Highlights
HKUST and Hinrich Foundation Launch Major Scholarship in Global Trade
The School and the Hinrich Foundation have jointly launched the HKUST MBA-Hinrich Foundation Global Trade Leader Scholarship to foster leaders in global trade, marking the beginning of a three-year strategic partnership in talent development. With a joint commitment of HK$3.15 million from both organizations, the scholarship provides support to outstanding candidates in the HKUST full-time MBA program. Dean Prof. Frederik ANSEEL stated that the partnership reflects a shared belief that the future of global business will be shaped by leaders capable of navigating the complexities of international trade.
(Mirage News, wenweipo, quamnet, infocastfn, The National Tribune, Beginner Luxury Watch, stockfisher.com, Bauhinia, senn.com.cn, tom.com, Chinadaily, eastday, ithome)
ETO Supports School Event in London
Various media, including Bastille Post, sina, Hong Kong Invest, reported that the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (ETO) in London supported the "BizInsight Forum and Alumni Get-together", organised by the School at the London Stock Exchange in the UK, and attended by representatives from the business and academic sectors. Dean Prof. Frederik ANSEEL delivered a keynote speech at the event.
Central Asian Students Studying HK Universities Doubled in Seven Years
University Grants Committee's data show that the number of Central Asian students studying at universities in HK has nearly doubled in the past seven years. Ziola, an undergraduate student studying Information Systems at HKUST on a scholarship, said that she was attracted by the city’s English-language instruction and safe environment. (TVB News, Wen Wei Po, dotdotnews, tkww.hk)
OTHERS
Funding Chain Disrupted as AI Reshapes Venture Capital (May 30)
In an HK Economic Times column article, Chair Prof. LI Jiaotao, Dept of Management, wrote about a World Economic Forum report’s warning of a potential break in the venture capital funding cycle.
Promoting Professional Development of Teachers and Principals (May 29)
Various media, including bau.com.hk, ifeng.com, reported that HKUST Vice-President for Administrative and Business Prof. TAM Kar-Yan has been appointed the Chairperson of Committee on Professional Development of Teachers and Principals for a two-year term.
AI Development Hinges on High-Quality Real-World Data (May 25)
In an HK Economic Journal column article, Assoc. Provost (Academic Development) Prof. HUI Kai-Lung argued that AI development still depends heavily on learning from high-quality real-world data and experience. He warned that progress may stall if real human-generated data becomes scarce and AI models are trained increasingly on synthetic data generated by other AI systems.
Enhancing HK’s Tourism Appeal (May 22)
In an HK Economic Times column article, JIN Siyuan, a researcher at the Center for Business and Social Analytics, discussed how to enhance visitor experience in HK.
Historical and Economic Motivations behind Global Hegemony (May 22)
In a Master Insight column article, Prof. Emeritus Francis LUI, Dept of Economics, analyzed the historical and economic motivations behind global hegemony and warfare. Dismissing purely racial explanations, Prof. Lui argues that war is a highly capital-intensive endeavor that rational states only launch when they expect a substantial return on investment.
Advancing Development of Private Economy (May 21)
Director of Roger King Center for Asian Family Business and Family Office Prof. Winnie PENG delivered a keynote speech at a meeting of board directors of the Research Institute on Private Economy in Jiangsu province in the New Era, held alongside a seminar on promoting high-quality development of the private economy. (Jschina.com.cn and Jiangsu Economic News)
Two Transformative Concepts from Prof. Chien (May 18)
In an HK Economic Journal column article, Assoc. Provost (Academic Development) Prof. HUI Kai-Lung pays tribute to HKUST’s founding Vice President Prof. CHIEN Chih-Yung, highlighting his transformative leadership concepts that served as the foundational bedrock for HKUST’s rapid global ascent – visionary planning and the idea of “pre-stream” thinking.
From Leadership to Succession, Executive Courses Target Wealthy Families (May 17)
In an FT article about how short business school programmes are helping scions prepare, Prof. Winnie Peng, director of the Roger King Center for Asian Family Business and Family Office was quoted as saying that in Asia, those programmes are small in scale and typically accessed through referrals.
