HKUST Sees Strong Growth in World’s Top 2% Scientists Ranking
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has once again demonstrated its global research excellence in Stanford University’s latest World’s Top 2% Scientists ranking. A total of 244 and 205 HKUST scholars were featured in the Single-Year Impact and Career-Long Impact lists, respectively, accounting for approximately 40% of the University’s tenure-track faculty. This achievement reflects the growing global influence of HKUST scholars and the University’s leadership in advancing cutting-edge research across a wide range of disciplines.
Prof. GUO Yike, Provost of HKUST, said, “HKUST has always placed talent at the heart of its development. Guided by our Strategic Plan 2031, we are committed to attracting and nurturing world-class researchers, advancing academic excellence and scientific breakthroughs, and supporting the innovation and technology (I&T) development priorities of both Hong Kong and the nation. This latest recognition is a strong affirmation of HKUST’s achievements in research talent development and academic impact. Particularly encouraging is the year-on-year growth in the number of HKUST scholars recognized in the ranking. The University’s representation in the Single-Year Impact list increased by approximately 10%, while the number featured in the Career-Long Impact list grew by more than 18%, reflecting the success of our efforts to attract, develop and retain top global talent.
Attracting talent is only the beginning. Equally important is providing an environment where researchers can pursue bold ideas and breakthrough discoveries. Through state-of-the-art research facilities, interdisciplinary and cross-regional collaborations, and a comprehensive ecosystem supporting research, knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship, HKUST enables scholars to translate pioneering research into impactful innovations.
Looking ahead, we will continue to recruit outstanding talent from around the world, leverage HKUST’s strengths in research, knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship, deepen partnerships with leading universities and research institutions worldwide, and contribute to Hong Kong’s development as an international innovation and technology hub as well as the nation’s high-quality development.”
This year, 20 HKUST scholars were ranked among the global top 10 in their respective disciplines in both the Single-Year Impact and Career-Long Impact rankings. Their research spans a diverse range of fields, including artificial intelligence, computer networking and telecommunications, materials science, chemical engineering, logistics and transportation, applied mathematics, and civil engineering.
In total, more than 200 HKUST scholars were recognized across a wide spectrum of leading disciplines. Particularly strong performances were recorded in Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing, Networking & Telecommunications, Applied Physics, and Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, highlighting HKUST’s world-class research strengths in strategic areas such as AI, information technology, advanced manufacturing, and fundamental science.
Prof. Guo added, “The ranking results are also consistent with the findings of HKUST’s recent report, ‘Driving Socioeconomic Impact Through Research and Innovation: Insights from HKUST’, prepared by the international research analytics firm Elsevier. The report shows that HKUST’s research output has maintained strong growth over the past five years, with the number of published research papers increasing by an average of 10% annually, approximately 9 percentage points higher than the average growth rate among other local institutions.
The report also found that industry-collaborative research accounted for 6.2% of HKUST’s total research output, significantly exceeding the global average of 2.7%. Moreover, more than 30% of patents arising from these research outcomes have been utilized and widely referenced by international enterprises. These achievements demonstrate that HKUST pursues not only research excellence and academic impact, but also the real-world application of knowledge and innovation, transforming research outcomes into practical solutions that benefit society.”
