THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG ISBN 978-988-8314-86-7 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the Publisher. PRINTED IN HONG KONG Cover photo credits to NASA/JPL/University of Arizona Diverse mineralogy exhumed from the Martian subsurface. The photo on the front cover relates to recently published papers by Dr Joseph Michalski and his colleagues at the Department of Earth Sciences & Laboratory for Space Research at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), that cast increasing doubt on the idea of surface life evolving on Mars. This paradigm-changing research has recently been published in Nature Geoscience (December 2017) and Nature Astronomy (February 2018). CONTENTS 02- Welcome to HKU 04- Why Hong Kong 06- AN EXPANDING GLOBAL VISION 08- Innovation at Work 10- HKU: Where Top Students Thrive 12- local admissions 14 Mainland China admissions 16- International admissions 18 Our Scholarships 22- An International Education 26- Summer Institute for high schoOl students 28- Academy for the talented 30 Opportunities to Study Abroad 32 Gateway-to china 34 plan your career welcome to hku 3 WELCOME TO HKU The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is Asia’s Global University. From our base in one of the world’s most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities, we generate unique Asian insights into the major challenges facing today’s world. This report explains how we excel globally through highly competitive academic admission standards, outstanding employment opportunities for all our graduates, and internationalization of every aspect of campus life. For the third year in a row, HKU ranks third in the world for the Most Internationalized University. Our strengths lie not only in the wide diversity of cultures and perspectives brought together on our campus, but also in the extensive range of opportunities we offer for staff and students to go out – whether to other parts of the Greater Bay Area that Hong Kong is developing with its partners in southern China, to other parts of China and Asia, or to more distant parts of the globe. Alongside exchange semesters at campuses throughout the world, we are currently launching dual degrees with some of the world’s most prestigious universities. Alongside internships with leading global companies, we are opening up entrepreneurship activities in Hong Kong, China and beyond. Alongside a wealth of experiential and service learning programmes that deliver real global impact, we are joining forces with China’s C9 universities to teach liberal arts courses in summer session in Beijing and Shanghai. The work of making all this happen embraces the entire university. For their contributions to the Global Admissions Profi le, though, I would like particularly to thank my colleagues in the Admissions and Academic Liaison Section of the Registry. We hope you will enjoy reading in this report how and why HKU is Asia’s Global University. Professor Ian Holliday Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning) 2 Global Admissions Profile 2017-18 why students love hong kong 5 WHY HONG KONG? The food. I can eat any type of world cuisine in Hong Kong. Hong Kong's exceptionally vibrant and diverse dining scene will take you on a culinary feast around the world, every day of the week. Plenty of vegetarian and halal food around HKU and Hong Kong! Yu Lynn Tan Bachelor of Arts, Singapore The public transportation system. , It s so easy and cheap to travel by MTR, bus, tram, ferry or taxi. Hong Kong is ranked as the 9th safest city in the world (Safe The safety. Cities Index 2017). The territory’s remarkably low crime rate, The city’s clean and comprehensive public transport system connects every part of the city with fast and effi cient links by sea, road or underground. A staggering fi ve million passengers use the I can go anywhere I want, advanced digital security, tightly regulated road safety, and excellent healthcare system mean students can make the city’s clean and reliable MTR system every day, which covers 177km of Hong Kong, and reaches at anytime. most of this spectacular city with peace of mind. as far as the Chinese border. Vivien Mao Atthaseda Anthony Bachelor of Social Sciences Bachelor of Business Administration, (Government and Laws), USA Indonesia 4 Global Admissions Profile 2017-18 A Global Vision: Strength in Unity 7 HeForShe IMPACT Champion Scholarships: Working with leading international organisations HKU was the fi rst university in the world to launch the UN Women's HeForShe solidarity movement for gender equality, mobilising one half of humanity in support of the other. The AN EXPANDINGPartnerships with world-class universities and University’s HeForShe scholarship allows talented students from low-ranking UN Gender or innovative global organisations are an integral Human Development Index countries (those who’ve overcome obstacles related to gender part of HKU’s strategy. The university drives the discrimination in their nation) the opportunity to study at HKU. Since its launch in 2016, the development of joint initiatives with both new and University is proud to have welcomed the fi rst group of scholars from Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Laos, existing international partners to continue exposing Pakistan, and Syria, now studying a diverse range of courses. GLOBAL students to the world beyond the campus. , Teaming up with the world s top universities: HKU-University of Cambridge Joint Recruitment Scheme An extension of the highly successful engineering scheme for Mainland Chinese students launched in 2011, HKU nominates undergraduates on this track for assessment by the University of Cambridge. Successful applicants will spend their fi rst two years in HKU’s Faculty of Engineering, followed VISION: by the remaining three years in the University of Cambridge’s engineering or computer science and technology departments. On completion of the fi ve-year programme, successful students will graduate with three degrees: a Bachelor’s degree from both universities and a Master of Engineering from the University of Cambridge. Partnering with international qualifications authorities: International Baccalaureate (IB) World Student Conference (WSC) HKU’s long-standing collaboration with the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) is rooted in a shared vision for playing an active role in encouraging young minds to become compassionate world citizens who embrace cultural diversity and equal opportunities. The University continues to train IB teachers and collaborate on events like the Higher Education Symposium and the IB World Student Conference. Around the topic of ‘Education for all: Moving Towards a Gender Fair World’, the IB World Student Conference returns in 2018 to coincide with the IBO’s 50th anniversary. Joining hands with global educational bodies: HKU-United World Colleges (UWC) Diversity Scholarships This joint initiative provides opportunities for talented UWC graduates to pursue full-time undergraduate studies at HKU. The University and UWC are united in their goal to turn education into a force to unite people, nations and cultures towards a peaceful and sustainable future. Globally minded UWC students further enhance diversity among HKU’s renowned cosmopolitan body of students. Engaging companies to create life-changing opportunities: Vietnam Van Thinh Phat Scholarships Thanks to the generous support of Vietnamese real estate corporation Van Thinh Phat (VTP) Group Holdings, this scholarship paves the way for outstanding Vietnamese students to enrol in specifi c undergraduate programmes at HKU. Worth HK$200,000 per year. Students can elect to study a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and Finance or any undergraduate programme offered by the Faculty of Architecture or Engineering. Graduates have the added benefi t of an optional job placement at VTP. 6 Global Admissions Profile 2017-18 innovation at work 9 Bringing HKU research to the world: Tech Transfer Office and Versitech INNOVATION HKU is renowned for its world-class research programmes, and in recent years has filed over 1,000 patent applications related to discoveries at the University. Close ties with industry has led to new research projects, broader educational opportunities, and collaborative investments, including: • addition of an entrepreneurship course titled Entrepreneurship: Global and Social Development in HKU’s Common Core Curriculum AT WORK • inclusion of faculty level courses like Engineering and Entrepreneurship, business design and innovation major as well as other courses HKU’s proactive innovation and entrepreneurship agenda equips in the Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship (ICE) area ambitious students with the business skills, support, and networks • creation of the Engineering Research Student Entrepreneurship Club they need to bring new ideas to life. (ERSEC) to bolster ties with the start-up community and build a network of engineering entrepreneurs and HKU graduates • development of the Social Innovation experiential learning programme for social sciences students. Driving innovation: Designing collaboration: iDendron MedTech Hackathon iDendron, the University’s innovation and entrepreneurship Led by Dr Robert Chang from Stanford University, hub, supports early-stage start-up projects by HKU this one-week