Media Releases

PolyU 85th Anniversary Grand Concert a resounding success as University begins new journey towards brighter future

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) last night presented the PolyU 85th Anniversary Grand Concert at the Jockey Club Auditorium, featuring a dazzling lineup of internationally acclaimed musicians and revered artists performing an array of Chinese and Western music from different eras. Guests joined members of the PolyU community on the nostalgic musical journey reliving the University’s evolution in tandem with Hong Kong’s development over 85 years, and witnessing the University embarking on a new journey towards a brighter future. Internationally renowned musician Mr LEUNG Kin-fung was music director of the Grand Concert. Sharing the stage were renowned Hong Kong artist Dr Liza WANG, world-renowned violinist Ms YAO Jue, guzheng virtuoso Dr Lunlun ZOU, Steinway artist Dr Vivian CHENG Wai, renowned singer Ms Sophie CHEN, erhu master Mr GUO Gan, choir conductor Mr Alex TAM, as well as aspiring music talents from Academy Choir of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and the PolyU Community – PolyU Orchestra, PolyU Choir and The Federation of PolyU Alumni Associations Chinese Orchestra.   Internationally renowned musician Mr Leung Kin-fung was music director of the Grand Concert. The audience was taken on a captivating musical journey, which opened with the theme song of the PolyU 85th Anniversary, followed by memorable performances of music and songs from different generations performed by the talented musicians and artists against the backdrop of PolyU’s four stages of development. The concert rose to a crescendo with everyone on stage and in the audience joining in a chorus of “Below the Lion Rock”. Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU, remarked, “PolyU is committed to whole-person education to nurture graduates who have positive values and a strong sense of national identity, who are socially responsible and willing to shoulder greater responsibilities for the betterment of Hong Kong, the Nation and the world. Holding art and cultural events is part of our efforts to foster the whole-person development of our students, in order to broaden their horizons beyond academic studies. Over the years, we have been promoting art and culture in collaboration with acclaimed outstanding artists on campus. My sincere thanks to their tremendous support.” Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU said, “PolyU is delighted to promote art and culture among the PolyU community and the wider community through the anniversary Grand Concert. Our thanks to the generous sponsors of our ‘Art and Culture Development Fund’, through which we support unique programmes and collaborative activities on campus for developing students of special talents and promoting art and culture at PolyU and in the community. Looking forward, PolyU will continue to fulfil our mission of providing the best holistic education and nurture leading talents who live up to the University’s motto of ‘To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind’.” A series of 85th Anniversary celebratory activities under the theme of “We Are PolyU‧Together We Excel” has been held during the year. The Grand Concert marked the beginning of the grand finale programme of the Anniversary celebrations. Other finale events include a public lecture by Olympic gold medallist in diving Ms GUO Jingjing, the launch ceremony of the Policy Research Centre for Innovation and Technology cum I&T forum, as well as the PolyU 85th Anniversary Gala Dinner.     Renowned Hong Kong artist Dr Liza Wang performed two famous songs, namely “Love and Passion” and “The Brave Chinese”.   World-renowned violinist Ms Yao Jue, performed “Tone Poem of Seashore” and “Marche Miniature Viennoise (Miniature Viennese March)” in video recording format.   Virtuoso of Guzheng Dr Lunlun Zou, performed “Fighting with Typhoon” together with PolyU Orchestra.   Steinway artist, Dr Vivian Cheng Wai, performed “L’isle joyeuse, L. 106 (The Joyful Island)”.   Renowned singer Ms Sophie Chen performed two songs, including “O mio babbino caro” (Oh my dear Papa) from Gianni Schicchi and a Chinese song.   Erhu master Mr GUO Gan, performed “Horse Racing” together with PolyU Orchestra.   Choir conductor Mr Alex Tam participated in the Grand Concert.   Academy Choir of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts performed “Ballade to the Moon”, “Antiphonal Flower Song” and “Life Has Loveliness to Sell”. Mr Alex Tam is the choir conductor.   PolyU Orchestra performed “Medley” with famous songs of the 1970s and 1990s. Mr Leung Kin-fung is the conductor of the orchestra.   PolyU Choir performed “PolyU 85th Anniversary Theme Song”, “Festival Sanctus” and “Trusting the Rainbow”. Mr Alex Tam is the choir conductor.     The Federation of PolyU Alumni Associations Chinese Orchestra performed “Medley” with famous songs of the 1930s and 1940s.     *****END *****

