Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), a pioneering collaborative university between the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, is driving the deep integration of interdisciplinary education and rapid technological innovation, fostering a dynamic surge in industry-academia-research collaboration.

"Our academic programs are complementary to those of HKUST Clear Water Bay campus, and we have built four interdisciplinary hubs around this vision," said Lionel M. Ni, president of HKUST(GZ). He added that in undergraduate education, students are not required to choose a major upon admission. Instead, they spend the first two years on general education and foundational courses before deciding on their specialization. 

According to Ni, the university has launched an exploratory program for undergraduates called the "X Program", which allows students to pursue research at any time under faculty guidance, with full access to campus laboratories.

This philosophy of giving students time to explore extends to their research projects as well. Jun MA, Assistant Professor in the Thrust of Robotics and Autonomous Systems and the Thrust of Intelligent Transportation at HKUST(GZ), told reporters that his lab currently houses over 90 researchers, covering emerging technologies such as robotics and autonomous systems, intelligent transportation, sustainable energy and environment, and microelectronics.

To validate their research through real-world applications, MA's team has developed a handheld 3D reconstruction device that scans building structures and quickly rebuilds the entire geometric layout. They have also developed algorithms for indoor spray‑painting robots, enabling them to perform fully autonomous spraying during renovation. So far, these solutions have been deployed in more than 90 construction projects across Chinese mainland and Hong Kong.

On site, a robot dog under testing also drew people's attention. It can continuously arrange tables and chairs for 40 minutes, drag a chair up to 40 meters away, and even pass through a doorway into an office space. "Our long-term goal is to enable this robot dog to take on more tasks that currently require human intervention," Ma said.

From its undergraduate curriculum that breaks down disciplinary barriers to cross-cutting research breakthroughs across multiple fields, HKUST(GZ) is deeply integrating institutional innovation with scientific research, injecting fresh momentum into the innovation ecosystem of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Reporter| Wang Luyao

Editor| Yin Juewen

Video| Zhang Qida

Proofreader| Liang Jieping