readiness’.

The Common Core project ‘Transdisciplinarity for Future Readiness’ led by Professor Julian Tanner (left) and Dr Jack Tsao (right) won silver in the ‘Developing Emerging Skills and Competencies’ category.

“Winning this award provides international recognition for our curriculum, which is a distinctive, effective and sustainable model for transdisciplinary education worldwide, especially in research-intensive universities,” said Dr Tsao. “The transformative teaching and learning helps students develop a range of essential capacities that make them future-ready.”

A team from HKUMed won a Bronze Award in ‘The Power of Partnerships’ category for their project titled ‘Students as Co- Designers’, which has formalised students as partners in the curriculum and promoted collaboration across disciplines and between students, educators and community experts. The project is led by Dr Khong Mei Li and includes Professor Julian Tanner, Dr Peter Lau and Dr Zheng Binbin, as well as Year 6 MBBS students Fok Jing Chen and Clement Ho and Year 5 MBBS students Winson Chan, Justin Ng, Monica Lee, and Odelle Wong.

Over the past three years, the team has engaged more than 100 student co-designers, more than 50 educators, and a dozen field experts and community partners, to develop more than 20 teaching and learning innovations, such as interactive worksheets that train students in systematic clinical investigation and diagnostic reasoning. More than 2,000 learners per year have benefitted.

“This award recognises how our initiative is significantly changing institutional teaching and learning culture. Students’ learning has become more fit-for-practice. Student co-designers have shifted from passive to active learners. And educators have adopted new views of teaching and learning,” Dr Khong said.

The HKUMed project ‘Students as Co-Designers’ led by Dr Khong Mei Li (first from left) won bronze in ‘The Power of Partnerships’ category.

UGC TEACHING AWARD

The Chairman of the University Grants Committee (UGC) Mr Tim Lui (third from right) presenting the 2024 UGC Teaching Award for Collaborative Teams to the team led by Professor Cecilia Chan (third from left), with members Professor Samson Tse (first from left), Professor Ben Chan (second from left), Professor Albert Ko (second from right) and Dr Theresa Kwong (first from right). (Courtesy of University Grants Committee)

A research-based, HKU-led team that equips students with all- round, whole-person competencies, such as leadership, critical thinking, integrity, resilience and the latest AI literacy, won the 2024 UGC Teaching Award in the category ‘Collaborative Teams’.

The cross-institutional team is led by Professor Cecilia Chan, Professor in the Faculty of Education and former Director of the Teaching and Learning Innovation Centre, and includes Professor Samson Tse, Dean of Student Affairs at HKU, and professors from Lingnan University, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Hong Kong Baptist University.

Their project, titled ‘Holistic Competency and Virtues Education (HAVE)’, provides competency development and professional development to universities and includes a framework and an accreditation model based around 14 competencies, that have set benchmarks in courses developing these competencies for thousands of students.

“Higher education has been largely focussed on disciplinary or professional knowledge, leaving a critical gap in students’ overall development. Academic knowledge is indeed useful, but applying what we learn, caring for society, and loving our families are even more crucial. We hope our next generation will be well-rounded and compassionate – represented by HAVE,” Professor Chan said.

The team plans to use the grant to establish a HAVE education centre in 2025 and launch online micro-courses to promote, assess and certify holistic abilities.

TECH SAVVY

MEMO TO SELF: STUDY MORE EFFICIENTLY

MBBS students and co-founders of Memo – Calvin Cheung (left) and Jason Chan (right).

Two medical students, who laboured over learning large amounts of information for their pre-clinical studies, have devised an AI- powered platform that now has over 180,000 users across 30 different academic disciplines. Their start-up, Memo (formerly PDF2Anki), automates the creation of flashcards by making lecture slides, notes, presentations and other PDF files compatible with the Anki flashcard app. This saves hours of time that would be needed to do this manually.

The project began when Jason Chan Chi Shing (now MBBS Year 3) and Calvin Cheung Tin Chun (MBBS Year 4) were in their first year, and they developed it over weekends and study breaks. Mr Chan, who leads product development, received an Innovation and Technology Scholarship in August 2024 for his work from the Innovation and Technology Commission, HSBC and The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups.

