POSTGRADUATE
PROGRAMS
PROGRAMS
Postgraduate Programs 2025/26
Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy Programs in Innovation, Policy and Entrepreneurship
Award Title
Master of Philosophy in Innovation, Policy and Entrepreneurship
Doctor of Philosophy in Innovation, Policy and Entrepreneurship
Program Short Name
MPhil(IPE)
PhD(IPE)
Mode of Study
Both full- and part-time
Normative Program Duration
MPhil
Full-time: 2 years
Part-time: 4 years
PhD
Full-time: 3 years (with a relevant research master’s degree), 4 years (without a relevant research master’s degree)
Part-time: 6 years
Offering Unit
Innovation, Policy and Entrepreneurship Thrust Area
Society Hub
Program Advisor
PG Programs Coordinator:
Prof Xu ZHANG, Assistant Professor of Innovation, Policy and Entrepreneurship
Enquiry
Innovation, Policy and Entrepreneurship is an emerging interdisciplinary area that has become increasingly important in recent years in addressing global challenges in governance and provision of private and public goods and services. It focuses on linkages among innovation, entrepreneurship, and public policy in development of human society. The Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Programs in Innovation, Policy and Entrepreneurship are interdisciplinary programs that prepare the next generation of leaders in solving problems at the interface of technology and society through innovation in technology, institution, policy, entrepreneurship, and business model.
The MPhil Program aims to train students to conduct independent research in innovation, policy and entrepreneurship. An MPhil graduate is expected to acquire cross-disciplinary knowledge and demonstrate skills in the area, and to contribute to innovation, public policy and entrepreneurship in practice.
The PhD Program seeks to train students in original research with cross-disciplinary approach to innovation, policy and entrepreneurship, and to cultivate independent and innovative thinking for knowledge creation in policy, innovation and entrepreneurship. A PhD graduate is expected to demonstrate mastery of knowledge in the chosen area of research and to synthesize and create new knowledge, making an original and substantial contribution to the cross-disciplinary area.
On successful completion of the MPhil program, graduates will be able to:
- Identify issues concerning technology of the future and create an environment conducive to its creation, dissemination, and management;
- Identify and synthesize current research and conduct high-quality IPE research in academia and/or industry; and
- Analyze issues, design, and execute IPE research by utilizing sound research methodologies.
On successful completion of the PhD program, graduates will be able to:
- Identify issues concerning technology of the future and create an environment conducive to its creation, dissemination, and management;
- Identify and synthesize current research and conduct high-quality IPE research in academia and/or industry;
- Compare and contrast state-of-the-art knowledge in innovation studies, public policy, and entrepreneurship, and apply such knowledge on IPE practice;
- Analyze issues, design, and execute IPE research by utilizing sound research methodologies; and
- Present developed IPE knowledge and research to academic and practitioners’ communities.
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Minimum Credit Requirement
MPhil: 15 credits
PhD: 21 credits -
Credit Transfer
Students who have taken equivalent courses at HKUST(GZ) or other recognized universities may be granted credit transfer on a case-by-case basis, up to a maximum of 3 credits for MPhil students, and 6 credits for PhD students.
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Cross-disciplinary Core Courses
2 credits
UCMP 6010
Cross-disciplinary Research Methods I
2 Credit(s)
Description
This course focuses on using various approaches to perform quantitative analysis through real-world examples. Students will learn how to use different tools in an interdisciplinary project and how to acquire new skills on their own. The course offers different modules that are multidisciplinary/multifunctional and generally applicable to a wide class of problems.
UCMP 6020
Cross-disciplinary Research Methods II
2 Credit(s)
Description
This course focuses on using various approaches to perform quantitative analysis through real-world examples. Students will learn how to use different tools in an interdisciplinary project and how to acquire new skills on their own. The course offers different modules that are multidisciplinary/multifunctional and generally applicable to a wide class of problems.
UCMP 6030
Cross-disciplinary Design Thinking I
2 Credit(s)
Description
This course focuses on user-collaborative design methods for generating inclusive product solutions that integrate stakeholder and product functionality perspectives. Students will create specified product/process/policy/protocol/plan (5P) concept models through the use of recursive user feedback engagement methods, experimental prototyping, and divergent and convergent ideation strategies. Featured topics include design thinking; stakeholder research; concept development, screening, and selection; and interaction design.
UCMP 6040
Cross-disciplinary Design Thinking II
2 Credit(s)
Description
This course focuses on user-collaborative design methods for generating inclusive product solutions that integrate stakeholder and product functionality perspectives. Students will create specified product/process/policy/protocol/plan (5P) concept models through the use of recursive user feedback engagement methods, experimental prototyping, and divergent and convergent ideation strategies. Featured topics include design thinking; stakeholder research; concept development, screening, and selection; and interaction design.
