HKUST Business Review

1 HKUST Business Review FROM THE DEAN The magazine is available for download or can be delivered via email on request. Published by External and Alumni Relations HKUST Business School The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Address: Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel/ (852)2358 8934 Email/ bmpr@ust.hk VOLUME 2, ISSUE 1 2026 APR 35 Years of Leadership, Innovation and Impact BUSINESS UNBOUND Professor Frederik ANSEEL Dean As we mark HKUST’s 35th anniversary, this special edition invites us to pause, reflect, and celebrate a journey that has been anything but ordinary. The theme of this issue, “Business Unbound – 35 Years of Leadership, Innovation and Impact,” speaks directly to who we are as a school: curious by nature, ambitious in spirit, and never content with standing still. From the very beginning, HKUST Business School set out to challenge conventions and to redefine what business education in Asia—and beyond—could be. This anniversary issue brings together voices that have shaped our past and are helping to chart our future. Professor Harry Shum, Council Chairman of HKUST, reflects on the University’s 35-year journey and its enduring culture of innovation, while looking ahead to how AI, entrepreneurship, and a new era of medical education will shape the next chapter. Our President, Professor Nancy Ip, shares a deeply human story of HKUST’s evolution—from humble beginnings to a globally respected research university—grounded in people, collaboration, and shared purpose. Former Council Chairman Dr. Vincent Lo reminds us how clear vision, resilience, and forward-looking leadership turned a bold idea into a world-class institution with global impact. Andy Tung, Chairman of our Business School Advisory Council, challenges us to rethink how business education must evolve, urging us to broaden students’ worldviews while sharpening their ability to learn, adapt, and lead with transparency and purpose. At the heart of these reflections lies a simple belief: talent matters. This issue highlights how we nurture students at every stage of their journey, from classroom learning to career launch, and how thoughtful career guidance and mentorship help them find paths that are both meaningful and impactful. Graduates from different programs and professions reflect on how their time at HKUST shaped not only their careers, but also their values and sense of responsibility to society. Their journeys remind us that impact is not a single moment, but something built over time. Alongside this, we showcase the research initiatives through which our faculty push intellectual boundaries and create knowledge that matters in a rapidly changing world. Through the accessible, practice oriented research articles and research centers featured in this special issue, we highlight our faculty’s research that continues to drive our thought leadership. As we celebrate 35 years, we do so with gratitude and confidence. We know where we come from, we are clear about our purpose, and we are excited about what lies ahead. Together, we will continue to build a Business School that is truly unbound—creating knowledge, shaping leaders, and forging partnerships that make a difference.