Professor Ruibang LUO, Assistant Director (Learning Experience & Student Enrichment) and Associate Head of AI & Data Science Division in the School of Computing and Data Science (CDS) at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), has been awarded the 2026 APEC Science Prize for Innovation, Research and Education (ASPIRE) in recognition of his pioneering artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for genomic analysis. Professor Luo was selected as the sole winner of this year’s prize by regional vote among nominees from APEC’s 21 member economies.

Professor Jay Siegel, Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning) of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), delivered a visionary address at the 2026 Inclusion Conference on the Bund in Shanghai on 10 September. In his speech, Professor Siegel emphasised the necessity of a human-centric AI economy and the critical importance of anticipating the long-term societal impacts of rapid technological advancement.

Binghamton University, State University of New York will expand its work to improve student outcomes in community schools thanks to a new $1 million gift to its Center for Community Schools, now renamed the Couper-Owens Center for Community Schools. 

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan will become director of the Center for the Political Future (CPF) at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences after completing his term in January.