In January 2007, HKUST Fok Ying Tung Graduate School (FYTGS) was established as the fifth school of the University in Nansha, Guangzhou, becoming the first and only non-locally funded research institute in Nansha. Eight research centers and two central research facilities focusing on electronics, IT and communications, advanced engineering materials, and energy and environmental technologies were set up at the Graduate School.

The Fok Ying Tung Research Institute (FYTRI) was established in the same year in Nansha and has since been one of the University’s most important Mainland platforms for knowledge transfer and advancement, engaging in innovative research, product and process development, training, entrepreneurship, and commercialization.

The Graduate School later oversaw all the University’s knowledge transfer endeavors in HKUST’s Mainland platforms in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Foshan, namely FYTRI, HKUST Shenzhen Research Institute, HKUST R and D Corporation (Shenzhen) Limited, and HKUST LED-FPD Technology R&D Center at Foshan.

The campus of HKUST (Guangzhou) is also located in Nansha. In view of the rapid evolution of postgraduate education across the Clear Water Bay and Guangzhou campuses, in 2019-20, FYTGS was put in charge of postgraduate education for both campuses to strengthen integration under HKUST’s Unified System, Complementary Campuses framework.