Global Research Enrichment and Technopreneurship (GREAT) [Majors: BSc Chemistry / BSc Computing Mathematics / BSc Physics + Global Research Enrichment and Technopreneurship (GREAT)]

Global Research Enrichment and Technopreneurship (GREAT) is one of the Flagship Programmes offered by CityUHK. GREAT is a 4-Year undergraduate option introduced in 2021/2022 aiming to nurture students who are interested in pursuing a career in scientific research or starting business ventures that involve the use of new scientific discoveries and innovative technologies. Students will be admitted to the College of Science and study a tailored common first-year curriculum. After one year of study, students will have a free choice of GREAT streams offered by the Departments of Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics. 

For more information about the Flagship Programmes and the Flagship Scholarships, please visit https://www.cityu.edu.hk/pvdp/flagship.

Key Components 

• Independent research commencing as early as in Year 2
• Mentorship by world renowned researchers and experienced industrialists 
• Special courses on entrepreneurship & IP rights protection, patent application and research proposal / business plan development 
• At least one semester of overseas academic/research exchange 
• At least one summer placement in local research laboratories or technological startup companies 
• At least one summer internship in overseas research institutes or technological startup companies
• Guaranteed admission to the respective PhD programme in Science (upon attainment of entrance requirements)

Admission Arrangements 

Applicants of this programme will be considered for admission to first-year studies at the College of Science. Students will have a free choice of their preferred research discipline offered by our departments after one year of study. The GREAT streams are designed for students who have a good and solid foundation in Chemistry/ Mathematics/ Physics. The three research stream options are:

• BSc Chemistry (stream: GREAT)
• BSc Computing Mathematics (stream: GREAT)
• BSc Physics (stream: GREAT)

Curriculum Structure

Please click here for the common first-year curriculum.

For details on curriculum structures of respective majors, please visit the Undergraduate Catalogue.

Flagship Scholarships

Local JUPAS students admitted under the Global Research Enrichment and Technopreneurship (GREAT) programme, one of the Flagship Programmes of CityUHK, with outstanding HKDSE examination results shall be automatically considered for brand-new Flagship Scholarships.

The Flagship Scholarships include:

• An automatically renewed scholarship that covers tuition fees and hall fees incurred at CityUHK and is tenable for the normal duration of the programmes concerned
  • Full Scholarship: HK$60,000 per annum
  • Half Scholarship: HK$30,000 per annum
• Guaranteed berth in the Halls of Residence
• A one-off special sponsorship of a maximum amount of HK$500,000 for an overseas exchange of up to one year at a top-ranked university

Please click here for more details.

CityUHK Scholarships for Hong Kong Talents

CityUHK Scholarships for Hong Kong Talents have been set up for Hong Kong students with excellent HKDSE or GCE "A" level / IB results applying to government-funded bachelor's degree programmes. The scholarship awards will cover up to six years of study, depending on the normal duration of the registered undergraduate programme. The normal duration of GREAT programme is four years.

Please click here for more details.

Mr. and Mrs. Chan Kwok Kang Memorial Scholarship

One award of HK$10,000 in each academic year shall be awarded to a full-time UGC funded local student of the Global Research Enrichment and Technopreneurship (GREAT) programme who has attained the highest CGPA in his or her first year of study (including both Semester A and B). In the event that more than one student attain the same highest CGPA, a selection interview will be conducted.

Career Prospect

The aims of this programme are to equip students with knowledge and experimental skills for their further pursuit of higher degrees by research, e.g. a PhD degree, in local/overseas universities and research institutes, and/or to establish their own technological startup business ventures.

Research articles published in international refereed journals, presentations in international academic conferences and patents obtained based on results of students’ independent research will be perfect testimonials of their research capability and should facilitate their applications for higher degree research programmes.

Scientific research of applied nature can also be translated into unique and innovative technical products/services for startups. Trainings on technopreneurship, patent application, business plan development and business pitching technique are useful for students to create their own innovative businesses.

Lastly, GREAT students are also well suited to be Research and Development Scientists in industry.