PolyU researchers compile world’s first “atlas” of airborne microbes that provides an important new perspective for public health research

Bacteria are truly abundant across the Earth’s surface, from the soil to the oceans. The microbial population of the air that surrounds us is comparatively unknown, but a research expedition led by PolyU scientists is about to change that. After nearly a decade of effort, they have compiled a comprehensive map of the world’s airborne microbes, providing fresh insights into how these species interact with the surface environment – as well as their likely future changes. A cubic metre of “empty” air contains 10,000 bacteria or more, and interest in the role of air as a habitat – not merely a conduit – for microbes has grown enormously since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In collaboration with researchers on the mainland and the US, the PolyU-led team spent around a year sampling airborne microbes across the world, from ground level to mountaintops. Combining their own results with the most accurate global data collected in past studies, they and their research partners compiled the first ever atlas of the global airborne microbiome. The atlas provides a wealth of insights into the microbial communities floating above the ground. There is no doubt that the air is a unique harbour of bacterial life. Genetic analysis by the team showed that the core communities – the handful of species that form an outsized proportion of the microbe population – were not the same in the air as those in marine or soil ecosystems. In fact, even though the air is a free-flowing medium with seemingly no internal boundaries, these core bacterial communities are distinctly localised and stable. The research team analysed the bacterial communities of 370 individual air particulate samples collected from 63 sites around the world, ranging from those at ground level (1.5 – 2 m high) to rooftops (5 – 25 m high) and high mountains (5,238 m asl), as well as from densely populated urban centres to the Arctic Circle, for a more diverse coverage in terms of altitudes and geographic regions. Prof. Xiang-dong LI, Chair Professor of Environmental Science and Technology and Dean of Faculty of Construction and Environment of PolyU who led the research team, said, “We have verified that human activities have certainly changed the structure of microbiomes in the natural ambient air, particularly with a higher abundance of pathogenic bacteria in urban air. Having experienced the pandemic for three years, people now pay more attention to this invisible but influential microbial community. The research outcomes could be served as a critical reference for predicting planetary microbiome responses and the health impacts of inhalable microbiomes with future environmental changes.” The researchers estimate that the total number of microbes occupying the sea or soil is thousands of times larger than those in the air. Nonetheless, the aerial diversity of microbes – known as “richness” – is just as high. This suggests that surface habitats directly contribute microbes to the air. Overturning previous assumptions, vegetation is not the main terrestrial source of airborne bacteria, and the Earth’s vast tracts of soil provide very small fraction. The crashing of waves, the shaking of leaves, and even frequent activities and constant respiration of animals and humans are bigger drivers of bacterial exchange between the surface and the air. Macroscopic life, notably animals and plants, is most diverse in equatorial regions (consider, for example, warm and wet rainforests), and its diversity decreases closer to the poles. For microbes, the picture is more interesting – moving from the equator, diversity maximises at mid-latitudes before falling away again. This pattern was well established for terrestrial and aquatic microorganisms, but the new atlas confirms that it applies to the airborne microbiome, too. The authors surmise that the “bump” in diversity at mid-latitudes is caused by stronger sources of microbial input to those regions. Overall, the researchers estimate that half of airborne bacteria originate from ground sources. Urban air has especially high rates of human-associated bacteria – some harmless, others pathogenic. Direct transfer of germs from people to air is not our only effect on the airborne microbial world. Broad-scale activities such as industrialisation disrupt natural environments and impact air quality. This weakens the environment’s “filter” effect on microbial structure, making the composition of airborne bacteria more affected by random processes – although weather still plays an important role too. The close relationship between modern human activities and the microbes around us underscores the need to predict future changes accurately. The inhalable infectious bacteria that proliferate in cities are particularly of concern considering rapid urbanisation and our growing understanding of airborne contagion, spurred by COVID-19 research. Climate change is another impetus, given the marked effect of temperature on microbial richness, as revealed by the atlas. Hence, the study provides an invaluable resource and an important new perspective for future public health research. The PolyU team collaborated with Prof. James M. TIEDJE, University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University and scientists from mainland China in the study. The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2204465119), a peer-reviewed journal of the USA National Academy of Sciences.   *****END*****

