In a first for the University and Hong Kong, HKU alumna Dr Lai Ka-ying was selected to join the Shenzhou-23 manned spaceflight mission as a payload specialist, marking a new chapter of participation by Hong Kong’s scientific community in the national space programmes.
China will launch the Tianwen-3 Mars Sample Return Mission in 2028, the first mission ever to bring samples from Mars back to Earth to search for life on the red planet, with expert input from HKU.
HKU’s Laboratory for Space Research was the host of the 16th Asia-Pacific Regional International Astronomical Union Meeting, marking the first time this flagship event has been held in the city.
HKU Chair of Laser Physics Professor Ferenc Krausz has been elected as an International Member of the US National Academy of Sciences in recognition of his outstanding contributions to ultrafast laser science and attosecond physics.
In a potential new first line of defence for stroke, HKUMed has developed a pioneering nasal spray as a prehospital emergency aid that helps protect neurological and motor functions, with animal studies showing an over 80% reduction in brain damage.
HKU’s new School of Governance and Policy is training policymakers and professionals who can tackle complex and challenging global issues through innovative, evidence-informed solutions in an era of disruptions and shifting power dynamics.
The ‘HKU School of Innovation Inaugural Celebration: A Dialogue with Future Innovators’ was held in early May to commemorate the School’s establishment and highlight the transformative impact of its first year.
Professor Jiawei Zhou in the HKU Department of Mechanical Engineering has been honoured with the 2026 Croucher Tak Wah Mak Innovation Award for his groundbreaking research in thermal management.
The HKU Excellence Awards Presentation Ceremony for 2025 was held to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our scholars in teaching and research, as well as their significant contributions to knowledge exchange between the University and society.
