Naubahar Sharif is Professor and Head of the Department of Social Sciences and Policy Studies at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK). Before joining EdUHK in September 2025, he spent two decades at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), where he latterly served as Head of the Division of Public Policy from 2021 to 2025.
Professor Sharif holds a BBA and MPhil from HKUST, and an MA and PhD from Cornell University. He also completed executive education in Innovation for Economic Development at Harvard University.
His research focuses on innovation systems, science, technology and innovation policy, and public policy, with particular emphasis on Hong Kong, Southern China, and the Greater Bay Area. More recently, his work has also examined the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as mental health and wellbeing in Hong Kong.
Professor Sharif has published more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters in leading journals including Research Policy, Science and Public Policy, The China Journal, and Science, Technology and Human Values. His research has attracted competitive funding from the Research Grants Council and other major sources, including large-scale projects in public policy and mental health.
He has received multiple teaching awards and has contributed extensively to public service in Hong Kong. His appointments have included service on the Research Strategy Expert Group under the Chief Executive’s Policy Unit, the Advisory Committee on Mental Health, and the Mental Health Review Tribunal. He also writes regularly for public audiences on policy and societal issues.