Resale of Digital Goods Benefits Sellers (May 16)
In an HK Economic Journal column article, Chair Prof. CHEN Ying-Ju, Dept of ISOM, explored how allowing the resale of digital goods can benefit sellers instead of eroding their profits. While digital goods can be tracked and have usage limits, Prof. Chen pointed out sellers can design “sharing pricing” contracts that let users resell unused quota, which work like a two-part tariff and achieve the same profit and market outcome.
Investment Diversification Affects Stock Price(May 16)
An Economic Digest column article by Assoc. Prof. CHEN Zhanhui, Dept of Finance, discussed investment diversification as a factor affecting a company's share price.
Assassination Culture in the US (May 15)
In a Master Insight column article, Prof. Emeritus Francis LUI, Dept of Economics, argued that recent attempts on President Donald Trump’s life are rarely the work of lone individuals but are instead products of deep-seated conspiracies involving the Military-Industrial Complex and the CIA.
Underwriters’ Strategies Behind IPO Surges (May 15)
An HK Economic Times article, Assoc. Prof. Peter CHEN, Dept of Accounting, examined the factors contributing to IPO underpricing and the conflicts of interest between issuing companies and their underwriters.
Building a Lifelong Pathway for Immigrants (May 13)
An article published in Korea Joongang Daily and Naver News by Adjunct Assoc. Prof. Hyuncheol Bryant KIM, Dept of Economics, advised Korea to build a full “life-cycle” immigration strategy to attract top global talent, from school age through university, work, and eventual settlement. Prof. Kim highlighted that while brilliant minds are born everywhere, they gravitate toward environments that offer stability, high rewards, and clear paths to integration.
Rising Popularity of Short Videos in China (May 11)
An HK Economic Journal column article by Assoc. Provost (Academic Development) Prof. HUI Kai-Lung delved into the rising popularity of short videos in China. He highlighted the vast scale of internet users, near‑universal fibre coverage, and the growing use of generative AI as evidence that the country has both the supply and demand to keep expanding its digital industries.
Addressing Imbalance in HK's Housing System (May 8)
In a finance730 podcast program, Adjunct Assoc. Prof. Paul YIP Sau-Leung, Dept. of Economics, criticized the imbalance in HK's housing system, arguing that property developers are manipulating home prices. Drawing inspiration from Singapore, Prof. Yip suggested increasing public housing for sale, with prices pegged to construction costs and affordability.
MICE Industry Drives Tourism Growth (May 8)
An HK Economic Times article by JIN Siyuan, a researcher at the Center for Business and Social Analytics, discussed the robust development of tourism driven by MICE in HK in the second quarter. He pointed to an optimistic outlook for Hong Kong’s tourism sector in the second quarter of 2026, supported by data from the Wisers-HKUST Tourism Index and recent holiday performance.
University Courses Incorporate AI (May 7)
In an RTHK talk show, Assoc. Provost (Academic Development) Prof. HUI Kai-Lung noted that HKUST has incorporated AI into their programs as an auxiliary tool without replacing the teaching of professional knowledge. He advised students to choose subjects based on genuine interest rather than short‑term trends, helping them maintain a clear path of development amid change.
New Trends in Digital Asset Market (May 5)
HKUST Institute for Financial Research Head & Asst. Director Prof. TANG Bo, in a conversation with HashKey Group Chief Analyst DING Zhaofei, discussed new trends in the digital asset market. Prof. Tang outlined the significance of HK's new regulatory framework for tokenized assets, and analyzed the complementary positioning of HSBC and Anchorpoint as stablecoin issuers. (tkww.hk and Dot Dot News)
AI Adoption Increased Employees’ Workload (May 4)
In an HK Economic Journal column article, Assoc. Provost (Academic Development) Prof. HUI Kai-Lung pointed out that while AI can boost productivity, it often ends up increasing employees’ workload, task scope, and mental fatigue rather than reducing work.
Application Implementation Key to Victory in AI Race (May 1)
HK Economic Times published an article by Chair Prof. Li Jiatao, Dept. of Management, titled “The US-China AI race: application implementation key to victory”