Media Releases

PolyU wins big with 18 Prizes in Geneva Inventions Expo

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) was among the big winners in the Hong Kong delegation this year at the 47th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva (Geneva Inventions Expo), the exhibition regarded as the most important specialist event of its kind in the world. Among the nine Grand Awards Hong Kong delegation took home, PolyU was awarded four of them. PolyU garnered 18 awards altogether, including four Grand Awards, two Gold Medals with the Congratulations of Jury, three Gold Medals, two Silver Medals, and seven Special Merit Awards. "PolyU's researchers exhibit remarkable expertise and competence in scientific research and technological development. Of the seven projects we presented in the Geneva Inventions Expo in Switzerland, most of them earned multiple prizes. The awards recognise projects that stand out for their innovative approaches. PolyU constantly pushes the boundaries of technological innovation with a view to bringing positive impact to our community and making people's lives more fulfilling," said Dr Miranda LOU, Executive Vice President of PolyU. The winning projects of PolyU cover a variety of applications, ranging from healthcare, wearable energy sources, green living, smart city, to manufacturing spectrum in textile and precise polishing, showcasing the University's distinguished capabilities and accomplishments in innovation and technology. The seven projects are (project details in Appendix): Project  Principal Investigator Awards  WiseEye: AI-based Textile Material Inspection System Professor Calvin WONG Wai-keung, Institute of Textiles and Clothing 2 Grand Awards (Prize of the Italian Delegation of the Exhibition; Prize of the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca of Romania) Gold Medal with the Congratulations of Jury Special Merit Award WiseEye: AI-based Textile Material Inspection System [Principal Investigator: Professor Calvin WONG Wai-keung, Institute of Textiles and Clothing] The innovation wins four prizes at the 47th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zg5OBsySMA     Professor Calvin WONG Wai-keung with WiseEye in real-life operation   Palm-sized 3D Ultrasound Imaging System for Radiation-free Scoliosis Assessment Ir Professor ZHENG Yongping, Department of Biomedical Engineering Grand Award (Prize of the Legal Company "Gorodissky & Partners", Russia) Gold Medal with the Congratulations of Jury Special Merit Award Palm-sized 3D Ultrasound Imaging System for Radiation-free Scoliosis Assessment [Principal Investigator: Ir Professor ZHENG Yongping (3rd from right), Department of Biomedical Engineering] Mobile Exo-neuro-musculo-skeleton for Self-help Post-stroke Upper Limb Rehabilitation Dr HU Xiaoling, Department of Biomedical Engineering Grand Award (Prize of the Polish of Patents Office) Gold Medal Special Merit Award Mobile Exo-neuro-musculo-skeleton for Self-help Post-stroke Upper Limb Rehabilitation [Principal Investigator: Dr HU Xiaoling, Department of Biomedical Engineering] Video: https://youtu.be/IICTvXjyscw       Mobile Exo-neuro-musculo-skeleton         Flexible, Stable, High-energy Textile Lithium Batteries  Professor ZHENG Zijian, Institute of Textiles and Clothing Gold Medal 2 Special Merit Awards Flexible, Stable, High-energy Textile Lithium Batteries [Principal Investigator: Professor ZHENG Zijian (left), Institute of Textiles and Clothing] Indirect Evaporative Cooler for Efficient Energy Recovery Professor YANG Hongxing, Department of Building Services Engineering  Gold Medal Indirect Evaporative Cooler for Efficient Energy Recovery [Principal Investigator: Professor YANG Hongxing (right), Department of Building Services Engineering] Curvature-adaptive Multi-jet Freeform Polishing System for Precision Manufacturing Ir Professor Benny CHEUNG Chi-fai, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Silver Medal 2 Special Merit Awards Curvature-adaptive Multi-jet Freeform Polishing System for Precision Manufacturing [Principal Investigator: Ir Professor Benny CHEUNG Chi-fai (3rd from left), Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering] An Industrial IoT-based Smart Robotic Logistics Management System Dr Carman LEE Ka-man, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering  Silver Medal An Industrial IoT-based Smart Robotic Logistics Management System [Principal Investigator: Dr Carman LEE Ka-man (left), Department of Industrial and Systems] Video: https://youtu.be/1-o6tBhEHOU     Mobile robot controlled by advanced intelligent robotic algorithms   The 47th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, held from 10 to 14 April, has attracted over 800 exhibitors from more than 40 countries/regions. It was organized under the patronage of the Swiss Federal Government, the State and the City of Geneva as well as the World Intellectual Property Organization. For details, please visit the event organizer's official website:-  www.inventions-geneva.ch  