UCMP 6050
Project-driven Collaborative Design Thinking
2 Credit(s)
All MPhil students are required to complete UCMP 6050. All PhD students are required to complete either UCMP 6010 or UCMP 6030. Students may complete the remaining courses as part of the credit requirements, as requested by the Program Planning cum Thesis Supervision Committee.
PhD students who are HKUST(GZ) MPhil graduates and have completed UCMP 6010, UCMP 6030 or UCMP 6050 before may be exempted from this requirement, subject to prior approval of the Program Planning cum Thesis Supervision Committee.
- Hub Core Courses
4 Credits
Students are required to complete at least one Hub core course (2 credits) from the Society Hub and at least one Hub core course (2 credits) from other Hubs.
Society Hub Core Course
SOCH 5000
Technological Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship
2 Credit(s)
Description
This course discusses both opportunities and risks that technological breakthrough has brought to the human society. What would be the policy responses required to maximize its positive benefit and minimize its social costs? In particular, how could we utilize the technological advancement, entrepreneurial thinking to address the challenges our societies are facing, such as job loss/unemployment, income inequality and societal polarization, environmental degradation, health disparity, population aging, and among others. The course uses either case studies or cross-country and time-series data analyses to facilitate the discussion of various social issues and look for innovative solutions of in the real world.
Other Hub Core Courses
FUNH 5000
Introduction to Function Hub for Sustainable Future
2 Credit(s)
Description
This course covers background knowledge in the thrust areas of the Function Hub, including Advanced Materials, Sustainable Energy and Environment, Microelectronics, and Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences.
INFH 5000
Information Science and Technology: Essentials and Trends
2 Credit(s)
Description
This inquiry-based course aims to introduce students to the concepts and skills needed to drive digital transformation in the information age. Students will learn to conduct research, explore real-world applications, and discuss grand challenges in the four thrust areas of the Information hub, namely Artificial Intelligence, Data Science and Analytics, Internet of Things, and Computational Media and Arts. The course incorporates various teaching and learning formats including lectures, seminars, online courses, group discussions, and a term project.
SYSH 5000
Model-Based Systems Engineering
2 Credit(s)
Description
Model-based systems engineering (MBSE) is a contemporary systems engineering methodology that uses conceptual models for communication between system architects, designers, developers, and stakeholders. Object-Process Methodology (OPM) is an MBSE language and methodology for constructing domain-independent conceptual models of all kinds of systems. The course provides students with basic knowledge and tools for MBSE, focusing on conceptual modeling of systems, giving learners a competitive advantage over their peers.
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Courses on Domain Knowledge
MPhil: minimum 9 credits of coursework
PhD: minimum 15 credits of coursework
Under this requirement, each student is required to take a required course and other elective courses to form an individualized curriculum relevant to the cross-disciplinary thesis research. To ensure that students will take appropriate courses to equip them with needed domain knowledge, each student has a Program Planning cum Thesis Supervision Committee to approve the courses to be taken soonest after program commencement and no later than the end of the first year. Depending on the approved curriculum, individual students may be required to complete additional credits beyond the minimal credit requirements.
Required Course List
IPEN 5100
Innovation, Policy and Entrepreneurship
3 Credit(s)
Description
This course focuses on the practices and processes that managers in the business sector adopt to advance innovation and attention is also paid to the strategies that policy-makers from regulatory background pursue to manage innovation. Technological innovation will be examined through its process of exploring, executing, leveraging, and renewing from both the perspectives of entrepreneurs and regulators. Students will be guided to seek a collaborative governance mechanism that is workable for different players and sectors in innovation to achieve sustainable growth.
Sample Elective Course List
To meet individual needs, students will be taking courses in different areas, which may include but not limited to courses and areas listed below.
IPEN 5110
Foundation in Public Policy
3 Credit(s)
Description
The course will provide an advanced foundation in the study and practice of public policy at the level required for graduate study. The course will cover both the historic foundations of policy studies, as well as emerging approaches and directions. As the study of public policy is inherently interdisciplinary, it will include perspectives from political science, public policy, economics, business and other aspects of social science. It will take a broad view of public policy, including taking up some of the core literature on public management and public administration.
IPEN 5111
Public Management and Institutional Analysis
3 Credit(s)
Description
This course focuses on the theoretical and analytical perspective of public management and institutions. It introduces students to key concepts in the discipline of public management and institutional analysis. The course begins with a review of the evolution of thinking in this field. In the following sessions, students will be extensively exposed to theoretical frameworks. The course aims to equip students with theories that help students in building up their capacity toward academic research.
