History
In the late 1980s the Hong Kong Government anticipated a strong demand for university graduates to fuel an economy increasingly based on services. Sir Chung Sze Yuen and the governor of Hong Kong, Sir Edward Youde, conceived the idea of another university. Planning for the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology began in 1986. Construction began at the former British garrison Kohima Camp in Tai Po Tsai on the Clear Water Bay Peninsula.
Originally scheduled to finish in 1994, the death of Sir Edward in 1986 led to increased effort and allowed for UST to open its doors early — in 1991. Thomas E. Stelson was also a founding member of the administration.
The project was criticized for surpassing the budget set forth by the Hong Kong Government and Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club. However, under the fund-raising efforts of its vice-chancellor, Woo Chia-wei, the first students enrolled in October 1991. By 1992, accommodation and athletic facilities were expanded to support about 7,000 students. Several more expansion projects such as the construction of the HKUST Enterprise Centre have since been completed and efforts included the expansion of housing facilities scheduled for completion for 2009.
Read more about this topic: Hong Kong University Of Science And Technology
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