SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth 

22 related courses were offered in the 2022-23 academic year. 

According to Science Direct, from 2019 to 2023, HKUST published 233 research papers addressing SDG 8.

About 30% of them are in the top 10% cite score and around 74% are internationally co-authored.

Publication

HKUST has been actively conducting research in relation to productivity. Examples like "The Role of Career and Wage Incentives in Labor Productivity: Evidence from a Two-Stage Field Experiment in Malawi", "Health, crime, and the labor market: Theory and policy analysis", and "From ‘Labour Dividend’ to ‘Robot Dividend’: Technological Change and Workers’ Power in South China" showcased HKUST's contribution to enhancing productivity for the world.

Living Wage

HKUST is committed to ensuring that all employees and contractors serving on our campus receive at least a Living Wage, which is higher than the statutory minimum wage and ensures all living expenses can be covered without relying on external assistance.

Pay Scale Equity and Gender Pay Gaps

HKUST actively promotes a working environment free of discrimination and harassment. The university has implemented Anti-Discrimination and Sexual Harassment policies and committees dedicated to addressing gender discrimination and sexual harassment. Through these measures, HKUST strives to create equal opportunities for all employees, with workshops and seminars offered to raise awareness and educate staff members and students about these important issues. 

Measuring and Tracking Pay Scale Gender Equity

The Code of Conduct for Outsourced Service Providers at HKUST ensures that contractors providing services to the university adhere to certain standards. These include being equal opportunity employers, maintaining safe and healthy working conditions, committing to environmentally friendly practices, upholding high ethical standards, and treating employees with respect. The code also holds subcontractors accountable to the same standards and encourages the employment of workers from outgoing contractors with comparable terms and conditions.

The Anti-discrimination and Sexual Harassment Policy. It outlines HKUST's strict commitment to providing equal opportunities and maintaining a respectful, inclusive environment for all employees, based on Hong Kong anti-discrimination laws. All employees are entitled and encouraged to report incidents to the Equal Opportunities Commission.

Recognition of Union and Labor Rights

HKUST values employee freedom of association and has established the HKUST Staff Association, which facilitates social, cultural, and recreational activities among staff members while protecting their welfare. This association serves as a vital communication link between the university and its employees, ensuring their voices are heard and their rights are upheld.

Ending Discrimination in Workplace

HKUST explicitly prohibits any form of discrimination or harassment in the workplace by putting in place The Anti-discrimination and Sexual Harassment Policy. It outlines HKUST's strict commitment to providing equal opportunities and maintaining a respectful, inclusive environment for all employees, based on Hong Kong anti-discrimination laws. All employees are entitled and encouraged to report incidents to the Equal Opportunities Commission.

Against modern slavery, forced labour human trafficking and child labour

HKUST abides by the Employment of Children Regulations, made under the Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57), which prohibits the employment of children in non-industrial establishments, so as not to interfere with their schooling.

Employees can appeal decisions on rights and/or pay

In the case where staff or faculties engage in additional work outside their primary responsibilities, the university is obligated to compensate staff fairly for work beyond their normal duties as stated in the Guidelines on Additional Payment for Participation in Additional University Activities.

Others

HKUST has established Staff Grievances Procedures to address employment-related concerns in an impartial and timely manner. Supervisors are responsible for actively listening to staff members' concerns and resolving them informally whenever possible. Face-to-face communication is encouraged, and if an informal resolution is reached, a written record should be kept. If an issue cannot be resolved informally, staff members can raise the matter formally following the prescribed procedures. 

Nurturing Startups

Through collaboration with Sino Group, HKUST held the HKUST-Sino One Million Dollar Entrepreneurship Competition to nurture innovative ideas and entrepreneurial talents from all over Hong Kong, Mainland China and international. Out of the 234 entries, over 80% of them featured Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) elements which aligns with the Sustainable Development mandate by the United Nations. This competition adds to the vast number of investments made by HKUST on startups incubation, as of 2023, we have been associated with 1,645 active start-ups with 9 exits and 9 making their ways to becoming unicorns.

HKUST Staff Association

HKUST Staff Association is established with the mission of promoting social, cultural, and recreational activities among staff members and protecting the welfare of HKUST staff while acting as a communication link between the University and its staff members. The association also provides financial assistance in times of need and difficulty for eligible members.

Internship

HKUST is empowering its students to explore different paths, develop practical skills, and make informed decisions about their future professional endeavors which is evident through the high participation number in the government-supported STEM internship scheme. 2022-2023 saw 942 HKUST interns gain real-world experience, garnering over HK$20 million of government funding.

Start-Ups

MentorHUB@HKUST is an initiative to nurture and facilitate HKUST students with entrepreneurial mindsets through the provision of open and virtual mentoring for flexibility and diversity. HKUST further commits to assisting startup development and growth,  theBASE, a co-working space holds entrepreneurial workshops and houses networking between start-up dwellers. To enhance the visibility of these startups in the investor community, HKUST concluded UST Startup Runway 2022 on the September 21 and 22. With the total participation of 20 startups, the event saw over 3000 visitors. 

Contracts and Negotiation

The HKUST Career Center was established to provide support and aid students plan for their future success entering the job market. The department offers services in forms of Career Advising, Career Building Courses, Career Mosaic as well as Designing Your Life Workshops.

Within a year, HKUST university advisors held approximately 1,900 career consultations, providing students proper guidance before entering the workforce. Additionally, through the “Ask Me Anything” chat series, 50 alumni shared career guidance to current students in one-on-one sessions.  

Through the courses and workshops, students are able to take aptitude tests, learn proper CV making, garner crucial interview skills. While Career Mosaic 2023 provided opportunities for students to get connected to recruiting managers and company representatives in job fairs and firm visits of various industries.

Alumni Support

In addition to the career development initiatives for current students, HKUST also offers ongoing support to its alumni through regular events and networking opportunities to assist alumni in their job search and professional growth. HKUST also provides access to startup support programs and entrepreneurship competitions, which can potentially lead to funding opportunities for alumni looking to launch their own ventures. This holistic support system helps HKUST alumni stay engaged with the university and capitalize on the university's extensive network and expertise, even after they've completed their studies.

Since the opening of HKUST (GZ) in September 2022, nearly 1,300 students have spent up to a semester in enrichment activities spanning internships, cultural exchanges, industry visits and competitions on each other’s campuses, while another 250 students have attended online courses. In the near future, cross-campus summer camps will be introduced to further promote interaction among students and broaden their horizons. The two campuses will also implement credit transfer and course sharing mechanism under consistent academic standards, enabling more enrollment opportunities for selected subjects.

To enhance the healthy working environment on our campus, the Self-cleaning Multipurpose Nano-coatings Living Lab project uses advanced nanocoating technology with self-cleaning pr to keep surfaces clean while also reducing labor-intensive cleaning processes and associated expenses. The implementation of this technology on campus structures also extends the lifespan of building materials, reducing maintenance costs, and minimizing the need for manual intervention.