City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) announced the establishment of the College of Computing to further promote interdisciplinary research, attract top-tier talent, encourage pioneering exploration, and drive innovation for the betterment of society and the economy. This initiative aims to support Hong Kong’s educational and scientific advancement, positioning it as an international innovation and technology hub.

Recognising the dynamic, computing-driven landscape of the 21st century, CityUHK acknowledges the increasing convergence of interdisciplinary fields such as Computer Science, Data Science, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics. These fields are closely related to the advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and hold tremendous potential for innovation and societal transformation.

CityUHK is elevating these disciplines to the college level to foster better collaboration among faculty and underscore the importance of computing in future developments. The new College aims to contribute significantly to Hong Kong, the rest of the Greater Bay Area and the global community.

Professor Freddy Boey, President of CityUHK said, “The convergence of interdisciplinary fields has become increasingly important in education. The establishment of the College of Computing, which will bring together interdisciplinary talent, is a strategic, forward-looking move to nurture the next generation of technology innovators, scholars and pioneers primed to shape the future in the new era of data-driven computing empowered by AI.”

“CityUHK believes that the new College will help the University respond to global digital transformation, workforce demand, interdisciplinary opportunities, and research and innovation enhancement. This will help position the University at the forefront of educational and scientific advancement in Hong Kong and the world,” he added.

The College will commence operations on 1 September 2024. It will start with three constituent units: the Department of Biostatistics (currently under the College of Science), the Department of Computer Science (currently under the College of Engineering), and the Department of Data Science (involving the restructuring of the current School of Data Science).

The provision of all existing undergraduate and postgraduate programmes currently offered by the abovementioned Departments and School, as well as the respective requirements, are expected to remain unchanged upon the establishment of the new College to ensure there will be no disruption to students.

CityUHK convened a task force to conduct a comprehensive review of the existing academic structure and related disciplines and to ascertain the feasibility and potential advantages of establishing the new College.

Professor Wang Jianping, Dean of the College of Computing (designate) and Chairperson of the task force, said, “The task force received strong support from the faculty of the relevant departments and school, current students and alumni, and industry professionals on the establishment of the new College.”

“The new College aims to excel in computer science, data science and statistics, fostering collaborative research to develop advanced analytical tools and AI solutions for global challenges. We also strive to nurture a diverse international community, equipping students with the skills and mindset to drive impactful change across industries,” she added.

CityUHK has been taking the lead in the field of AI and relevant disciplines. In addition to setting up the new College, the University and the International Artificial Intelligence Industry Alliance (AIIA) signed a strategic cooperation framework on 13 August to leverage the strength of both parties in their respective fields and engage in comprehensive, multi-level cooperation centred on AI empowerment.