Established in 1991, HKUST is now a globally respected university and contributes both locally and internationally to talent development, new knowledge and societal interests. Being international is an intrinsic element of the HKUST spirit. The University was founded on the principle that education, original scholarship, and the development of society are integrally linked and best pursued together. We believe that humanity’s advancement is generated through the fostering of an international community and the nurturing of individuals through holistic education, original research, and knowledge transfer into the wider society. 

In 2015, the Ministry of Science and Technology of China approved the establishment of the Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center (CNERC, 國家工程技術研究中心) for Control and Treatment of Heavy Metal Pollution (the Branch for short) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST, 香港科技大學). The Branch seeks to address the increasing national demand for clean water supply by conducting research on economic and sustainable alternative water resources, energy-saving sewage treatment schemes and optimization of water systems.

The Water Technology Center (WTC) at HKUST aims to develop innovative and energy-efficient water and wastewater treatment systems suitable for established coastal and inland cities. Our mission is to establish the WTC as a leading water technology research and development hub in Hong Kong and beyond, with a focus on Revolutionary New Total Water and Sewage Treatment Framework. The WTC's research goals include understanding the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles in sewage treatment processes, assessing the feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and environmental and social impacts of new technologies and systems, and transferring advanced science and engineering technologies to the water and wastewater industries.