“It was challenging to find time, but our passion for the project and its potential impact kept us motivated. What started as a solution to our own study challenges has grown into a tool helping students worldwide. This award is a validation of our work, and I plan to use the opportunity to further develop our AI capabilities and explore new technologies in the Greater Bay Area,” he said.

A COOL IDEA

A cross-faculty team of undergraduate students developed a cooling device that attaches to the safety helmets of construction workers.

A cross-faculty team of seven undergraduate students won the 2024 James Dyson Award Hong Kong for designing a cooling device that fits on the safety helmets of construction workers. The device mitigates heat stress, which can be a real threat to workers given the temperatures inside their helmets can soar up to 45 degrees Celsius when they are labouring in summer heat.

The project began when Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies students Jeff Li and Joseph Wong were in their first year and wanted to create something impactful. Initially, they focussed on a hands-free cooling solution for hikers, but then they realised the serious health risks facing construction workers. They began building prototypes, recruited friends studying engineering, business and law, and formed a company, Hay-koze, in 2022. Along the way, they received support from the Faculties of Architecture and Medicine, the Tam Wing Fan Innovation Wing in the Faculty of Engineering, and the iDendron programme of HKU’s Techno-Entrepreneurship Core.

“We all graduated in 2024 and were wondering whether to invest full-time in this project, so winning the James Dyson Award gave us a massive confidence boost. We will continue pushing the project to maturity and we are seeking partnerships with major contractors in Hong Kong,” said Mr Li.

CROSS-FACULTY TEAM WINS GOLD

Jim presenting a novel approach to remediating the issue of immune evasion during immunotherapy at the iGEM 2023 Grand Jamboree.

A team of 25 students from the Faculties of Science, Medicine and Engineering earned a gold medal in the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) 2023 Grand Jamboree, held in November. Student teams from around the world had been invited to develop solutions to global challenges using synthetic biology, and the HKU team engineered macrophages based on self-replicating RNA to enhance the treatment of solid cancerous tumours, particularly immunotherapy treatment. The students were supported by their faculties, the Common Core and the Tam Wing Fan Innovation Wing.

Jim Cheung Chi Hung, now a fourth-year Bachelor of Science student and one of the team leaders, said they are continuing to develop their innovation further so that it can be more effective, accessible and affordable, and delivered simply via injection.

“This was a completely student-run team and the leadership, idea generation, team management, funding and direction were all decided by team members. It has given us students an unprecedented learning opportunity that cannot be received through final-year projects or internships,” he said.

OPPORTUNITY THROUGH AI INTERNSHIPS

Merck Pharmaceutical HK hosted an end of internship award ceremony where Oh Hyun Young (first from left) and Widjaja Edward Aryaguna (centre) were presented with the Exemplary Progress Award in recognition of their dedication and hard work.

HKU was the first university in Hong Kong to organise AI internships. In summer 2024, more than 100 students and more than 30 firms joined the programme arranged by the Centre of Development and Resources for Students. Among the student participants were third-year Bachelor of Engineering students Widjaja Edward Aryaguna, originally from Indonesia, and Oh Hyun Young, originally from Korea. Both students worked with Merck Pharmaceutical HK where they had opportunities to develop and optimise AI-based solutions related to sales orders and forecasting, and learn more about project management, design and proposal. Mr Aryaguna also successfully pitched a chatbot on product information for the sales and marketing team.

“All of the skills and new AI knowledge I gained will be very useful for my future career as an aspiring data scientist. In fact, utilising AI and machine learning models in a real-world setting is an experience most students at my level would not have,” Mr Aryaguna said.

He came to HKU because of the opportunities it offered, a view echoed by Mr Oh. “HKU aligns with my academic interests and offers invaluable networking opportunities through its strong connections with industry professionals. The AI internship not only expanded my technical knowledge but also provided me with insights on the workings of a multinational organisation.”

RICHER EXPERIENCES

A EUREKA MOMENT

Students presenting the outcomes of the Eureka research projects.

The EUREKA programme was launched in 2023–24 to offer undergraduate students the chance to acquire research skills, conduct a project through a free elective, and test their interest in research. Seventeen students joined, attending a module on research methods before producing their own research project.

