There is no question that our schools is at crossroads and that in the next few years we will be facing challenges whose successful resolution will be critical to the future success of our great school. These challenges include the design and implementation of 334, improving our graduate education, improving our student intake quality, forging stronger collaboration with overseas and mainland organizations, ameliorating our infrastructure, and setting programs and research directions that will allow us to meet grand challenges and take us to new heights.

To better meet these challenges, the school will formally move into a new administrative structure as shown in the figure below. The team will consist of strong and dedicated faculty members, distinguished by long service to the School and to HKUST. The following describe the functions of individual positions.

Prof Roger Cheng Appointed Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Student Affairs

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Prof Roger S Cheng from the Department of Electronic and Computer and Engineering as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Student Affairs.

In his new role as Associate Dean, Prof Cheng will focus on undergraduate curriculum revision, development, and enhancement along with student affairs. He will be responsible for providing leadership in strengthening all curricular programs and ensuring that existing and new program content and delivery are of consistently high quality by overseeing assessment of program curriculum and student learning outcomes. He will also be deeply involved in all university initiatives concerned with enhancing the strategic planning and development of curriculum, diversity, globalization, sustainability, accreditation, and incorporation of student research into the curriculum.

Professor Cheng will start his new appointment immediately.

Prof Charles W W Ng Appointed Associate Dean for Outreach and External Affairs

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Prof Charles W W Ng from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering as Associate Dean for Outreach and External Affairs.

In his re-defined role, Prof Ng will focus on student recruitment, UG admission, exchange program, internship, student placement, alumni, external relations, promotion and outreach activities. He will coordinate the student admission and communication teams; establish and monitor recruitment plan and strategies to attract top students (including women, local, international and mainland students); coordinate the placement of students; and coordinate and improve the engineering alumni program and relationship.

He will also be responsible for facilitating collaboration with mainland and overseas universities, institutions, and industry; as well as, assistance through information provision related to mainland and international opportunities, exchange programs, and funding.

Prof Jang-Kyo Kim Appointed Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Prof Jang-Kyo Kim from the Department of Mechanical Engineering as Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies.

In his new role, Prof Kim will focus on graduate student affairs, research funding, and strategic management of graduate studies and professional education, among other areas.

He will provide proactive leadership in advancing the school’s research agenda and will be responsible for creating a supportive environment to enhance research productivity and cutting edge scholarship. In addition, he will coordinate the research activities of the school's academic units, centres, laboratories and programs and will initiate, support and sustain programs and activities to increase faculty participation in research with an emphasis on collaborative and interdisciplinary efforts.