PolyU and Hebei Province sign agreement to advance exchanges, talent nurturing and technology development

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Hebei Province entered into an agreement today to establish a long-term province-institution collaboration mechanism. Under the agreement, both parties will proactively enhance their cooperation in talent nurturing, knowledge exchanges, sharing best practices in teaching, student internship, as well as advancing science and technology research and the development of related industries. Dr XU Qin, Mayor of Hebei Province, led a 15-member delegation of the Hebei Provincial Government to attend the agreement signing ceremony on PolyU campus. Together with senior management members of PolyU, they witnessed the agreement signing by Professor Philip C. H. CHAN, Interim President of PolyU, Dr YANG Yong, Director of Education Department of Hebei Province, and Mr ZHANG Yongqiang, Deputy Director of Science and Technology Department of Hebei Province. Addressing the signing ceremony, Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU, said "Hong Kong has been integrating into the rapid development of the Nation. Under the mega national development plan, the collaborations between Hong Kong and other provinces, cities, as well as universities in the Mainland will achieve win-win situations in strengthening innovative research and talent cultivation by leveraging each other's strengths." He pointed out that PolyU is a global pioneer in a number of advanced technology research areas. PolyU has cooperated with Hebei institutions in promoting academic exchanges since 2012. PolyU can further contribute its expertise to support the Hebei Province's efforts in developing the Xiong'an New District into an international city of high-tech industries. The further collaboration can help PolyU turn its research results into applications, while supporting the transforming and upgrading of enterprises in Hebei. Mayor Xu said, "Hebei Province is in the historical period of opportunities". While making the steel industry, logistics and cultural tourism central to the provincial development, Hebei has a large-scale advancement in science and technology industries in recent years. "We highly value the cooperation with PolyU and look forward to promoting the development of education, and technology research with the University." A PolyU alumnus, graduated from the University's Business Administration Doctoral Programme in 2004, Mayor Xu has extensive experience in promoting advanced technologies. Under the agreement, Hebei Province will support PolyU to translate its scientific research achievements into applications in Hebei through offering funding, strengthening connections and encouraging enterprises to participate in projects, etc, while PolyU will offer high-end technologies and talent supply to support Hebei in developing its innovation capabilities. Both parties will cooperate in the development of science, technology and related industries, in particular for advanced engineering materials, food safety, bioengineering technologies, etc. PolyU will work on collaborating with the enterprises, universities and research institutes in Hebei to establish innovation platforms for sharing large-scale research equipment and jointly undertaking the Nation's major science and technology projects. Both parties will also collaborate in nurturing talents and facilitating exchanges. Hebei Province will designate outstanding personnel from institutions, enterprises and science and technology units to study at PolyU, so as to nurture high quality management talents and technology teams in innovation for the province. The provincial government will also help PolyU to establish bases in Hebei for teaching and student internships. PolyU students can participate in the winter camp in Hebei and serve their internships in the Xiong'an New District. Reciprocally, PolyU will send delegations of experts and scholars for study tours to offer consulting services and training in Hebei.

PolyU hosts the first-of-its-kind international Marine Robotics Forum in HK • Exploring disruptive robotic technologies to be deployed under the seas