IPEN 5120
Research Design for Innovation, Policy and Entrepreneurship Studies
3 Credit(s)
Description
The purposes of the course are to introduce to students key concepts in research design, and to help them develop skills in the design of empirical research for conducting innovation, policy and entrepreneurship studies. Specific emphasis will be on the use of quasi-experimental designs in policy research, as well as on their potentials and limitations.
IPEN 5130
Economics of Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship
3 Credit(s)
Description
This course introduces the economics of technology innovation and entrepreneurship through the combined perspectives of microeconomics and macroeconomics. It covers microeconomic core modules concerning consumers, firms, markets, and governments, as well as macroeconomic core modules on economic growth associated with entrepreneurship and innovation.
IPEN 5160
Big Data Applications for Business and Government
3 Credit(s)
Description
This course will cover the key concepts and technologies of big data and data analysis, with a focus on the application of big data in formulating business strategies and policies, and related research issues on how big data affects the direction of business and policy development. The course will provide students with practical training on big data and data analysis based on real-world business or policy issues, ranging from collecting and preprocessing to organizing and analyzing large-scale data.
IPEN 5200
Uncertainty, Information and Decision Making
3 Credit(s)
Description
This course introduces the economic theories of decision making under risk and uncertainty and how agents with heterogeneous information interact strategically. Sample topics include expected and non-expected utility theories, models of strategic communication, and information design. Students will apply the theoretical tools to understand and improve real world institutions, such as employee feedback systems and transparency in organizations.
IPEN 5250
Text Analysis and Machine Learning
3 Credit(s)
Description
This course serves as an applied introduction to machine learning methods for text analysis. Several approaches on text data management and analysis will be covered in this course including basic natural language processing techniques, document representation, text categorization and clustering, document summarization, sentiment analysis, social network and social media analysis, probabilistic topic models and text visualization.
IPEN 5260
Corporate Governance Research
3 Credit(s)
Description
This course is designed to introduce students to the key corporate governance phenomena examined in the field of strategic management. We will review how economic and organizational theories are applied to explain the choices and outcomes of governance design. In addition, we will also investigate some behavioral or process-related factors affecting the functioning of governance mechanisms, especially the board of directors.
IPEN 5270
Corporate ESG Practice and Research
3 Credit(s)
Description
This course focuses on the development of the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) movement and its relationship with other long-standing concepts such as corporate social responsibility and sustainability. It aims to review the content, antecedences, and consequences of corporate ESG practices and stimulate new research ideas in related areas.
IPEN 5280
Technological Catching-up Policies and Management
3 Credit(s)
Description
This course deals with various issues when late-comer firms and countries may encounter in the technological catching-up with the more advanced firms and countries. Technological stages and paths are studied and highlighted at the three different levels of country, sector and firms. Students will learn various theories regarding technological catching-up and have opportunities to apply them to real cases.
IPEN 5290
Public Problems and Policy Design
3 Credit(s)
Description
This course is designed to provide learning opportunities regarding how to analyze and structure messy unstructured public problems. This course consists of a series of different fake public problem cases to help students experience setting up, analyzing, and designing policies. Over the course of the term, students analyze the cases quantitatively and qualitatively, and then propose solutions with an integrated manner of the analysis results. Much of the work is done in small groups or individually.
IPEN 5300
Experimental Economics and Organizational Behavior
3 Credit(s)
Description
This course introduces the methodology of experimental economics and related behavioral theories, with an emphasis on social-psychological elements of preference and organizational design. Experiments studied will include ones based on the prisoners’ dilemma, dictator game, ultimatum game, and especially the public goods game and the trust game, along with more complex designs for studying institutional and organizational problems such as creation of centralized punishment schemes and secure property.
IPEN 5310
Behavioral Economics and Public Policy
3 Credit(s)
Description
This course introduces behavioral economics - the incorporation of insights from psychology into economics - with an emphasis on its value for improving empirical predictions and policy decisions. Students will learn the major themes of behavioral economics and apply them to improve the design, implementation, and evaluation of public policies in a wide variety of domains.
IPEN 5400
Climate Change: Science and Governance
3 Credit(s)
Description
This course prepares students to acquire the basic knowledge of climate change, which sits on the intersection of science and governance. It will review some of the scientific facts of climate change and contrast the scientific research findings with climate governance status. Case study on transforming to a low carbon society will be conducted in later part of the course. Aspects to consider include both scientific support and governance complexity of the low carbon city idea. Students are expected to build their own analysis of the climate change issue at the end of the course.