SHKP and PolyU sign MoUs on Building Innovation & Technology Research Projects and Scholarship Programme More partnerships between the industry, academic and research sectors to advance green building technologies and Hong Kong’s smart city development

Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited (SHKP) and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today signed two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) on SHKP x PolyU Building Innovation & Technology Research Projects and the SHKP x PolyU Building Homes with Heart Scholarship Programme. The collaboration echoes President Xi Jinping’s earlier call for Hong Kong to ‘strengthen the collaborative development of enterprises, universities and research institutions, and to develop into a global scientific and technological innovation hub’. SHKP and PolyU will join hands on three research projects: green application: developing a smart, efficient and flexible energy management system; green building materials; and green construction processes. The teams will explore how to translate research into applications to help Hong Kong develop into a smart and carbon-neutral city. SHKP will also launch the SHKP x PolyU Building Homes with Heart Scholarship Programme to support 56 outstanding students to pursue studies in construction, real estate and engineering-related disciplines at PolyU. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Paul Chan, Financial Secretary of the HKSAR; Zhang Zhihua, Director General of the Youth Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR; Dr. Lam Tai-fai, PolyU Council Chairman; Professor Wong Wing-tak, PolyU Acting President; Raymond Kwok, SHKP Chairman and Managing Director; and Adam Kwok, SHKP Executive Director. The MoU on SHKP x PolyU Building Innovation & Technology Research Projects was signed by Eric Tung, SHKP Executive Director, and Professor Christopher Chao, PolyU Vice President (Research and Innovation). Eric Tung also signed the MoU for the SHKP x PolyU Building Homes with Heart Scholarship Programme with Professor Ben Young, PolyU Vice President (Student and Global Affairs). Details of the research projects and the scholarship programme are at Annex. Guest of honour Financial Secretary Paul Chan said: “We expect the construction volume in Hong Kong will increase to about HK$300,000 million per year. Such a huge volume of projects will provide exceptional development opportunities for the construction industry. Nevertheless, the industry will also face various challenges and need to find ways to, for example, deal with labour shortages, have a better control of construction costs, optimize the management process, further improve construction safety and reduce carbon emissions to contribute to society as a whole. Innovation and technology is a key to addressing these challenges. The application of academic research outcomes will allow the construction industry to increase their use of innovative technologies, which would be of enormous benefit.” SHKP Chairman and Managing Director Raymond Kwok noted that the Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China highlighted the importance of ‘talent as our primary resource, and innovation as our primary driver of growth’. Recently when Chief Executive John Lee delivered his Policy Address, he also clearly pointed out that innovation and technology (I&T) will be a key impetus for Hong Kong's high-quality economic development, and that it is essential to commercialize research results through collaboration between the industry, academic and research sectors. Raymond Kwok said: “We hope to leverage PolyU’s strengths in academic research and our extensive practical experience to promote innovation and technology research in the construction industry. The National 14th Five-Year Plan laid out plans to achieve ‘peak carbon and carbon neutrality’. Our initiative will help Hong Kong become a green, low-carbon international I&T hub.” He added that SHKP also places great emphasis on talent development, and that it is important to remember that ‘Hong Kong will prosper only if its young people thrive; that Hong Kong will develop only if its young people achieve well-rounded development; and that Hong Kong will have a bright future only if its young people have good career prospects’. The SHKP x PolyU Building Homes with Heart Scholarship Programme aims to support promising PolyU students with limited means to study construction, real estate and engineering-related disciplines. He hailed PolyU as a cradle for cultivating talent for Hong Kong’s construction industry, adding its graduates have contributed a lot to the development of both the industry and the city. He noted a number of PolyU graduates have joined SHKP and supported the development of its premium properties and hoped PolyU students will continue to help advance the development of building technologies. PolyU Acting President Wong Wing-tak said: “PolyU attaches great importance to transforming research into practical applications. We are delighted to collaborate with Sun Hung Kai Properties, one of the largest property developers in Hong Kong, to leverage their experience in developing high-quality property projects. By combining PolyU’s outstanding scientific research achievements in developing innovative technologies including smart energy systems, green building materials, decentralized construction process, etc. with Sun Kung Kai Properties’ expertise, we strive to achieve the three goals of carbon reduction, energy savings and digitalization to reduce emissions and improve efficiency on SHKP’s buildings.” Professor Wong expressed his thanks to SHKP-Kwoks’ Foundation for its support to PolyU in setting up a scholarship scheme to help outstanding students with financial difficulties, and believed that this collaboration