Director’s Message

Hong Kongers are in a privileged position when it comes to aging. Since 2013, Hong Kong has ranked No.1 in the world in terms of life expectancy at birth, with life expectancy in years at 88 for females and 83 for males. There are many obvious benefits of longer lifespans, however, this also leads to shifts in the population composition over time. The population projections released by the HKSAR Government’s Census and Statistics Department in August 2023 predicted that the proportion of population aged 65 and older will likely double in the next 25 years, rising from 20.5% in 2021 to 36% in 2046.

HKUST’s Center for Aging Science seeks to address these multi-dimensional challenges by harnessing the multi-disciplinary expertise spread across the University’s Schools of Business & Management, Engineering, Humanities & Social Science, Science, and Academy of Interdisciplinary Studies. We follow a three-pronged framework comprising: Adaptation (improving wellbeing for those in need today), Mitigation (improving the current and future condition of the elderly), and Resilience (ensuring the youngest in society age well and can maximize their social and economic potential). 

Through its wide-ranging efforts, the Center for Aging Science is seeking to develop and foster a better understanding of healthy aging. We are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for the aging population in Hong Kong and beyond, through our research and our engagement with leading local elderly care facilities.