IPEN 5500
Science, Technology and Innovation Policy
3 Credit(s)
Description
The course introduces the conceptualizations of innovation policy and its instruments. It also develops evaluation methods to analyze the effects of these policy instruments and policy mixes. Cases of conceptual and empirical studies focus on the issues of innovation funding schemes and publicly funded science systems.
IPEN 5700
Strategic Management of Technology and Innovation
3 Credit(s)
Description
Technological innovation is increasingly the source of sustainable competitive advantage for firms worldwide. This course introduces a grounding in the field of technology and innovation, with an emphasis on economic policy and business strategy. The course will be highly interactive and apply multiple disciplines including economics, management, law and public policy.
IPEN 5800
New Venture Creation
3 Credit(s)
Description
This is an introductory course to entrepreneurship research. Entrepreneurship is defined as the creation and growth of business ventures, either as new organizations or inside existing ones, and as transformation of existing organizations. This course covers fundamental readings and current research with an emphasis on business venture creation. The objective is to give enough training that students can follow and contribute to entrepreneurship research.
IPEN 5810
Data Science in Empirical Economics
3 Credit(s)
Description
In the digital age, there is more data available than ever before on human behavior: from analyzing an elected official’s opinion on Twitter to identifying a farmer’s crop choices through satellite images. This course aims to familiarize students in applied economics, public policy, and relevant disciplines with recent research that has used big data to push the cutting-edge of the applied economic and public policy fields. Through a combination of problem sets and independent projects, students will acquire the statistical and computational tools needed for making use of big data in empirical research.
IPEN 5820
Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development
3 Credit(s)
Description
This is a graduate-level interdisciplinary course focusing on the economics of environmental and sustainable development problems and the solutions to those problems. Students will learn to use tools from applied economics and relevant disciplines to better understand and evaluate a series of current policy questions, such as air and water pollution, climate change, environmental amenities, agricultural production, ecosystem services, and biodiversity.
IPEN 5900
Policy and Technology for Carbon Neutrality
3 Credit(s)
Description
All industries in China are actively taking effective actions to develop new and clean technologies in order to achieve the carbon peak and neutrality goal of shouldering the common destiny of human beings. This course examines the scientific, technological, and policy approaches that China and the rest of the world can take to achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality.
- Additional Foundation Courses
Individual students may be required to take foundation courses to strengthen their academic background and research capacity in related areas, which will be specified by the Program Planning cum Thesis Supervision Committee. The credits earned cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.
Unless clearly demonstrating sufficient knowledge in the area, students entering the MPhil or PhD Program are required to take the following course in the first regular term of study:
IPEN 5140
Quantitative Analysis and Empirical Methods
3 Credit(s)
Description
This course introduces students to empirical methods and data management tools used in the current social science disciplines, with some special focuses on strategy, finance and applied micro-economics. The overall approach is to understand the common methods and research design used in the empirical research through intensive reading and replicating papers published in top journals. Students would also become proficient in the use of computer software that is widely used in analyzing quantitative data via empirical assignments.
- Graduate Teaching Assistant Training
PDEV 6800
Introduction to Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
0 Credit(s)
Description
The course is designed to strengthen students’ competence in teaching. It comprises 2 parts: Part 1 aims to equip all full-time research postgraduate (RPg) students with basic teaching skills before assuming teaching assistant duties for the department. Good teaching skills can be acquired through learning and practice. This 10-hour mandatory training course provides all graduate teaching assistants (GTA) with the necessary theoretical knowledge with practical opportunities to apply and build up their knowledge, skills and confidence in taking up their teaching duties. At the end of the course, GTAs should be able to (1) facilitate teaching in tutorials and laboratory settings; (2) provide meaningful feedback to their students; and (3) design an active learning environment to engage their students. In Part 2, students are required to perform instructional delivery assigned by their respective departments to complete this course. MPhil students are required to give at least one 30-minute session of instructional delivery in front of a group of students for one term. PhD students are required to give at least one such session each in two different terms. Graded PP, P or F.
All full-time RPg students are required to complete PDEV 6800. The course is composed of a 10-hour training offered by the Institute of Educational Innovation and Practice (IEIP), and session(s) of instructional delivery to be assigned by the respective Thrusts/Base. Upon satisfactory completion of the training conducted by IEIP, MPhil students are required to give at least one 30-minute session of instructional delivery in front of a group of students for one term. PhD students are required to give at least one such session each in two different terms. The instructional delivery will be formally assessed.
