Welcome to the first 2025 edition of our biannual Division of Public Policy newsletter! It is with great pleasure that I present this window into our work—capturing the strides we made in the final quarter of 2024 and looking ahead to a dynamic Year of the Snake. This publication reaches not only our dedicated faculty, researchers, staff, and students but also our colleagues across HKUST and valued stakeholders beyond our campus.  
 
These pages highlight the impressive efforts of our PPOL community—faculty, researchers, and students alike—whose work continues to drive innovation and impact. You’ll find accounts of recent projects, events, and achievements that reflect our shared pursuit of excellence, often in partnership with other academic units and external collaborators. These efforts underscore our role within HKUST and in the broader policy landscape.  
 
As we turn to the future, I invite your engagement. Whether you’re within HKUST or among our external partners, your ideas—on new collaborations, research directions, or ways to address pressing societal challenges—are warmly welcomed. Together, we can forge fresh paths and extend our reach across disciplines and communities.  
 
My thanks go to all of you—within our Division, across the university, and in the wider network—for your support and involvement. Please share your thoughts as we embark on this next chapter. Here’s to a year of bold exploration and meaningful outcomes!  

Naubahar Sharif

March 2025