The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) today announced the appointment of Prof. Frederik ANSEEL as Dean of the School of Business and Management (HKUST Business School), effective February 1, 2026.
Prof. Anseel joins HKUST from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia, where he served as Dean of UNSW Business School. Under his leadership, the School achieved the top ranking in Australia for three consecutive years, and its Online MBA program was consistently placed within the global top ten in the Financial Times rankings. He brings extensive international leadership experience from several world-renowned business schools, having previously held roles as Vice Dean at King's College London in the UK, Head of Department of Human Resource Management, Work and Organizational Psychology and Talent Management Advisor to the Rector at Ghent University in Belgium, and Visiting Professor at École Supérieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales Business School in France and Bocconi University in Italy.
As an internationally recognized scholar in leadership, learning, and organizational feedback, Prof. Anseel holds a PhD in Organizational Psychology from Ghent University. He is ranked among the world's top 2% of scientists by Stanford University listing and serves on the editorial boards of seven leading academic journals. His research has been honored with several prestigious awards, including multiple Best Paper awards from the Academy of Management. He is also a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology in the US, and the International Association of Applied Psychology, and served a five-year term as President of the European Association of Work and Organizational Psychology.
"It is an honor to join HKUST Business School at such a pivotal time. The School has a clear comparative advantage, combining technological excellence with a strategic location, perfectly positioning it as technology reshapes the future of business," said Prof. Anseel. "I look forward to building on its strong foundations to further advance its intellectual leadership, foster meaningful partnerships, and prepare our graduates for impactful careers in an AI-driven world."
The University extends a warm welcome to Prof. Anseel in his new role, and expressed its gratitude to Prof. HUI Kai-Lung for his dedicated service as Acting Dean of HKUST Business School since July 2024. Prof. Hui will assume the position of Associate Provost (Academic Development), effective concurrently with Prof. Anseel's commencement as the sixth Dean of HKUST Business School.
