Mission

As a major center in the global network of research on the Chinese language, the Center for Chinese Linguistics at HKUST promotes the study of the history and evolution of the Chinese language, with an emphasis on the theoretical implications of the investigation as well as its relevance to practical applications.

Objectives

1. To conduct intensive research on the Chinese language by

   1. analyzing data on contemporary Chinese dialects,
   2. scrutinizing historical documentation of all regional varieties of Chinese,
   3. reconstructing the history of the Chinese language in relation to other languages of the Sino-Tibetan family,
   4. studying the cognitive and social aspects of language, and
   5. testing and refining methods, hypotheses and theories of modern linguistics.

2. To house major databases and corpuses pertaining to languages in China, thereby facilitating effective use of computer technology to store and process linguistic data.

3. To offer a rigorous postgraduate program in Chinese linguistics, attracting outstanding students not only from the Greater China region but also from other parts of the world.

4. To serve as a regional hub in the study of Chinese, thereby enhancing HKUST's standing in relevant disciplines and promoting the cooperation among scholars in the Greater China region and in other countries.