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today organised The 1st International Forum on Marine Robotics for international and local experts to share insights on how to advance marine robotic technology and its applications in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA). This is one of the major events initiated by PolyU to foster closer collaborations and explore innovative technologies with top-notch universities and institutes around the world through forming strategic research and development alliances.  In his welcome remarks, Professor Ping-kong Alexander WAI, Vice President (Research Development) of PolyU, said, "We are very pleased to work with robotics experts from different places to collaborate in the research, development, and deployment of marine robotics so that we can innovate ground-breaking applications of robotic systems to explore oceans in a new way." Experts speaking at the Forum included Dr. Ravi VAIDYANATHAN, Senior Lecturer in Bio-Mechatronics, Director of International Collaboration, Imperial Robotics Forum, Imperial College London, UK; Dr Ahmed CHEMORI, Senior Scientist in LIRMM-CNRS University of Montpellier, France; Proessor Shuo LI, Deputy Director of Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences; and Professor David M LANE, Professor of Autonomous Systems Engineering, Director of Edinburgh Centre for Robotics, Heriot-Watt University, The University of Edinburgh. They shared themes that covered bio-mechatronic sensory motor control, autonomous underwater vehicles, marine robotics for deep-sea exploration and operation. The professionals exchanged valuable views and experiences on marine robotics technologies. Dr Xing-jian JING, Associate Professor of PolyU's Department of Mechanical Engineering and a seasoned researcher on bio-inspired dynamics, control and robotics, highlighted that, "Technologies related to underwater exploration and manipulation as well as new bio-inspired underwater robots would be two important areas to be explored in marine robotics. These key marine robotic technologies are important to ocean exploration and exploitation. They also contribute enormously in environmental and pollution study, critical underwater infrastructure inspection, natural resource exploration, and sensing and mapping of ocean for specific tasks and missions". Professor Hau-chung MAN, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, PolyU, said, "PolyU is committed to conducting impactful research and promoting knowledge transfer. While we are situated in a coastal city like Hong Kong, we can leverage our geographical advantage as we conduct research on ocean exploration. Capitalising on our solid network with leading researchers in the world, we strive to pioneer in developing marine robotic technologies and deliver global results". PolyU signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ICL and SIA last month respectively. The two MoUs reinforce the partnership between PolyU and the top research institutions of related areas and firmly declare the intentions of advancing joint research, particularly in the areas of innovative robotics technologies in relation to ocean exploration as well as ocean exploitation for scientific research and civilian applications.  Committed to supporting the HKSAR Government's InnoHK initiative in developing Hong Kong as the hub for global research collaborations, PolyU has submitted a proposal to the HKSAR Government under the AIR@InnoHK research cluster initiative for setting up an international joint research centre with top-notch research institutes on marine robotics.  PolyU also plans to launch a series of events on this emerging research area, targeting to explore and promote high impact maritime robotic applications in various industries, bringing extensive benefits to the society.

Belt and Road Advanced Professionals graduated from University-Industry Collaborated Programme of PolyU-XJTU Silk Road International School of Engineering

Senior professionals from 12 countries/regions have benefited from the Belt and Road Advanced Professional Development Programme in Power and Energy run by The Silk Road International School of Engineering (SRISE) for the second consecutive year. The graduation ceremony for the 25 participants staged today on The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) campus was officiated by Mr Matthew CHEUNG Kin-chung, Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The three-year Programme run by SRISE — a joint establishment of PolyU and Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU) — in partnership with State Grid Corporation of China (State Grid) and The Hongkong Electric Company, Limited (HK Electric) is the first cross-regional and multi-cultural project of its kind in Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong, and the first university-industry collaboration project of SRISE. Over the past two weeks, the 25 professionals in power and energy sector participated in field-trip studies and exchanges in Xi'an, Jinan and Hong Kong. Newly joining the Programme this year were participants from four nations, namely Brazil, Myanmar, Nigeria and Tanzania. The participants include senior executives from enterprises or government agencies, as well as veteran academics and researchers. Other officiating guests at the graduation ceremony today were: Dr Lawrence LI Kwok-chang, Deputy Council Chairman of PolyU; Professor XI Guang, Vice President, Xi'an Jiaotong University; Mr SU Qingmin, Director, Management Centre of Education Affairs, State Grid of China Technology College; and Mr WAN Chi-tin, Managing Director of HK Electric. Mr LIU Zhiming, Deputy Inspector, Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs, Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR,as well as a number of Consulate Generals or representatives from the Belt and Road region, including Malaysia, Russia and Tanzania, were also present. Addressing the ceremony, Mr Matthew CHEUNG Kin-chung, Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR, said, "Embedded with 'five areas of connectivity', namely policy co-ordination, financial integration, unimpeded trade, facilities connectivity and people-to-people bonds, the Belt and Road Initiative provides new impetus not only to the global economy, but also sustainable development. I believe that as part of PolyU's Belt and Road Strategic Platform, this Programme echoes well with one of the key focuses of the Initiative on the establishment of energy partnerships. Hong Kong has a unique role to play in this vision. The strengths of Hong Kong's energy sector in system operation, manpower development and project financing are most pertinent." Dr Lawrence LI Kwok-chang, Deputy Council Chairman of PolyU, said, "The Belt and Road Initiative is a powerful engine that not only provides numerous opportunities of development, but also creates a huge demand for professional talents. Obviously, engineers are highly sought after. As PolyU excels in the engineering discipline, we are keen to capitalize on our strengths to support the training of engineers from Chinese Mainland as well as the Belt and Road countries……We need partners in order to do a good job. We are therefore very honoured to have partners from the higher education sector and industry in both Chinese Mainland and Hong Kong to run this professional development programme." Professor XI Guang, Vice President, Xi'an Jiaotong University, said, "Through this Programme, we hope to strengthen the cooperation in technology spectrum among Belt and Road countries/regions, and to introduce a new model for university-enterprise and university-community collaboration. We also aim to implement the work plans under the University Alliance of the Silk Road framework, so as to contribute towards nurturing elite talents with global vision." Mr SU Qingmin, Director, Management Centre of Education Affairs, State Grid of China Technology College, said, "The first workshop run jointly by XJTU, PolyU, HK Electric and State Grid Technology College in April last year has received very good feedback. This year, with great enthusiasm, the four partners have meticulously planned a series of technological lectures, field trips and cultural exchange events in Xi'an, Jinan and Hong Kong. State Grid Technology College has been responsible for the 4-day activities in Jinan. We are very proud to have such opportunity to share with backbone members and elites from the industry, universities and government sector."    Mr WAN Chi-tin, Managing Director of HK Electric said the company has been providing safe and reliable power supply for Hong Kong with a world-class reliability record of over 99.999% for 22 years consecutively. "As Hong Kong is taking steps to become a Smart City, we are keen to enable our customers to use energy smartly. That is why we are investing in infrastructure that promotes the widespread adoption of information and communication technologies.  And in line with the Government's Smart City initiatives, we plan to roll out smart meters for most of our customers over the next 7 years. Through this workshop, we are happy to share with our visitors our unique experiences, " he said. This year's Programme focused on "Ultra High Voltage, Smart Grid and Electricity Infrastructure for Resilient City". The participants had field-trip study at the State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment in Xi'an, as well as various practical training facilities of State Grid in Jinan. In Hong Kong, they visited the System Control Centre and Lamma Power Station of HK Electric, and have exchanges with PolyU academia on Artificial Intelligence for Electricity Supply. The 11-day Programme enabled them to learn about cutting-edge technologies, modern management system and advanced design of the cities' special power supply facilities, and to gain practical knowledge and experiences from veteran academics and professionals from PolyU, XJTU, State Grid and HK Electric.