Lam Kwan Yiu, currently a final-year Bachelor of Social Sciences student, had previously taken an online course on Latin American politics and diplomacy, so he decided to investigate an area that has received little attention – the historical interaction between Qing-era China and Latin America. Under the guidance of his supervisor, Professor Bárbara Fernández Melleda of the School of Modern Languages and Cultures, he showed that promising bilateral diplomacy during the 19th century had been halted by the inward-looking Qing government.

“I love how the EUREKA course design gives us a glimpse of how research is practised. While other programmes teach us about research skills, few provide the opportunity for hands-on application. The programme also bridges the gap by allowing us to gain practical experience without having an impact on our final GPA, through the pass / fail grading system,” Mr Lam said.

BORDER CROSSINGS

‘Make Swe’ was a seven-day volunteer trip to the Thai-Myanmar border with the aim of improving the living and learning environment of Myanmar migrants and refugees affected by the ongoing civil war in their home country.

A research study experience on the Thai-Myanmar border, organised by the Common Core Office, proved eye-opening and inspirational for Dicky Wong Tik. He attended in 2023 as a first-year Architecture student and felt a strong connection with the young refugees he met there, who struggled to access higher education. On returning to HKU, he questioned how he could help and began brainstorming with friends.

The result is a project entirely initiated and coordinated by mostly first- and second-year students from the Faculties of Architecture, Arts, Engineering and Social Sciences. In May 2024, they returned to the Thai-Myanmar border to learn about the issues faced by schools, organise art therapy and a design studio for students, and to develop solutions to problems, such as sealing the kitchen drain to keep out rats and purchasing new mattresses and lighting. They plan to return in early 2025 to help with a school construction project.

“Beyond the physical structures built and valuable insights gained, we take pride in the bonds we formed that transcended borders, cultures and ethnicities. In a place where support is often lacking, our experiences show that anything is possible with goodwill and collaboration,” Mr Wong said.

SUPER-ACHIEVER

Anthony (right) was awarded the Top Ten Tertiary Student Awards 2024 in recognition of his outstanding achievements in entrepreneurship.

Not many students establish a start-up in their teens, but Anthony Fung Pui Him has not only done that, he’s gone one better: he is also founder of an NGO focussing on life-death education and compassion for those suffering from grief and loss.

Mr Fung co-founded his start-up, BOOST TEAM Ltd, while still in secondary school in 2018 to provide digital services and branding, such as social media marketing, for companies. The company has served more than 60 clients in construction, prefabrication, recycling and other fields. He also founded Grief Me Light in 2022 with friends studying psychology, which has organised more than 80 wellness events, published online education materials, launched a Life-Death Education Mobile Learning Truck and produced a music video on grief, among other things. Mr Fung graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2024 and is currently enrolled in the Master of Global Management programme.

“When I established my first company in high school, I did not truly understand what entrepreneurship was or how to manage a company. Studying at the HKU Business School, especially the Entrepreneurship, Design and Innovation programme, has been a cornerstone in my entrepreneurial journey and equipped me with knowledge, networks and skills,” he said.

GOING ‘GLOCAL’

HKU launched the GLOCAL Connect programme to build global bonds between local and non-local students.

The Centre of Development and Resources for Students has stepped up programmes to better integrate non-local students into university life. One of these is GLOCAL Connect, which organises gatherings and outings for new non-local students and links them up with about 60 local students, who help them settle in, learn about local culture and traditions, and foster a sense of belonging. About 400 non-local students have been matched into small groups with the local volunteers.

Akhmedov Farrukh, a first-year Bachelor of Business Administration student from Tajikistan, is one of the newcomers. “This programme is helping me discover new places in Hong Kong and meet people. One of my wishes before coming to HKU was to make a lot of friends and this was a great opportunity to do so.”

His local group member is Ernest Ong Kuan Tiam Tim, a second- year Bachelor of Social Sciences student. “I have been blown away by this programme. There are so many students from all over the world and I never truly understood the scale of the international community at HKU. I plan to introduce my partners to the highlights of Hong Kong and help them adjust to university life here.”