PhD in Public Policy

Global policy challenges such as aging, climate change, economic crises, and terrorism call for innovative solutions beyond institutional and disciplinary boundaries, and public policy schools, departments, institutes, and programs have been set up in leading universities around the world to tackle these global challenges. With substantial strengths in science, engineering, business and management, and quantitative social science areas, the Division of Public Policy (PPOL) and the Institute for Public Policy (IPP) are established to develop public policy as an emerging strategic area by fostering close collaboration across disciplines and to contribute more to policy development in key policy areas both locally and globally.

The program aims to develop unique interdisciplinary postgraduate programs to provide rigorous training in policy research on a wide range of policy areas, such as environmental/ social/ economic policy, innovation, and technology policy that meet society’s needs and professional requirements.

The Ph.D. in Public Policy program provides rigorous training in public policy research to academically outstanding students aspiring to pursue a career in policy research and teaching. Given the breadth and depth of research faculty expertise across departments and schools in HKUST, students in the Public Policy program will have the opportunity to specialize in one of the following four policy areas: science, technology, and innovation policy, environmental policy and sustainability, and social changes and public policy, and China’s development policy.