will not only promote the advancement of new green technologies, but also nurture a new generation of talents who will benefit the entire industry, helping Hong Kong to become carbon neutral and creating a sustainable future for wider society.” SHKP Executive Director Adam Kwok said: “SHKP and PolyU joined hands in 2005 to optimize the energy-saving performance of ICC through the use of green and smart building technology, which proved to be a great success. Not only has ICC obtained a number of international green building certifications, its LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) platinum score, awarded by the US Green Building Council, is also the highest among commercial buildings in Hong Kong. SHKP is delighted to partner with PolyU again to translate the outcomes of their scientific research into applications, using green applications, green materials and green processes to help Hong Kong achieve net zero and develop into a world-class smart city. The smart energy management system in the Group’s High Speed Rail West Kowloon Terminus Development alone is estimated to be able to reduce 3.6m kg carbon emissions each year, which is equivalent to planting 160,000 trees. SHKP is keen to play a key role in Hong Kong’s transformation, realization and commercialization of building technology research outcomes, and in the nurture of young talent.” Three projects under SHKP x PolyU Building Innovation & Technology Research Projects aim to save energy, reduce carbon emissions and increase efficiency (Video) 1. Green Applications – Full Life Cycle Optimization of Green Smart Building Energy System The research into, and application of, full life cycle smart energy-efficient technology and system solutions by the PolyU team is designed for SHKP’s large-scale integrated complex atop the High Speed Rail West Kowloon Terminus. Capitalizing on renewable energy, construction and energy system flexibility, such as real-time power system flexibility, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), environmental sensors and digital twins, through full life cycle optimization, it aims to realize optimization of power systems and optimized real-time system control. It is estimated that the solution will reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by more than 3.6 million kilograms a year, equivalent to planting 160,000 trees1 , which will also help alleviate Hong Kong’s urban heat island effect. This solution will turn the above integrated complex, with a gross floor area of over three million square feet, into the city’s first large-scale smart energy-efficient green complex with power flexibility and set an example of how high-rise buildings in high-density cities can contribute to carbon neutrality. 2. Green Building Materials CO2 can be injected into fresh concrete through carbon activation technology, which can 1) shorten the curing time of concrete and reduce the overall construction time; 2) enhance the durability of concrete; 3) offset some of the carbon emissions generated by cement manufacturing; and 4) reduce the cement content in concrete. The PolyU team will investigate how to optimize carbon activation technology to inject CO2 into concrete more efficiently, both on construction sites and in off-site prefabricated plants. Currently, about 4.4 billion cubic metres of concrete are produced globally every year. Hong Kong produces about seven million cubic metres of concrete per year. If this innovative carbon capture technology is widely used globally, it would effectively reduce global CO2 emissions by about 75 billion kilograms a year, equivalent to planting 3.2 billion trees per year. Hong Kong can prevent about 119 million kilograms of CO2 emissions from being released into the atmosphere, which is equivalent to planting five million trees per year. The team also hopes that this new carbon capture technology will contribute to the newly launched HKEX Core Climate scheme and prepare Hong Kong to become an international carbon trading hub. 3. Green Processes – Paperless Workflow in the Whole Construction Process Blockchain is an emerging technology, which is transparent, highly secure, digitalized and traceable. SHKP and PolyU will join hands to establish the first-ever blockchain-based platform for the construction industry to enhance Building Information Modelling (BIM). From project design and construction to operation and maintenance, the whole process of property development will be optimized with a paperless workflow. For instance, the platform that contains the BIMs of all projects will record all versions of, and amendments to, the BIMs for the use of all stakeholders. In addition, BIMs constructed via blockchain can facilitate the Government’s implementation of digitalized vetting and approval for the construction industry. It could also further encourage industry players to join the construction of a digital twin of Hong Kong, helping to analyze and optimize the city’s operations and improve city planning and management. SHKP x PolyU Building Homes with Heart Scholarship Programme: an industry leader in talent development Jointly launched by the SHKP-Kwoks' Foundation and PolyU, the Building Homes with Heart Scholarship Programme will support 56 PolyU students to pursue studies in construction, real estate or engineering-related disciplines. Priority will be given to promising but financially disadvantaged students.   1. According to the Guidelines to Account for and Report on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals for Buildings (Commercial, Residential or Institutional Purposes) in Hong Kong, issued by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department and the Environmental Protection Department, each tree absorbs roughly 23 kg of carbon dioxide each year.   *****End*****