The 20 HKUST Scholars Ranked Among the Global Top 10 in Both the Single-Year and Career-Long Impact Rankings (listed by Single-Year Impact followed by alphabetical order):
| HKUST Scholar | Single-year Impact Rank | Career-long Impact Rank | Sub-field |
| Prof. David LAM Chuen-Chun Professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering |
1 | 1 | - Materials - Electrical & Electronic Engineering |
| Prof. DING Cunsheng Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering |
1 | 2 | - Networking & Telecommunications - Computation Theory & Mathematics |
| Prof. Charles NG Wang-Wai Vice-President for Institutional Advancement CLP Holdings Professor of Sustainability Chair Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering |
1 | 2 | - Geological and Geomatics Engineering - Civil Engineering |
| Prof. Roger HO Chun-Man Clinical Professor, School of Medicine |
1 | 3 | - Psychiatry - Toxicology |
| Prof. Samir Kumar KHANAL Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering |
1 | 3 | - Biotechnology - Environmental Engineering |
| Prof. XIE Yuan Fang Professor of Engineering Chair Professor, Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering and Department of Computer Science and Engineering |
1 | 5 | - Computer Hardware & Architecture - Design Practice & Management |
| Prof. CHEN Guohua Chair Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering |
2 | 1 | - Chemical Engineering - Nanoscience & Nanotechnology |
| Prof. YANG Hai Chair Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering |
2 | 2 | - Logistics & Transportation - Operations Research |
| Prof. CHEN Ying-Ju Crown Worldwide Professor of Business Chair Professor, Department of Information Systems, Business Statistics and Operations Management and Department of Industrial Engineering and Decision Analytics |
2 | 6 | - Operations Research - Marketing |
| Prof. ZHAO Jidong Chair Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering |
5 | 5 | - Geological & Geomatics Engineering - Applied Mathematics |
| Prof. XU Kun Stephen Kam Chuen Cheong Professor of Science Head and Chair Professor, Department of Mathematics Chair Professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering |
5 | 6 | - Applied Mathematics - Aerospace & Aeronautics |
| Prof. Khaled BEN LETAIEF New Bright Professor of Engineering Chair Professor, Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering |
6 | 8 | - Networking & Telecommunications - Electrical & Electronic Engineering |
| Prof. CHANG Chih-Chen Professor Emeritus, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering |
6 | 5 | - Civil Engineering - Optoelectronics & Photonics |
| Prof. James THONG Yeong-Liang Michael Jebsen Professor of Business Chair Professor, Department of Information Systems, Business Statistics and Operations Management |
6 | 5 | - Information Systems - Operations Research |
| Prof. Dan TSANG Associate Dean of Engineering (Undergraduate Recruitment and Student Development) Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering |
7 | 7 | - Environmental Sciences - Strategic, Defence & Security Studies |
| Prof. Tim CHENG Kwang-Ting Vice-President for Research and Development Chair Professor, Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering and Department of Computer Science and Engineering |
7 | 9 | - Computer Hardware & Architecture - Artificial Intelligence & Image Processing |
| Prof. ZHANG Xin Swire Professor of Aerospace Engineering Chair Professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering |
8 | 6 | - Aerospace & Aeronautics - Acoustics |
| Prof. TAM Kar-Yan Vice-President for Administration and Business Chair Professor of Information Systems, Business Statistics and Operations Management |
10 | 6 | - Information Systems - Operations Research |
| Prof. CAI Yongshun Head and Chair Professor, Division of Social Science Associate Director of Department of Information Systems, Business Statistics and Operations Management |
10 | 8 | - Cultural Studies - International Relations |
The World’s Top 2% Scientists list is compiled by a research team at Stanford University based on data from Elsevier’s Scopus database, identifies over 100,000 leading scientists worldwide across 20 disciplines and 174 subfields. The list is based on a composite of indicators, including total citations, citations of single-authored works, the H-index, and adjustments of co-authorship. It features two categories: one for career-long impact (1960–2025) and another for single-year impact (2025), recognizing both lifelong scholarly achievements and recent research excellence.
About The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) (https://hkust.edu.hk/) is a world-class university renowned for its excellence in innovative education, research, and impactful knowledge transfer. Adopting a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to education, HKUST was ranked 33rd globally and 6th in Asia in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and QS Asia University Rankings 2026, respectively. It was also ranked 20th worldwide in the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026, placing first among universities in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland for the third consecutive year. Eleven HKUST subjects were ranked among the world’s top 50 in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026. In addition, HKUST’s Computer Science discipline, which encompasses areas such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, was ranked No. 1 in Hong Kong for the tenth consecutive year in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2026. Its graduates are highly competitive, consistently ranking among the world’s top 30 most sought-after employees. In research and entrepreneurship, more than 80% of HKUST’s research was rated “world-leading” or “internationally excellent” in the University Grants Committee’s Research Assessment Exercise 2020. As of September 2026, HKUST members have founded more than 2,000 active start-ups, including 11 unicorns and 23 successful exits through initial public offerings (IPOs) or mergers and acquisitions (M&A).
(This news was originally published by the HKUST Public Affairs and Global Communications Office here.)