HKUST

HKUST President and Chinese Academy of Sciences Academician Prof. Nancy Ip Receives UNESCO Honor for a Second Time

Prof. Nancy IP, President and The Morningside Professor of Life Science at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has been awarded the 2026 UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences in recognition of her pioneering contributions to neuroscience and Alzheimer's disease research. The award ceremony was held on November 6 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.

President Prof. Nancy Ip first received the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award in 2004, becoming the first Chinese scientist in the life sciences and the first scientist from Hong Kong to receive the honor. Her latest recognition, the 2026 UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences, marks a second major accolade from UNESCO and makes her the first Hong Kong scientist to have received both prestigious UNESCO awards.

In announcing the award, UNESCO recognized Prof. Ip as an internationally renowned neuroscientist whose research has significantly advanced the understanding of brain function and neurodegenerative diseases. It highlighted her team's discoveries of novel biomarkers and genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's disease, the development of an innovative blood-based diagnostic technology that enables earlier detection and monitoring of the disease, and her pioneering advances in gene therapy research that have opened new avenues for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders.

Receiving the award in Paris, Prof. Ip expressed her heartfelt gratitude to her research team, collaborators and colleagues, and thanked HKUST for its steadfast support throughout her scientific journey.

Prof. Ip said: "I am deeply honored to receive the UNESCO-Equatorial Guinea International Prize for Research in the Life Sciences. This recognition belongs not only to me, but also to the many talented and dedicated team members, collaborators and colleagues who have contributed to these achievements. It reflects our shared commitment to advancing knowledge, deepening our understanding of Alzheimer's disease, and translating scientific discoveries into meaningful benefits for patients and society."

Explore more of Prof. Ip and her team's groundbreaking research in the comments.

#HKUST #HKUST35A #neuroscience #UNESCO #EquatorialGuineaInternationalPrize

HKUST Connects Global Leaders to Reimagine Higher Education 🌏

At a media stand-up during the World Class University Presidents Forum 2026 (WCUPF 2026) hosted by HKUST, President Prof. Nancy IP joined four distinguished higher education leaders to share their insights on the Forum's key themes and discuss opportunities for international collaboration, as well as Hong Kong's unique role as a global hub for higher education, research and innovation.

"Hong Kong's higher education sector is highly international and diverse, and Hong Kong is the only city in the world with five universities ranked among the global top 100," President Ip said. "Through dialogue and collaboration across regions and disciplines, this forum aims to explore the evolving role of higher education in the AI era, nurture the next generation of talent and advance sustainable development."

Joining the discussion were:

🇦🇺 Prof. Mark SCOTT, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sydney
🌐 Prof. Dawn FRESHWATER, Executive Director of the Worldwide Universities Network
🇦🇪 Prof. Ebrahim AL HAJRI, President of Khalifa University of Science and Technology
🇨🇳 Dr. JIN Li, President of Fudan University

The leaders explored how Hong Kong's global connectivity and the development of the Northern Metropolis University Town could create new opportunities for trusted international partnerships. Their discussion highlighted collaboration with HKUST on its new medical school, opportunities for student mobility and research exchanges, and the importance of bringing together expertise from science, medicine, the arts and social sciences to address complex global challenges.

At HKUST, we look forward to strengthening global partnerships to nurture talent, advance research and innovation, and jointly address the challenges and opportunities of our time.

#HKUST #HKUST35A #WCUPF2026 #HigherEducation #InternationalCollaboration #NorthernMetropolis

HKUST Deep-Tech Excellence Shines at SWITCH 2026!

The HKUST Office of Knowledge Transfer (OKT) wrapped up an impactful week at the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology #SWITCH2026, leading a delegation of six HKUST startups to showcase how deep-tech research from our university labs is being translated into real-world solutions and connected with global markets.

🤝 A Night of Global Connections
To extend the impact beyond the exhibition floor, HKUST OKT joined forces with the Development & Alumni Office (DAO) to host a networking reception in Singapore, bringing together regional university partners, industry leaders and members of the Singapore-based alumni community. The gathering created valuable opportunities for cross-border collaboration while celebrating HKUST’s growing achievements in knowledge transfer.

A massive congratulations to our 6 breakthrough teams for expanding their horizons and connecting with global investors and strategic business partners:

🛡️ Cresento: Democratizing elite-level sports analytics with AI-powered smart football shin guards that track performance, workload, and injury risks in real-time.

💧 EC Innovation: Developing patented electrocatalytic wastewater systems that convert agricultural effluent into fertilizer-rich water, cutting carbon emissions for smart greening and hydroponics.

🧪 ElequaNova: Backed by the HKSAR RAISe+ Scheme, they leverage advanced electrochemical oxidation (ECO) and saline sludge treatment (LEEO) to treat hazardous wastewater and landfill leachate chemical-free.

🔋 Leyden Power: Revolutionizing the energy sector with cutting-edge Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) designed to protect critical infrastructure and reduce industrial carbon emissions.

🩺 Luxvita: An emerging Biotech & MedTech innovator disrupting clinical screening and therapeutics to improve patient outcomes.

🍷 Vinobuzz: Hong Kong’s first consumer AI wine platform, utilizing advanced AI agents and smart algorithms to provide personalized, 10-second wine pairings and automated event curation.

Thank you to everyone who visited our booth and joined our reception. We look forward to turning these new connections into impactful global partnerships!
#HKUST #HKUSTKnowledgeTransfer #SWITCH2026 #FromLabtoMarket #Singapore #DeepTech #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #GlobalNetwork #DAO #HKUSTAlumni

“What Is a University For?”

The World Class University Presidents Forum 2026 (WCUPF 2026) opened at HKUST, bringing together over 130 presidents and representatives from more than 50 universities and education institutions, including Tsinghua, Fudan, Nanyang Technological University, Cambridge and UCLA.

A centuries-spanning story of intellectual exploration set the scene for the two-day forum’s discussions on higher education in the AI era.

Socrates, Confucius and scholars across the ages enter the same classroom, tracing a shared pursuit of knowledge. Later, a professor reunites with former students, including an AI model he helped train that now supports teaching and learning.

As he entrusts the university’s future to the next generation, a question connects the story with the discussions ahead. How should universities nurture imagination, independent thought and social responsibility as technology reshapes education?

🎬 Watch the story unfold and reflect on the university of tomorrow.

#HKUST #HKUST35A #WorldClassUniversityPresidentsForum2026 #WCUPF2026 #HigherEducation #AI #FutureOfEducation

At the World Class University Presidents Forum 2026 hosted at HKUST, Prof. Juliane WINKELMANN, Executive Senior Vice President for International Alliances and Alumni at the Technical University of Munich, discusses Hong Kong’s role as an international hub and opportunities for closer collaboration with HKUST in medical sciences.

The two-day flagship event brings together over 130 university presidents and global higher education leaders under the theme “Higher Education Reimagined: Innovating for the Future,” exploring talent development, innovation, open science and universities’ response to societal challenges in the AI era.

Check the comments for more highlights from WCUPF 2026.

#HKUST #HKUST35A #WCUPF2026 #HigherEducation