Global PhD Students Flock to SENG

The School of Engineering has continued to receive a strong endorsement of its appeal to high-flying research students globally, with the highest number of Hong Kong PhD Fellowship awardees among all local engineering schools in the 2013/14 scheme. This marks the fourth consecutive year the School has been the most popular choice for engineering fields, putting it in the leading position since the scheme began.

For the 2013/14 scheme, 36 awardees in engineering and IT accepted HKUST’s offer of a place, nearly double the number for last year and more than twice the number of the next institution. The scheme was launched by Hong Kong’s Research Grants Council in 2009 to draw top young scholars from around the world to study at local institutions (see also P5-6).

All six of the School’s departments attracted applications, together with the Bioengineering Program and Environmental Engineering Program. The PhD Fellowship students will also add impetus to the School’s internationalization drive. Awardees come from over 19 places, including Bangladesh, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Romania, Sri Lanka and Turkey.

“The growing mix of international research students can generate new perspectives and spark fresh concepts and ideas,” said Prof Christopher Chao, Associate Dean of Engineering (Research & Graduate Studies). “It is also good news for Hong Kong’s future development that these talented young people have come to study in the city and establish ties here.”

Overall, 49 PhD Fellowships out of a total of 185 were awarded to HKUST, again the largest number for all institutions.