Programme Introduction
Embracing the Era of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an emerging engineering discipline that focuses on technological innovations that enable computing systems to behave and discover new knowledge with human-like intelligence. It is a broad area that covers many specializations, such as machine learning, deep learning, knowledge representation/inference, large-scale computing systems and distributed systems, logic/constraint programming, human-computer interaction, natural language processing and big data analytics. It has evolved in multiple disciplines, including finance, medicine, manufacturing, robotics, multimedia, telecommunications and computational linguistics, and there is now a huge demand for AI specialists both locally and globally. But there are critical challenges regarding how to innovate and design solid and rigorous solutions for AI, as well as how to properly address the related ethical and societal issues.
With the support of a pool of top-tier AI talent and sophisticated scientific research facilities, our programme – Artificial Intelligence: Systems & Technologies (AIST) – aims to equip students with the capability to design and implement AI systems and technologies that can analyse, reason about and infer knowledge from massive information, backed by a rigorous foundation of mathematics, basic sciences, data structures, statistics, algorithms, distributed computing, and so forth. Graduates will be capable of applying AI in various disciplines, such as finance, medicine, manufacturing, robotics, multimedia, telecommunications and computational linguistics, and develop research skills for making cutting-edge innovations in AI that are of practical interest to academia, industry and society.
The AIST programme emphasizes fundamental mathematics, sciences and theoretical knowledge, and complements this knowledge with practical systems and skills. Students can choose from four optional specialized streams according to their interests:
- Biomedical Intelligence
- Intelligent Multimedia Processing
- Large-scale Artificial Intelligence – Theory and Systems
- Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics
Ranking
#3 globally in Artificial Intelligence (#1 in Hong Kong)
(US News and World Report Best Global Universities by Subject in 2023)
Career Prospects
According to the Innovation and Technology Bureau, the HKSAR Government’s policies in innovation and technology, such as reindustrialisation, the expansion of Science Park in Tseung Kwan O Industrial Estate, and the establishment of HK-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park in the Lok Ma Chau Loop, are expected to create 50,000 jobs for people with knowledge and skills in high-end technologies. In addition, according to the LinkedIn 2020 Emerging Jobs Report, AI specialists are the top among the 15 emerging jobs in the US, with annual growth of 74% in demand.
As there is now a shortage of AI specialists both locally and globally, with the support of a pool of top-tier AI talent and sophisticated scientific research facilities, our programme aims to train talented AI engineers and scientists for the following industries: biomedical engineering/science, information and computing technologies, manufacturing and robotics, and intelligent multimedia processing for Internet companies.
Outro
The AIST programme aims to admit high-calibre students who demonstrate outstanding ability in English, mathematics and science subjects. An excellent academic background and a problem-solving mindset are essential for understanding AI knowledge and tackling future challenges with AI.
If you are interested in this programme, please review the application requirements and deadlines specific to the respective admission scheme to increase your chances of getting accepted.