Twelve PolyU academics recognised amongst the world’s most highly cited researchers, the third highest number in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has the third highest number in Hong Kong of the world’s most highly cited researchers this year, with 12 PolyU academics (including two former PolyU members) being recognised in the list of “Highly Cited Researchers 2022” by Clarivate Analytics for their significant research impact, reflected in their publication of multiple papers that have been frequently cited by fellow academics. A total of 6,938 researchers from 69 countries and regions with a diverse range of research fields are named as Highly Cited Researchers in 2022. The list identifies the most influential scholars around the world, determined by the production of multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and year in the Web of Science citation index over the last decade. The inclusion of 12 PolyU academics in the list is a testament to the University’s pursuit of research excellence and commitment to positive societal impact on various fronts. PolyU researchers featured in the list are as follows. One of the researchers has been listed in two categories:   Name Title and Department Category Prof. GUO Song Professor Department of Computing Computer Science Prof. CHAU Kwok-wing Former Professor Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Engineering Prof. ZHANG Lei Chair Professor Department of Computing Engineering Prof. Dan TSANG Professor Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Engineering Environment and Ecology Dr HUANG Bolong Associate Professor Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Cross-Field Prof. LI Gang Professor Department of Electronic and Information Engineering Cross-Field Prof. Kian Ping LOH Chair Professor Department of Applied Physics Cross-Field Prof. SHEN Liyin Former Professor Department of Building and Real Estate Cross-Field Prof. YAN Feng Professor Department of Applied Physics Cross-Field Dr Iris YU Ka-ming Research Assistant Professor Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Cross-Field Dr ZHANG Xiao Assistant Professor Department of Mechanical Engineering Cross-Field Dr ZHAO Xin Associate Professor Department of Biomedical Engineering Cross-Field   *****END*****

“Belt and Road Advanced Professional Development Programme in Power and Energy” attracted record attendance

