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The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has set a new record with 54 academics named in Clarivate’s “Highly Cited Researchers 2025” list. This achievement places HKU 13th globally among all institutions, based on the total number of researcher designations—including those recognised across multiple fields.

Hong Kong maintains its position as 8th among countries and regions worldwide. HKU plays a pivotal role in this success, with 38% of Hong Kong’s Highly Cited Researchers affiliated with the University—the highest representation among local higher education institutions.

According to Clarivate Analytics, a total of 6,868 scholars from 60 countries and regions worldwide have been named Highly Cited Researchers in 2025. Highly Cited Researchers are selected for their exceptional research performance, determined by production of multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for their fields and publication year in Web of Science over the past decade.

The 54 Highly Cited Researchers 2025 of HKU as below (in alphabetical order):
Chemistry
Professor Hongjie DAI
Chair Professor and Sapientia Eminence Professor, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science

Professor Renhao DONG
Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science

Professor Sir Fraser STODDART
Chair Professor, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science

Computer Science
Professor Kaibin HUANG
Professor and Head, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Professor Yuanwei LIU
Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Cross-Field
Dr Kwok-Hung CHAN
Honorary Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine

Professor Hin CHU
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Kuishuang FENG
Professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences

Professor Zhengxiao GUO
Chair Professor, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science

Professor Ivan Fan-Ngai HUNG
Chair Professor of Infectious Diseases & Vaccinology, Head of Division of Infectious Diseases, and Ru Chien and Helen Lieh Professor in Health Sciences Pedagogy, Department of Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Wei JIA
Vivian Tam Wong Professor in Integrative Medicine and Chair Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Tommy Tsan-Yuk LAM
Associate Professor, Division of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Dr Eric Ho-Yin LAU
Honorary Associate Professor, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Kathy Sze-Man LEUNG
Assistant Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Can LI
Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Professor Yuguo LI
Chair Professor of Building Environment, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Professor Shunlin LIANG
Head, Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences

Professor Tak-Wah MAK
Honorary Professor, Department of Pathology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine; Professor, Department of Medical Biophysics & Immunology, University of Toronto

Professor Malik PEIRIS
Emeritus Professor, and Honorary Clinical Professor, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Leo Lit-Man POON
Daniel C K Yu Professor in Virology, Chair Professor of Public Health Virology, and Head of Division of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine and Associate Dean (Human Capital) of Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Siddharth SRIDHAR  
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Han WANG
Professor and Associate Head, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Professor Ian Chi-Kei WONG
Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Joseph Tsz-Kei WU
Sir Robert Kotewall Professor in Public Health and Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Peng WU
Associate Professor, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Hui-Ling YEN
Professor, Division of Public Health Laboratory Sciences, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Kelvin Wai-Kwok YEUNG
Dean of Student Affairs; Ng Chun-Man Professor in Orthopaedic Bioengineering, Department of Orthopaedics & Traumatology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Dr Cyril Chik-Yan YIP
Honorary Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Shuofeng YUAN
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Ray Y. ZHONG
Assistant Professor, Department of Data and Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Professor Jie ZHOU
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Economics and Business
Professor Chen LIN
Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Business), HKU; Stelux Professor in Finance Professor, Chair of Finance, HKU Business School

Environment and Ecology
Professor Chuyang TANG
Chair Professor of Water and Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Geosciences
Professor Peng GONG
Vice-President and Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic Development), HKU; Chair Professor in both Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Science

Professor Guochun ZHAO
Chair Professor and Mok Sau-King Professor, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Faculty of Science

Professor Yuyu ZHOU
Professor, Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences

Immunology
Mr Jian-Piao CAI
Research Officer, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Vincent Chi-Chung CHENG
Honorary Clinical Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Benjamin John COWLING
Helen and Francis Zimmern Professor in Population Health, Chair Professor of Epidemiology, and Head of Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Immunology, Microbiology
Professor Jasper Fuk-Woo CHAN
Deputy Chairperson & Clinical Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine

Professor Kelvin Kai-Wang TO
Department Chairperson and Clinical Professor, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Kwok-Yung YUEN
Henry Fok Professor in Infectious Diseases, and Chair Professor of Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Immunology, Molecular Biology and Genetics
Professor Gabriel Matthew LEUNG
Honorary Clinical Professor, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Materials Science
Professor Lain-Jong LI
Honorary Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Professor Chunyi ZHI
Chair Professor of Energy Materials, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Microbiology
Professor Tong ZHANG
Associate Dean (Research) and Chair Professor of Water and Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Physics
Dr Yuan WANG
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Professor Wang YAO
Chair Professor, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science

Professor Shuang ZHANG
Interim Head and Chair Professor, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science; Chair Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering

Professor Xiang ZHANG
President and Vice-Chancellor, HKU; Chair Professor in both Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Science

Social Sciences
Professor Ester CERIN
Honorary Professor, School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

Professor Timothy Khe-Foon HEW
Professor, Academic Unit of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, Faculty of Education

Professor Xingjian LIU
Associate Professor, Department of Urban Planning and Design, Faculty of Architecture

Professor Xiaohu ZHANG
Assistant Professor, Department of Urban Planning and Design, Faculty of Architecture