HKUST(GZ) Advisory Board Holds Inaugural Meeting

On March 25th, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) officially launched its Global Strategic Advisory Board. This Board consists of eight distinguished leaders in higher education from renowned institutions worldwide, including École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, RWTH Aachen University, and The University of Waterloo.

President Lionel M. Ni of HKUST(GZ) with the Board Members

During the three-day inaugural meeting, the board members engaged in discussions aimed at positioning the university as a leading global research institution, offering strategic guidance and insights.

On the afternoon of March 25th, Mayor Zhiyang Sun of Guangzhou met with the advisors, led by the board’s Chair Sir Jim McDonald, former Principal & Vice-Chancellor of The University of Strathclyde, alongside HKUST(GZ) leaderships at the city government office. Mayor Sun remarked that HKUST(GZ) has distinctive educational characteristics, with unique experiences in talent cultivation, knowledge transfer, and cross-disciplinary innovation. With the support of the Global Strategic Advisory Board, he expressed confidence that the university would make globally proactive and locally impactful contributions to the development of the Greater Bay Area and beyond.

President Ni said: “We are thrilled to bring together leaders in higher education from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland, and China. Their expertise and insights will be invaluable in shaping our strategic direction and enhancing our focus on cross-disciplinary education, as well as inspiring Guangzhou and the Greater Bay Area to become a globally influential international education center and a world-class innovation hub.”

President Ni extended his heartfelt gratitude to the board members for their dedicated efforts. He noted that despite their busy schedules, the board members convened from around the globe to immerse themselves in listening to the university management's reports, engaging deeply with faculty and students, and providing comprehensive, rich, and constructive advice.

HKUST (GZ) Leadership with the Board Members

Nearly a hundred participants, including Vice-President (Teaching & Learning) Professor Jingshen Wu, Vice-President (Administration & Business) Professor Ting Chuen Pong, Vice-President (Research) Professor Ricky Shi-Wei Lee, along with academic unit and department heads and student representatives, took part in the activities related to the annual meeting.

Members of Global Strategic Advisory Board at HKUST(GZ) include:

Prof. Sir Jim McDonald, Former Principal & Vice-Chancellor of The University of Strathclyde (Chair)
Prof. Wei Shyy, Former President of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Member)
Prof. Jacques Biot, Former President of École Polytechnique (Member)
Prof. Ningsheng Xu, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Former President of Fudan University (Member)
Prof. Anna Fontcuberta i Morral, President of École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Member)
Prof. Ulrich Rüdiger, Rector of RWTH Aachen University (Member)
Prof. Dawn Freshwater, Vice-Chancellor, University of Auckland (Member)
Prof. Feridun Hamdullahpur, Former President of The University of Waterloo (Member)
Release date
28 Mar 2026
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