HKUST officially launched the International Coordination Office (ICO) for Urban-PREDICT, a flagship initiative of the United Nations' World Meteorological Organization. The inauguration ceremony, attended by prominent international scientists, policymakers, and industry experts, was followed by the Urban Climate Prediction and Resilience Roundtable. Prof. CHEN Fei, Associate Head of Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR); and Prof. Soledad FERRARI, co-chairs of Urban-PREDICT, were invited to deliver keynote speeches. Prof. Alexis LAU, Head of ENVR and Director of ICO stated that the establishment of the ICO at HKUST underscores their research excellence and leadership in sustainability, with a mission to transform cutting-edge research into tangible impact: enabling cities to plan smarter, protect lives, and build lasting resilience against climate change. Prof. Alexis Lau and Prof. Christine LOH, Chief Development Strategist and Adjunct Professor of ENVR, moderated two high-level panel discussions. (Various media)

A column article by Prof. Erwin HUANG, the Adjunct Professor of Division of Integrative Systems & Design (ISD) on DeepSeek-OCR, demonstrating that vision-based compression can achieve remarkable efficiency in handling text-heavy documents. Prof. Huang noted that DeepSeek-OCR is a breakthrough in OCR technology offering a scalable, precision-driven solution suited for diverse document formats, with implications extending beyond tech to philosophies of knowledge, memory, and learning. (HK Economic Journal)

HKUST, HKUST(GZ) and the Tibet ecological environment monitoring center signed a strategic cooperation agreement to launch a study on the protection and sustainable development of the alpine ecosystem at HKUST(GZ). (Sina)

Integral Institute holding the 2025 Integral Conversation in Guilin, Guangxi, from last Thursday to Saturday, where Division of Environment & Sustainability (ENVR) Chief Development Strategist and Adjunct Professor, Prof. Christine LOH, who is also Council Member of Integral Institute, delivered a keynote speech. (Various media)

In an article on the evolution of China's one-child policy, Prof. Stuart GIETEL-BASTEN, Professor of the Division of Social Science (SOSC) and the Division of Public Policy (PPOL), was quoted as saying that the social media sharing of vasectomy videos might make it appear to be a "bigger phenomenon than it really is". He likened the trend to the 'lying flat' movement, where young Chinese people reject the traditional expectation to work hard and pursue careers, describing it as a kind of quiet act of rebellion. For some young men in China, the decision to get a vasectomy and post about it online might stem from a desire to demonstrate a belief in gender equality. (SBS News)

More coverage on the High-Level Forum on Generative AI Governance and Cultural Co-Creation hosted by HKUST’s Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies last Thursday, which highlighted that the University established a Media Intelligence Research Center (MIRC) to promote deep integration of AI and cultural creativity. At the opening ceremony, Prof. GUO Yike, the Provost of HKUST, noted that generative AI is one of HKUST’s key research areas. The newly established MIRC demonstrates HKUST's commitment to building a well-governed AI ecosystem that emphasizes creative culture. (Various media)

HKUST has introduced its groundbreaking "Major + X" curriculum, a transformative academic framework designed to directly support Hong Kong’s development into a global AI hub and contribute to the national 15th Five-Year Plan's "AI+" initiative. In a recent interview, Prof. TAM Kar-Yan, the Vice-President for Administration and Business of HKUST, noted HK has a growing demand for professionals in fields like "AI and machine learning" and "GenAI". Since the 2021/2022 academic year, the "Major + AI" approach has already trained over 1,300 students, with enrolment surging by 70% by the 2024/25 academic year compared to its inaugural year. Additionally, Prof. Tam mentioned that the increasing enrollment quota for non-local students would not affect the admissions of local students as the University mainly admits undergraduates through JUPAS. Regarding the credential fraud cases of some non-local applicants, he noted HKUST has not detected high number of such cases, and the university has put in place established procedures to handle them. HKUST will hold its Information Day for Undergraduate Admissions this Saturday. (Various media)

The Environmental Protection Department invited more than 50 representatives of the delegations taking part in the 20th Eco Expo Asia to visit HKUST on October 28. Prof. WANG Zhe, Associate Professor of Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR) introduced the achievements of the collaboration between HKUST and the Environmental Protection Department in air quality research, including the research program on ozone pollution in the Greater Bay Area and the platform to monitor air quality on land, at sea and in the air. (Various media)

A column article by Prof. Erwin HUANG, the Adjunct Professor of Division of Integrative Systems & Design (ISD) on whether AI will be a bubble or a revolution. (HK Economic Journal)

Prof. Christine LOH, Chief Development Strategist and Adjunct Professor of Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR) stated in an interview that extreme weather events have led to more frequent and intense typhoons in recent years, underscoring the irreversibility of climate change. HKUST will continue to develop more accurate tropical climate models to enhance disaster prediction capabilities and deepen cooperation with the Red Cross to strengthen community disaster mitigation efforts. (am730)