HKU Graduate School

🎉 Congratulations to Vinci Cheung, a PhD candidate in the Department of Geography, for being awarded the CGSG Student Travel Award and the first runner-up position in the prestigious Best Student Paper Award competition at the 2026 American Association of Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting! 🏆

Vinci’s paper, “‘Digital divide or digital dividend?’ The growth of a digital economy and changes in urban-rural inequality in China,” offers nuanced insights into the complex relationship between digital transformation and inequality, challenging simplified narratives and providing valuable guidance for policymakers striving for inclusive urban-rural development. Her work highlights that the benefits of digital growth are not universal and emphasises the importance of context in understanding socio-economic changes.

“I am truly honoured to receive this recognition,” Vinci shares. “In our rapidly digitalising world, understanding who benefits—and who is left behind—has never been more urgent. I am excited to continue this work as there is so much more to understand.”

Join us in celebrating Vinci’s achievement and her impactful research! 🌟

[Nobel Laureate Inaugural Lecture]✨Nobel Laureate and Chair Professor in the HKU Department of Physics, Professor Sir Andre GEIM🎖️, a founding figure in graphene research, will deliver his Nobel Laureate Inaugural Lecture on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. Professor Geim will share his insights into what makes graphene so special, why it fascinates researchers across disciplines, and how its unique properties are beginning to shape modern technologies.
諾貝爾物理學獎得主、港大物理學系講座教授Professor Sir Andre GEIM爵士 將於2026年6月9日（星期二）舉行首場就職講座。作為石墨烯研究先驅，Professor Geim 將分享石墨烯為何如此獨特、為何備受不同領域研究人員關注，以及其獨特特性如何逐步應用於現代科技之中。
Date: June 9, 2026 (Tuesday)
Time: 6:15pm – 7:30pm (HKT)
Venue: Grand Hall, Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre, Centennial Campus, HKU
The lecture is organized by HKU President’s Office & Faculty of Science

Details: https://tinyurl.com/b48k75us
Registration: https://tinyurl.com/jy3pbx5s

Unlock deeper insights in your research with our upcoming qualitative research methods workshops!

Designed for students who wish to strengthen their qualitative research skills, these two workshops will guide you through the full process—from designing your study to analysing your data. Register now!

Workshop I: Research Design and Data Collection
May 22, 2026 (Friday) | 2:00 p.m. – 4:50 p.m.
Registration: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?ueid=105152
Learn More:https://gradsch.hku.hk/sites/default/files/web/news_event/workshop/2526%20Sem%202_Qualitative%20Research%20Methods%20Workshop%20Research%20Design%20and%20Data%20Collection%20.pdf

Workshop II: Data Coding and Analysis
May 29, 2026 (Friday) | 2:00 p.m. – 4:50 p.m.
Registration: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?ueid=105153
Learn More:https://gradsch.hku.hk/sites/default/files/web/news_event/workshop/2526%20Sem%202_Qualitative%20Research%20Methods%20Workshop%20II%20Data%20Coding%20and%20Analysis.pdf

A*STAR Research Attachment Programme (ARAP) and Singapore Research Attachment Programme (SRAP), which facilitate collaborative research attachments between HKU and the A*STAR or research institutions in Singapore through STEM talent mobility, are open to all HKU faculty members to collaborate with A*STAR/Singapore researchers.

Through these collaborations, faculty members may identify suitable research postgraduate students to undertake 1–2 years of research attachment in Singapore under joint supervision.

Interested faculty members and students may apply directly to the A*STAR. Further details about the programmes, including eligibility and application information, are available on the A*STAR website https://www.a-star.edu.sg/scholarships/home/international-awards

Learn more:
https://www.a-star.edu.sg/scholarships/home/international-awards/astar-research-attachment-programme-arap
https://www.a-star.edu.sg/scholarships/home/international-awards/singapore-research-attachment-programme

Looking for a friendly space to share your research journey? Our Wellness Ambassadors are here to support you! Visit our Wellness Ambassadors webpage to meet new friends, share your concerns and learn more about the wellness resources available.

Together, we can navigate challenges and thrive!

Connect with Our Wellness Ambassadors:
https://gradsch.hku.hk/current_students/mental_wellness/wellness-initiatives/wellness-ambassadors
Wellness Resources: https://gradsch.hku.hk/current_students/mental_wellness

🎉 Congratulations to HKU-BICI Joint PhD student En He and his team! Their startup, NOVOMI VAX Limited, won the championship at the MedTech Hackathon GBA 2026. 🏆

The winning team, led by En He, his supervisor, Professor Jiandong Huang from the HKU Faculty of Medicine, and Dr. Renhao Li, demonstrated the cutting-edge research and entrepreneurial spirit.

Their innovative project, “Broad Spectrum Reprogramming Tumor Immunity Therapy,” addresses critical challenges in cancer treatment, particularly for solid tumors. The team developed an innovative intratumoral injection therapy that reprograms tumors in situ, transforming “cold” tumors into “hot” ones by activating the immune system. This approach not only enhances local tumor destruction but also triggers systemic immunity, offering hope for more effective cancer therapies worldwide.

Building on this success, they aim to conquer solid cold tumors worldwide and make cancer as treatable as the common cold! 🌍💉

Ready to take your grant proposal writing to the next level?

This workshop is designed for RPg students across disciplines who want to strengthen their grant proposals and improve their chances of funding success. Learn how to craft clear, convincing proposals, present your project’s significance and address key evaluation criteria effectively.

Date: May 15, 2026 (Friday)
Time: 6:00 p.m. – 7:50 p.m.
Online Registration:
https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?UEID=104940

Learn More: https://gradsch.hku.hk/sites/default/files/web/news_event/workshop/2526%20Sem%202_Grant%20Proposal%20Writing%20for%20Funding%20Success%20.pdf

Want to write smarter and faster with AI? Join our hands-on workshop to explore practical AI tools that can help you streamline different stages of your research writing: drafting, editing and managing references. Learn how to integrate AI effectively and responsibly into your workflow.

🧠 For Humanities and Related Disciplines
Date: May 14, 2026 (Thursday)
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 4:50 p.m.Online Registration: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?UEID=104725

🔬 For Sciences and Related Disciplines 
Date: May 21, 2026 (Thursday)
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 4:50 p.m.Online Registration: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?UEID=104726

Visit the Future-Ready Series webpage to learn more:
https://gradsch.hku.hk/current_students/workshops_supporting_courses_and_services/future-ready-series

HKU Graduate School joins Hong Kong joint university delegation to Bangkok 🇭🇰🤝🇹🇭

Our Senior Associate Dean, Professor Dong-yan Jin, represented the HKU Graduate School in a Hong Kong Joint University Delegation to Bangkok, Thailand from 20–22 April.

Together with representatives from City University of Hong Kong , The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Education University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the delegation visited Chulalongkorn University and King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi to:

🏫 Promote Hong Kong universities as premier destinations for research postgraduate education
🤝🏻 Strengthen institutional collaboration in postgraduate education and research training with top Thai universities

This outreach visit underscores our commitment to fostering global partnerships and creating more opportunities for talented students and researchers from Thailand and beyond to pursue world-class research training in Hong Kong. 🌟