“STEAM Day@HKUST” Inspires Thousands of Primary and Secondary School Students to Explore Science and Technology

“STEAM Day@HKUST”, organized by the Center for Global and Community Engagement under the School of Engineering of The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), is taking place from January 22 to 24, 2026, on campus. The opening ceremony held today marked the launch of 130 activities and programs designed to spark interest in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) among more than 5,000 participants throughout the three-day event.

Now in its third edition, this event has grown to be the University’s largest popular science initiative. It provides an experiential learning platform for primary and secondary school students to explore STEAM through interactive and hands-on experiences, in alignment with the primary school curriculum reform in the 2025-26 academic year.

This year, activities are organized into four themes: Life and Environment; Matter, Energy and Changes; Earth and Space; and Science, Technology, Engineering and Society. The offerings include game booths, workshops, lab visits, demonstrations of STEAM projects and robots, robotic competitions, STEAM crafts DIY corners, covering a diverse range of topics such as AI chatbot app development, electric circuit construction, DNA extraction, bridge building, rope-climbing robots, animal histology, financial engineering, supply chain, genetics, VR/AR, and the flight principles of paper planes, among others. Participants come from nearly 200 local primary, secondary, and special schools, as well as various organizations.

Officiated at the opening ceremony were Prof. Tim CHENG, HKUST Vice-President for Research and Development; Prof. Jimmy FUNG, HKUST Associate Provost (Teaching and Learning); Prof. Hong K. LO, HKUST Dean of Engineering; Prof. Tim WOO, HKUST Director of Center for Global and Community Engagement; Ms. LAM I-Ching, Assistant District Officer (Sai Kung); Mr. LAU Kai-Hong and Mr. YAU Siu-Hung, Members of Sai Kung District Council; and Dr. LAM Wai-Lim, Principal Education Officer (Innovation Technology Education and Quality Assurance) of Education Bureau.

Prof. Tim Cheng said, “As one of the world’s leading institutions in AI and data science, HKUST is at the forefront of advancing STEAM education in primary and secondary schools, a commitment that is vital to the future of Hong Kong and our nation. AI has been a strategic focus of the University since its establishment 35 years ago. In recent years, we have further strengthened our research and education in AI by investing in infrastructure, recruiting top talent, and developing new academic programs.”

Prof. Hong K. Lo remarked, “We are delighted to have organized the STEAM Day for the third consecutive year, which is well-received by the largest ever group of audience. Our mission is to make STEAM education accessible to everyone, regardless of their background, gender, or educational level, and to nurture learners from a young age while fostering their entrepreneurial spirit. This commitment is reflected in many impactful STEAM programs and robotics competitions organized over the past decade by the School’s Center for Global and Community Engagement and Academy for Bright Future Young Engineers.”

To engage school teachers and enhance their teaching practices, the event also featured a STEAM robot workshop and a sharing session titled “Engaging and Inspiring Students through Enrichment Opportunities”. These sessions aimed to equip teachers with innovative strategies that they can incorporate into their classrooms, fostering an environment where students are motivated to explore and excel in science and technology.

The final day of the event (January 24) will be open to individual visitors, featuring interactive game booths, project demonstrations, DIY corners, robot demonstration and displays by HKUST student teams, as well as STEAM competition experiences.

For registration, please visit: https://ust.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2mi0LdT0k2R4yJU (Deadline: 23:59, Friday, January 23, 2026)

For more details of STEAM Day@HKUST, please visit: https://steamfestival.hkust.edu.hk/.