Student Exchange / Internship

The College of Science and Departments of Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics provide student exchange and internship opportunities to GREAT students to gain international perspectives, global engagement and industry experience. GREAT students will take part in overseas academic/research exchange, summer placement in local research laboratories or technological startup companies, and summer internship in overseas research institutes or technological startup companies.

College of Science

The College of Science, comprising the Departments of Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics, aspires to become a world-renowned hub for pioneering scientific research and innovation, quality teaching and learning in multiple disciplines of science for the betterment of society. We are committed to inspiring and nurturing the next generation of creative and innovative specialists in multiple disciplines of science, who possess a broad vision, and are willing and capable of using their knowledge to serve the community.

Did You Know?

The College of Science has four academic departments and over 80 academics active in research over a broad spectrum of mathematics and science disciplines. The College and its departments are well equipped with state-of-the-art instruments for cutting-edge scientific studies.

Research focuses of the Department of Chemistry include advanced materials for energy, environmental and biomedical applications; analytical and bioanalytical sciences; antitumor drugs development; catalysis; cell biology; computational chemistry; ecology and conservation; environmental toxicology; genetics and molecular biology; organic and natural products synthesis; organometallic and supramolecular chemistry; proteomics and metabolomics studies; smart responsive materials and sensor development. Prof. Jean-Marie Lehn, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, is a Visiting Distinguished Professor of the Department.

The Department of Mathematics focuses its research efforts in applied mathematics. Research expertise of the Department include applied analysis, computational mathematics, mathematical modelling, and probability and statistics. Prof. Philippe G. Ciarlet, Fellows/Members of the various significant academies including the American Mathematical Society, the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics of the United States (SIAM), the European Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, etc., is an Emeritus Professor and Senior Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study (HKIAS). Prof. Stephen Smale, Fields Medalist and Wolf Prize Laureate, is now an Honorary Professor of the Department and Senior Fellow of HKIAS.

The Department of Physics is well-known for its research on atomic, molecular and optical physics; quantum materials; soft matters and biophysics; spectroscopy and imaging, and theoretical and computational physics. Prof. Alain Aspect, Nobel Prize and Wolf Prize Laureate, is a Visiting Distinguished Professor of the Department and Senior Fellow of HKIAS. Prof. Hesheng Chen, Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Helmholtz International Fellow Award Recipient, is an Honorary Professor of the Department. The Department is actively involved in neutron scattering research, via the Joint Laboratory established by CityUHK and the Institute of High Energy Physics of the CAS, as well as the close partnership with the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) in Dongguan, China. CSNS is an accelerator-based neutron source consisting of a powerful linear proton accelerator, a rapid circling synchrotron, a target station and three neutron instruments.

Academics of the College of Science are also active members of more than 10 State Key Laboratories and Research Centres in the City University of Hong Kong. These include the Advanced Laboratory for Environmental Research and Technology, Biotechnology and Health Centre, Centre for Nature-Inspired Engineering, Centre of Super-Diamond and Advanced Films, CityU Centre for Neutron Scattering, Futian-CityU Mangrove Research and Development Centre, CityU Research Centre on Optical Fiber Sensing and Communications, Hong Kong Branch of National Precious Metals Material Engineering Research Center, Hong Kong Institute for Clean Energy, Liu Bie Ju Centre for Mathematical Sciences, the State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, and the State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves. This powerful armada of experts and research facilities are going to provide excellent support to all GREAT students to pursue their goals in scientific research and technopreneurship.

Undergraduate Catalogue
College of Science 
Department of Chemistry 
Department of Mathematics 
Department of Physics
CityUHK Scholarships for Hong Kong Talents
CityU Tiger
Flagship Programmes

This is one of the CityUHK’s Flagship Programmes, which equip students with essential knowledge and skills, cultivate their global leadership abilities, and connect them with leading professionals. The Flagship Scholarships, which cover tuition and hall fees, a guaranteed berth, and a one-off exchange sponsorship of up to HK$500,000, will be awarded to local JUPAS talents who meet the criteria.