Timothy Sze

Tim currently serves as the Director of the Office of Mainland Affairs at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), where he focuses on enhancing the university's engagement with China through strategic industry partnerships, educational initiatives, and research collaborations.

Tim joined HKUST in 2011 as the founding Head of Mainland Affairs and has since held several key positions, including Head of Global Engagement and Greater China Affairs, Special Assistant to the President, Secretary of the Governing Board of HKUST (GZ), and Director of the General Administration Office at HKUST's new campus in Guangzhou. During the development phase of the Guangzhou campus, he was instrumental in establishing academic, administrative, finance, purchasing, and HR policies, while overseeing the integration of operations between the two campuses.

Having spent over ten years in Beijing, Tim brings a wealth of industry experience to his role. He has held senior positions at organizations such as WI Harper, China Capital Group, Sinosol AG, eColutions, and CBD New Energy. Additionally, he has served on the Board of AISEC Mainland China and was the founding Deputy Executive Director of the China Renewable Energy Entrepreneurs Club, an NGO established by the Energy Research Institute of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and WWF.

In academia, Tim is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Division of Public Policy and the Big Data Institute at HKUST. He holds a PhD in Jurisprudence from the Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). His academic credentials also include an LLB in Law and Business from Hong Kong Shue Yan University, a Diploma in Law from Peking University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Law (CPE) from the University of Law in London, and an LLM in Dispute Prevention and Resolution from the University of Westminster, London.

Tim is actively engaged in public service as a member of the Shanghai Pudong District Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and serves as a Designated Mediator for the Hong Kong side under the CEPA Investment Agreement and the Mediation Mechanism. He has served as an Administrative Panelist for both the Hong Kong International Arbitration Center and the Asian Domain Name Dispute Resolution Center in Hong Kong.