News and Kudos

Prof. Ke Sihui Honoured with the ARWA Mid-Career Award and a PhD Student Wins the Top Student Researcher Award at ARWA 2025

Prof. Ke Sihui, Associate Professor in the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, has been awarded the ARWA (Association for Reading and Writing in Asia) Mid-Career Award. This prestigious accolade recognizes mid-career researchers with outstanding contributions to literacy acquisition, particularly in Asia or cross-linguistic/cross-scriptal contexts. Established in 2016, ARWA supports research in literacy development, impairment, and expert linguistic processing through print in Asia. Prof. Ke's significant contributions make her a deserving recipient. Additionally, Miss Xu Xintong, a PhD student under Prof. Ke's supervision, won the Top Student Researcher award at the 9th Annual ARWA Conference in the Philippines. This award honors three outstanding student researchers in Asia who present their work at the conference. Miss Xu received a cash prize and certificate and represented the Chinese-speaking region. Her presentation on reading and writing development highlighted her significant contributions to the field.

CBS MATI and BALT students secured second and third prizes in the 2024 National Translation Competition

Congratulations to CBS students for clinching second and third prizes, respectively, in the University A category of the prestigious 2024 National News Translation and Editing Competition. The competition was held in December 2024 and introduced innovative changes in its format and content selection. Participants were required not only to accurately understand and translate the original text but also to refine it into a well-structured news article. As a result, the competition significantly enhanced participants' foreign language proficiency and international communication skills.

Prof. Siok Wai Ting Received RGC Collaborative Research Fund for 2024/25

Under the leadership of Prof. Siok Wai Ting, the Head of the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, a collaborative project titled “Integrating Machine Learning, Behavioral Analysis and Multimodal Neuroimaging Techniques to Investigate the Comorbidity of Specific Learning Disabilities in Hong Kong” has successfully secured HK$4 million from the Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) of the Research Grants Council (RGC) for 2024/25. This initiative involves collaboration with researchers from both the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK). The CRF is designed to promote multi-investigator and multi-disciplinary projects in order to encourage more research groups to engage in creative and high-quality cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional projects.

CBS Ph.D. Graduate Awarded Outstanding Thesis Award from the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong

Ms. Deran Kong, a Ph.D. graduate from CBS, has been awarded the Outstanding Thesis Award for 2024 by the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong (LSHK). Under the guidance of chief supervisor Dr. Sun-A Kim and co-supervisor Dr. Yu-Yin Hsu from CBS, Deran's thesis, titled “Subject-object asymmetry in native and non-native speakers’ comprehension and production of Mandarin relative clauses,” showcases the high-quality research nurtured within our department.

CBS MATI student secured the Bronze Prize at the 2024 National Competition of English Translation, FLTRP Guocai Cup: Understanding Contemporary China

Congratulations to Ms. LEI Shulan, a current MATI student, for winning the Bronze Prize in the 2024 National Competition of English Translation, FLTRP Guocai Cup: Understanding Contemporary China! Ms. LEI competed against talented contestants from across mainland China and Hong Kong in the final round, showcasing her impressive skills and dedication. Congratulations on this outstanding achievement!

Honourable Mention for Best Paper Award at BlackboxNLP 2024

Dr. Emmanuele Chersoni, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies (CBS), collaborated with fellow scholars to receive the "Best Paper Award" at the prestigious BlackboxNLP Conference in Miami. This recognition is for their exceptional paper titled "Log Probabilities Are a Reliable Estimate of Semantic Plausibility in Base and Instruction-Tuned Language Models."

One of the CBS Undergraduate Students Honored Among Top 10 Outstanding Tertiary Students

We are delighted to share the exciting news that our CBS undergraduate student, Ms Lui Ho Ching Josette, has been honored among the Top 10 Outstanding Tertiary Students this year. This prestigious award, organised by the Hong Kong Youth & Tertiary Students Association, aims to commend promising students dedicated to the future development of the Greater Bay Area. Beyond honoring academic excellence, this award promotes holistic growth, encouraging students to serve as role models for their peers and actively contribute to the community. Congratulations also go to her academic advisor, Dr. Hsu Yu Yin, for her unwavering support and guidance throughout Josette's journey. Josette stood out among over a hundred applicants and was recognised on 26 October for her impressive achievements. With a strong commitment to leadership and social service, she aspires to continue her contributions to society and further refine her leadership skills in the year ahead. Through engaging coursework and diverse practical projects, Josette has gained valuable insights across multiple disciplines, shaping her path towards a career in social service. Her active participation in case competitions, internships, and diverse leadership initiatives has not only enriched her educational journey but also enabled her to translate project planning and execution skills into impactful social service endeavors. Josette's dynamism and unwavering dedication have truly set her apart. Upon learning of her award, Josette expressed heartfelt gratitude to the teachers and friends in our Department who supported her throughout her journey. We are immensely proud of Jojo's accomplishments and eagerly anticipate continuing to support her as she progresses towards becoming a well-rounded leader capable of making a positive impact on society.

Chinese Debate Team Secured First Runner-up in Inter-Collegiate Debate Competition

Congratulations to our Chinese Debate Team for achieving the first runner-up position at the Inter-Collegiate Debate Competition, held on 29 September 2024. This commendable result is a testament to the dedication, teamwork, and exceptional debating skills demonstrated by the team members. We congratulate them on their outstanding performance and look forward to their continued success in future competitions.

Multidisciplinary research in neuroscience featured in Nature with CBS research fellows’ contribution

Dr. CaiCai Zhang, Associate Professor from CBS, collaborated with fellow researchers from PolyU to contribute their expertise to the latest Nature Index Neuroscience. They highlighted how UBSN facilitates their cutting-edge research and significant findings. Dr. Zhang's team shared insights into the application of neural imaging technology and machine learning in studying child language development. Utilizing neural imaging, behavioral studies, and machine learning, they analyzed memory test results in children aged five to twelve, aiming to detect language issues early. Additionally, they explored how early memory skills forecast language abilities in four-year-olds, with the goal of identifying potential problems and implementing interventions at the earliest stage possible.

CBS MABCC Students met with Mayor of Yonago City, Japan to enhance tourism and branding

A team of seven CBS MABCC students met with Mayor, Igi Takashi, of Yonago City in Japan to discuss their proposed strategies for enhancing tourism and branding. The meeting was a success, with the mayor showing strong interest and support. Their collaboration attracted local media attention and was reported by Japanese newspapers, boosting the university's international engagement profile. The students were motivated and actively involved in research and strategy development, confident that their work will benefit Yonago's tourism and branding in the future. They emphasized the importance of city branding and communication in their presentation to stakeholders, and the mayor expressed gratitude and interest in implementing their strategies. This project allowed students to apply their knowledge to a real-world international branding challenge, gaining valuable insights and practical skills.