The Hongkong Electric Company, Limited (HK Electric); State Grid Corporation of China (State Grid); The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU) have co-organised the “Belt and Road Advanced Professional Development Programme in Power and Energy” (the Programme) for the fifth consecutive year. A total of 319 energy professionals from 26 countries/regions completed the training programme this year, a record high in the number of participants. The theme for this year was “High-quality, Sustainable, Resilient Power Grid for Green and Smart Living”, which urged action on sustainable development to create better living. A total of 10 webinars and talks were held during the 5-day training. More than 300 participants across the power industry, including senior executives from Government agencies, energy companies, academics and researchers from Belt and Road countries joined the programme. Addressing the Closing Ceremony, Mr WAN Chi-tin, Managing Director of HK Electric said, “With the outbreak of the COVID-19, Hong Kong like any other country or region, faced enormous challenges. In 2021, thanks to our extraordinary resilience, we managed to achieve a supply reliability rating in excess of 99.9999% for the second consecutive year. This translates to a power interruption of less than half a minute on average for our customers during the year. This serves as another record for our business and a truly exceptional performance in our industry.” Mr LI Ming, State Grid’s Director of International Cooperation Department said, “During the past five years, under the collaborative efforts of all parties, the programme has become a success with energy and innovation. State Grid is open minded about sharing the practices and benefits in promoting energy transition and building a power system based on new energy. With the success of the programme, we wish that we can continue to work together in tackling the two major challenges of energy security and energy transition, and move towards a brighter and greener future.” Mr LIU Yunhou, President of State Grid’s China Technology College, also remarked, “Not only has the number of participants reached a record high this year, but the theme is popular, covering the current situation and future development of energy industry. We sincerely wish the collaboration among the four parties will continue to flourish in the years to come. Professor H.C. MAN, Dean of Faculty of Engineering of PolyU, said, “PolyU is committed to offering education, research innovation and knowledge transfer to meet societal needs. In line with the strategic development of carbon neutrality and green energy in China and the world, PolyU has been actively conducting and promoting researches in these aspects in recent years. The Belt and Road Development Programme provides an important platform for researchers and senior management talents in the region to have in-depth exchanges and discussions on green energy and energy management issues. Over the past 5 years, we have built up connections with hundreds of professionals in the Belt and Road region. We look forward to fostering further collaborations with them to tackle the energy challenges for the benefit of mankind.” Professor GUAN Xiaohong, Academician of Chinese Academy of Science and Dean of Faculty of Electronic and Information Engineering of XJTU, said, “We are delighted that the programme has continued to attract more participants in the Belt and Road regions. These activities have not only enhanced mutual understanding and technical exchanges, but also further deepened the collaborations amongst electricity supply companies, universities, and research institutions. We sincerely hope this event can continue to flourish, keep offering updated discoveries, experiences, and outcomes, benefitting practitioners in energy and power industry.” Since the programme commenced in 2018, it has attracted nearly 800 professionals, providing more than 10,000 hours of exchanges, both online and offline training, as well as field trips over the past five years. The four parties will continue to organise activities in the coming future with diverse themes to contribute to the development of the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as promoting the experience and knowledge exchanges among senior management executives in power and energy-related fields.   *****END*****

Chinachem Group and PolyU join hands to foster industry-academic collaboration for the sustainable future of the Greater Bay Area

Chinachem Group (Chinachem) and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen research collaboration among industry, academia and research organisations to drive innovative solutions for sustainable development of the Greater Bay Area (GBA).

PolyU launches “85th Anniversary Interview Series” - Dr Liza Wang speaks to former Council Chairmen and Presidents

In celebration of the 85th Anniversary of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), the University is pleased to present a series of short videos featuring interviews with five former Council Chairmen and Presidents of PolyU, sharing their contributions, achievements and experiences in driving the University forward. The “85th Anniversary Interview Series” will take viewers on a journey exploring how PolyU has evolved over the decades and turned into a world-leading university. Starting today, the series of video interviews will be rolled out over four consecutive weeks on various PolyU social media platforms on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and five weeks on WeChat. Please click here to watch the videos. PolyU is highly honoured to have invited renowned artist Dr Liza Wang Ming-chun, a PolyU University Fellow and Artist-in-Residence, to conduct the series of interviews. The interview series will include: Prof. Poon Chung-kwong (1991-2008: PolyU President) Dr Sir Gordon Wu Ying-sheung (1997-2003: PolyU Council Chairman ) Dr the Hon. Victor Lo Chung-wing (2004-2009: PolyU Council Chairman) Dr Marjorie Yang (2010-2015: PolyU Council Chairman) Prof. Timothy W. Tong (2009-2018: PolyU President) The interviews capture the important developments and milestones of PolyU, as well as provide some thoughts and insights into the future development of the University. Over the years, PolyU has grown into one of the top 100 universities in the world, making remarkable contributions to society through world-class education and research and the nurturing of talents in different fields. *****End*****

