Emerging Green finance sector is bound to play a key role in protecting the environment globally

India, April 19^th, 2022: A large number of Indian youth is driving and leading various green initiatives in the country. A study released in the year 2021 by Prince Charles Trust highlighted that 85% of young Indians want to explore careers in green jobs. To equip the students with knowledge and skills in solving the environmental problems which extend far beyond a single discipline, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), ranked No.3 in Times Higher Education’s Young University Rankings 2022, offers BSc in Sustainable and Green Finance (SGFN) which not only covers environment science, sustainability, and the emerging discipline green finance, but also science and technology, finance and risk management as well as public policy, among others.

To embark on a career in sustainability is more than pursuing a program, which is why HKUST has long strived to build a sustainable culture by embedding sustainability not just into its curriculum, but also into its operations and co-curricular activities.  Apart from setting ambitious energy consumption targets and building Hong Kong’s largest solar power system, the University has also been working with governments to tackle local and regional air pollution problems.

More than 90% of HKUST undergraduate students graduate with at least one sustainability course under their belts, and there are different funding and programs such as “Sustainable Smart Campus as a Living Lab” (SSC) or “Incentive Scheme for Net-Zero Carbon Research Projects” to encourage students in coming up with innovative ideas and test them out in reality.  Many students and faculty eventually get to develop their own technology and solutions for global issues.  That include mobile apps that help users analyse and manage their personal air pollution exposure health risks; algorithms that analyse and predict risks of climate change on corporations and propose sustainable business models, and upcycling of bread waste into beer. 

Brief information about the Sustainable and Green Finance (SGFN) program –

• Jointly offered by the School of Business and Management and the Division of Environment and Sustainability at HKUST, the interdisciplinary SGFN Program is designed to nurture leaders in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), impact investment, sustainable and green project financing, sustainable and green instrument and product development, and other related fields.
• Students have to study a wide range of subjects across multiple disciplines – including ESG investing, sustainable supply chain management, green business strategy, the use of technology to solve environmental problems, and more. It will also enable students to develop a global outlook.
• The Program is taught by expert faculty members, and maintains strong connections with industry, as well as HKUST alumni.  Such connections ensure there are plenty of practical and enriching co-curricular activities. The first intake for the inaugural four-year program will be during the Fall of 2022.

Career prospect in India and beyond
The concept of sustainable development and ecological sustainability is quickly gaining popularity not just in India, but also around the world. Indian companies are becoming more interested in carrying out investment and research activities in sustainable development and ecological sustainability, so the field is expanding on a daily basis. 

Environment and sustainability graduates are employed by the Indian government and a wide range of industries, including the Forest and Environment Department, the Pollution Control Board, the Waste Treatment Industries, the Agriculture Industry, Refineries, Mines, Fertilizer Plants, the Urban Planning Commission, distilleries, and food processing industries. Students of such disciplines are also sought-after by governments and big corporations in the region and around the world, especially when China and many Asian countries are chasing ambitious carbon neutral goals in the years to come.