- Professional Development Course Requirement
PDEV 6770
Professional Development for Research Postgraduate Students
1 Credit(s)
Description
This course aims at equipping research postgraduate students with transferrable skills conducive to their professional development. Students are required to attend 3 hours of mandatory training on Professional Conduct, and complete 12 hours of workshops, at their own choice, under the themes of Communication Skills, Research Competency, Entrepreneurship, Self‐Management, and Career Development. Graded PP, P or F.
Students are required to complete PDEV 6770. The 1 credit earned from PDEV 6770 cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.
PhD students who are HKUST MPhil graduates and have completed PDEV 6770 or other professional development courses offered by the University before may be exempted from taking PDEV 6770, subject to prior approval of the Program Planning cum Thesis Supervision Committee.
SOCH 6780
Professional Development in Innovation, Technology, and Social Responsibility
1 Credit(s)
Description
This one credit course is intended to provide basic professional training to research postgraduate students in the Society Hub. The course will begin with lectures and a workshop on ethics in research. Students will be asked to focus on a particular theme of their choice that links technological innovation to various social and policy issues, conduct analysis and present their findings. They will also need to work in a team and learn to effectively communicate their ideas in informal and formal settings. Graded PP, P or F.
Students are required to complete SOCH 6780. The 1 credit earned from SOCH 6780 cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.
PhD students who are HKUST MPhil graduates and have completed SOCH 6780 or other professional development courses offered by the University before may be exempted from taking SOCH 6780, subject to prior approval of the Program Planning cum Thesis Supervision Committee.
- English Language Requirement
LANG 5000
Foundation in Listening & Speaking for Postgraduate Students
1 Credit(s)
Description
For students whose level of spoken English is lower than ELPA Level 4 (Speaking) when they enter the University. The course addresses the immediate linguistic needs of research postgraduate students for oral communication on campus using English. To complete the course, students are required to attain at least ELPA Level 4 (Speaking). Graded P or F.
Full-time RPg students are required to take an English Language Proficiency Assessment (ELPA) Speaking Test administered by the Division of Language Education before the start of their first term of study. Students whose ELPA Speaking Test score is below Level 4, or who failed to take the test in their first term of study, are required to take LANG 5000 until they pass the course by attaining at least Level 4 in the ELPA Speaking Test before graduation. The 1 credit earned from LANG 5000 cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.
PLED 5001
Communicating Research in English
1 Credit(s)
Students are required to take PLED 5001. The credit earned cannot be counted toward the credit requirements. Students can be exempted from taking this course with the approval of the Program Planning cum Thesis Supervision Committee.
- Postgraduate Seminar
IPEN 6101
IPEN Program Seminar I
1 Credit(s)
Description
This course is expected to expose the RPg students to the current innovation, policy and entrepreneurship research and development, and provide them with opportunities to make social contacts with the speakers in both the environmental innovation communities and policy communities. This course will be an essential part of training for our RPg students. Graded P or F.
IPEN 6102
IPEN Program Seminar II
1 Credit(s)
Description
This course is expected to expose the RPg students to the current innovation, policy and entrepreneurship research and development, and provide them with opportunities to make social contacts with the speakers in both environmental innovation communities and policy communities. This course will be an essential part of training for our RPg students. Seminar II is an extension of Seminar I. While the overall design of the seminar course looks essentially the same, topics covered and guests invited will be differentiated. Graded P or F.
IPEN 6101 and IPEN 6102 will be offered in different terms. Students are required to complete IPEN 6101 and IPEN 6102 in two terms. The credits earned cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.
- PhD Qualifying Examination
PhD students are required to pass a qualifying examination to obtain PhD candidacy following established policy.
- Thesis Research
IPEN 6990
MPhil Thesis Research
0 Credit(s)
Description
Master's thesis research supervised by co-advisors from different disciplines. A successful defense of the thesis leads to the grade Pass. No course credit is assigned.
IPEN 7990
Doctoral Thesis Research
0 Credit(s)
Description
Original and independent doctoral thesis research supervised by co-advisors from different disciplines. A successful defense of the thesis leads to the grade Pass. No course credit is assigned.
MPhil:
- Registration in IPEN 6990; and
- Presentation and oral defense of the MPhil thesis.
PhD:
- Registration in IPEN 7990; and
- Presentation and oral defense of the PhD thesis.
Last Update: 1 July 2024
To qualify for admission, applicants must meet all of the following requirements. Admission is selective and meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
1. General Admission Requirements of the University
Please refer to Admission Requirements.
2. English Language Admission Requirements
Please refer to Admission Requirements.
Admission to HKUST(GZ)
Apply online before the application deadlines.
Application Fee
RMB150
* All international students are required to obtain a student visa (X visa) for studying in China’s mainland. For details on student visa (X visa) requirements, please click here.