PolyU and SenseTime Collaborate on Metaverse Research

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and SenseTime Group Limited (SenseTime) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for collaboration on research and development related to metaverse technologies and autonomous driving applications. The collaboration between PolyU and SenseTime aims to translate their joint research outcomes into applications to improve people’s daily lives. There are two research focuses under this collaboration: metaverse-related imaging technologies and solutions for different applications such as education, art and tourism; and high-performance collaborative edge computing enabling autonomous driving applications. PolyU has leveraged its interdisciplinary research and innovation capabilities and teamed up with leading players in the tech industry to meet the needs of scientific advancement and social development. SenseTime is a leading global company with a mission of advancing the interconnection of the physical and digital worlds with artificial intelligence, as well as driving sustainable productivity growth and seamless interactive experiences. With this partnership, PolyU harnesses its academic and research expertise to promote metaverse and AI technologies to bring benefits to business and society. Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, said, “The signing of this MoU between PolyU and SenseTime signifies the determination of the two parties to work together to strengthen their research and development capabilities in AI-related technologies. PolyU will continue to leverage its scientific research advantages, actively collaborate with industry, and transform cutting-edge technologies into practical applications in order to promote social advancement and contribute to building Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology hub.” Dr XU Li, Executive Chairman of the Board and CEO of SenseTime, said, “As a home-grown AI company in Hong Kong, SenseTime is committed to nurturing young talents through university collaborations with an innovative spirit. We are excited to join hands with PolyU to expand AI applications and collaboration in intelligent automobile, vehicle-road synergy, digital world, as well as AI talent recruitment and internships, thus facilitating technology ecosystem development in Hong Kong.” The Colour, Imaging and Metaverse Research Centre of PolyU, led by Dr WEI Minchen Tommy is responsible for this collaboration. As a pioneer in exploiting the potential of the metaverse for different applications, the Centre was established to conduct high-impact fundamental research and develop system algorithms and solutions. SenseTime is a leading AI software company, focused on creating a better AI-empowered future through innovation. Its technologies are applied in many industry verticals including Smart Business, Smart City, Smart Life and Smart Auto.   ***End***

PolyU and HKSI enhance admission and flexible learning support to foster dual career pathways for elite athletes

