Graduate Xu Yucong: Red Bird MPhil (RBM) Program Ignites Entrepreneurial Spark
What initially attracted you to HKUST(GZ) to become a student of the inaugural Red Bird MPhil Program?
According to Xu, the main attractions include not only the University's transdisciplinary and RBM's project-based pedagogy, but also the innovative and entrepreneurial culture.
As one of the inaugural graduates of the RBM Program at HKUST(GZ), Xu is now co-founding a start-up in Guangzhou's Nansha district, conveniently located near the University. The start-up is focused on developing paperless green check-in solutions for the aviation industry using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology.
Journey to HKUST(GZ)
After graduating from Central South University in Changsha, capital of Hunan, in June 2021, Xu took a gap year to recharge and apply for a master's degree.
"I still remember the day when I happened to hear about HKUST(GZ), a university under construction at the time. It felt as though destiny had brought me to HKUST(GZ)," Xu recalled in a recent interview.
During a visit to Guangzhou, he learned about a new university being established by HKUST in Nansha, which piqued his interest. He visited the site and researched further to make a well-informed decision.
"What intrigued me most was the transdisciplinary education framework. It's a very novel and innovative concept in China," he said. "I have always been keen on transdisciplinary studies."
"With its transdisciplinary learning and a supportive environment for innovation and entrepreneurship, the RBM Program was exactly what I had been seeking for," he noted.
He applied for the program without hesitation and was admitted in September 2022, when HKUST(GZ) began enrolling postgraduate students.
HKUST(GZ): My utopia
"The unprecedented freedom and inclusiveness here are very important to me. I often joke with others that I don't want to graduate because this place feels like a utopia," said Xu.
Xu noted that during his two-year MPhil study at HKUST(GZ), he had access to various advanced laboratories, hardware tools, and resources at any time. He could also easily find professors with relevant expertise and classmates from different academic backgrounds to figure out problems.
"In terms of course selection, we also had a lot of freedom. Although my major, Innovation, Policy and Entrepreneurship, belongs to the Society Hub, I could choose courses provided by the Sustainable Energy and Environment Thrust in the Function Hub based on my research focus."
In addition, the University strongly encourages students to participate in academic exchange activities outside the campus. "For example, last June, I attended the China Carbon Database summer camp in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, and I also visited a steel plant in Kunming, Yunnan, to gain insights into these companies' views on carbon capture," added Xu.
These experiences were crucial as they allowed him to dive into social practice beyond the classroom and laboratory, understanding the market's actual views on sustainable development. "The education here takes the personalized development of each student into account, providing great freedom. I believe this is difficult to achieve in traditional universities that adhere to a fixed learning and teaching model."
"My aspiration since childhood was to become a doctor because both my parents are doctors," noted Xu. Due to a twist of fate, he was eventually admitted to the Department of New Energy Science and Engineering at Central South University. It was during his studies that he gradually discovered the true value of sustainable development and became fascinated by this field.
"Reflecting on my initial aspiration to become a doctor, I realize that my journey to becoming an entrepreneur in sustainable development has not strayed far from that original path. A doctor's mission is to identify a patient's illness, prescribe the right medication, and help the patient regain their health. What I am doing now is similar. I am also identifying society's 'pain points' and prescribing the right solution. And I firmly believe that one of the 'effective remedies' is the 'sustainable development' model."
“Take flight”
Speaking of his decision to co-found a startup with fellow alumni after graduation, Xu attributed it partly to the project-based learning model at HKUST(GZ).
His company, based at the HKUST Fok Ying Tung Research Institute in Nansha, specializes in developing paperless green check-in solutions for the aviation industry using RFID technology and has already secured multiple funding opportunities.
Sufficient financial backing from HKUST(GZ) and the freedom to explore and learn prove invaluable to him. "I travelled a lot to different places for study and research, for example, the summer camp in Hangzhou, the study of carbon capture and carbon sequestration at Kunming Iron and Steel. The experiences allowed me to engage in practical activities outside the classroom and laboratory and provided me a real-world perspective on sustainability."
The University's funding for his start-up project, coupled with the three patents he acquired and the inspiration from carbon accounting summer camp during his two-year tenure at HKUST(GZ), built up his confidence to launch his entrepreneurial venture.
"My undergraduate alma mater planted a seed of entrepreneurship in my mind, while HKUST(GZ) supplied just in time the needed soil, water, manure, air, and sunshine for this seed," remarked Xu.
"As HKUST(GZ) students, one of our advantages is the easy access to abundant resources offered by HKUST and HKUST(GZ), especially in fields like AI, material research, and engineering projects," he added. "The alumni networks of both campuses are also a valuable resource."
For incoming students, Xu provided three key recommendations: first, pursue a field of study in which you have a genuine passion; second, establish clear career objectives; and third, develop the ability to navigate setbacks and failures.