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the Elite Athletes Study Programme to enhance a joint programme concerning admission and flexible learning arrangements for elite athletes, enabling them to receive full-time athlete training while continuing to pursue their university studies. The ceremony was witnessed by Mr Eric CHAN Kwok-ki, Chief Secretary for Administration; Miss Alice MAK Mei-kuen, Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs; and Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU and Chairman of HKSI. The MOU was signed by Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU and Dr Trisha LEAHY, Chief Executive of HKSI. Prof. Jin-Guang Teng said, “PolyU has always been supportive of nurturing elite Hong Kong athletes, and hopefully the two parties will continue to work together to further enhance the Elite Athletes Study Programme”. He added, “Since five years ago, PolyU and HKSI started to collaborate on the Elite Athletes Study Programme to further strengthen support for athletes. Since then, a total of 17 elite athletes have been admitted to PolyU to pursue their studies in various subjects including health and social sciences, business, engineering, humanities, science, and hotel and tourism management, etc.” Dr Trisha Leahy said she was thankful to PolyU for its continued support of the betterment of dual-career development for elite athletes. She said, “To sustain the local development of elite sports, the HKSI has attached great importance to the whole-person development of elite athletes, in addition to high-performance training, with an aim to attract more gifted young persons to join the elite athlete family. With more academic opportunities offered under the MOU, elite athletes will be enabled to keep striving for sports excellence while pursuing their tertiary education simultaneously.” Through this collaboration, the HKSI will nominate qualified elite athletes to study full-time undergraduate programmes at PolyU. The collaboration allows nominated athletes to have flexibility in their studies by extending the required study period, which is particularly crucial to athletes who need to attend intensive training courses. PolyU will also provide individual mentorship services to support athletes in areas ranging from academic studies to campus life adjustment. Under the enhanced arrangement, the number of nominations of full-time athletes will be raised from 20 to 30 per academic year and be made by two rounds per year. As an encouragement, PolyU will offer a scholarship to all eligible student athletes. The ceremony was also attended by a number of current PolyU elite athletes who were admitted under the Student-Athlete Learning Support and Admission Scheme (SALSA). They shared their experiences in balancing both athlete training and academic studies. Swimmer Miss Tinky HO Nam Wai, who represented Hong Kong to compete in the 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, is currently studying Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Scheme in English and Applied Linguistics. She said, “I generally spend an average of three to four weeks in overseas training or competitions per semester. The flexible study arrangement of the programme allows me to concentrate on training.” Epee fencer Miss Kim KWAN Yee Man, who won the bronze medal in the Women’s Epee Team at the U23 Asian Fencing Championships in October, is currently studying Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Physiotherapy. She said, “Balancing studies and sports training could be challenging, but PolyU professors provide me with individual mentorship on my studies, allowing me to keep up with the learning progress in the tight training schedule.” Squash player Miss TAM Mariko Cho Nga, is currently studying Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Medical Laboratory Science. She believes that PolyU provides robust support to full-time athletes, graduates are eligible for professional qualifications after completing the studies, which can broaden the professional development in the future. Targeting to attract more sporting talents to devote themselves to full-time training, the HKSI has established the Elite Athlete-friendly School Network in 2014 and the Partnership School Programme in 2015, working with local universities for supporting athletes on their dual career pathway in their sporting life.   *****End*****

PolyU’s School of Accounting and Finance launches its first Fintech Adoption Index Survey

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s (PolyU) School of Accounting and Finance, in collaboration with AI investment trading start-up Asklora, has released the inaugural PolyU-Asklora Fintech Adoption Index (FAI), which is the first locally developed index to measure Hong Kong consumers’ fintech adoption and impact. The FAI surveyed over 1,000 Hong Kong residents in regard to their adoption of key fintech applications including virtual banking, mobile payments, online brokerage, digital insurance and cryptocurrency. The survey found online stock brokerage has the second-highest adoption rate among all the fintech applications but ranked second-lowest in terms of active usage rate. Conversely, digital insurance has the second-lowest adoption rate while scoring second-highest in active usage. The research also found that users of virtual banking services had a higher overall adoption rate of all kinds of fintech applications. For instance, 77% of them were users of online brokerage services. The PolyU-Asklora project is led by Dr Jingran ZHAO, Associate Professor of the School of Accounting and Finance, Mr Jack POON, Professor of Practice from the same school and Mr Stephen Joon CHOI, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Asklora.　Overall, the FAI was measured at 55, which captures both the proportion of respondents adopting fintech products and the spectrum of fintech services they adopted, with 51% of respondents identified as active fintech users. Furthermore, 85% of respondents reported being satisfied with their fintech solutions experience, while security was cited as their biggest concern. Dr Jingran Zhao said, “The FAI survey results show that Hong Kong residents are keen to adopt fintech products, but fintech companies still have more work to do to convert these new users to active users by, for example, improving the security of their products.” Mr Jack Poon also remarked, “It takes two to tango. Financial institutions’ fintech offerings, which is the supply-side, does not translate into true adoption until consumers use and benefit from the offering. The FAI measures demand-side adoption by surveying consumers. Understanding the consumer’s adoption friction is an essential step to broadening financial inclusion in Hong Kong.” The FAI is a long-term research project to measure the evolution of Hong Kong fintech adoption through different events and market conditions, and will be released on a quarterly basis. The next release will be in December with an expanded scope and more participants achieved through online and offline surveys. For more information on the PolyU-Asklora FAI, please visit https://www.polyufai.org.   *****END*****