PolyU develops unique electrostatically charged nanofiber with enhanced performance in filtering airborne pollutants and viruses

The Department of Mechanical Engineering of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has recently developed an electrostatically charged nanofiber filter with multiple separator layers, which can capture pollutant particles that are below 100 nm in diameter (covering the most common airborne nano-particles and viruses). The novel nanofiber filter demonstrates better performance in terms of breathability, filtration efficiency (10% higher than the conventional electret microfiber filter), and shelf life (up to 90 days). Nano-aerosols of 100 nm and below in diameter exist everywhere in urban environments, and by virtue of their small sizes, can be easily inhaled into human bodies. Most airborne viruses, from influenza to epidemic viruses like Swine Flu or SARS, are also in the size range of 100 nm. It remains a challenging mission for scientists to develop user-friendly air filter or mask for effective capture of nano-particles and to protect people from harmful airborne contaminants and viruses that may affect health. The team led by Ir. Professor Wallace Leung Woon-Fong, Chair Professor of Innovative Products and Technologies, used and tested polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a semi-crystalline thermoplastic commonly used as insulation on electrical wires, to fabricate nanofiber filters. Applying innovative technology in Corona Discharge, the team imparted electrostatic charges onto PVDF nanofiber, to induce electrical interaction with aerosols in close distance and capture the aerosols efficiently. Comparing with other filters made with charged microfibers or uncharged fibers on the market, PolyU’s novel filter have much enhanced filtration efficiency, yet without increasing pressure drop over time (higher pressure drop means a filter facing higher airflow resistance, and thus being less breathable for the mask user or reduced flow rate for a space filter). The PVDF nanofiber has proved to be stably charged, with charging effect staying for almost three months. In prior literatures on charging other nanofibers, the imparted charges usually dissipate within a day. Charged PVDF nanofiber filter In filtration tests for aerosols of various sizes conducted by the PolyU team, the charged PVDF nanofiber filter demonstrated pressure drop of only 5 Pa (Pascal / unit of pressure) and a filtration efficiency of about 54% for the 100 nm particle (i.e. after the air flow through the filter, 54% of the nano-particles of 100 nm in diameter being trapped), compared to 17% of non-charged PVDF nanofiber filter. There was also a 2.7 fold increase in “quality factor” — the ratio of filtration efficiency over pressure drop, or the benefit-to-cost ratio. The higher the quality factor, the better is the filter’s performance taking into account the importance of both filtration and breathability. Professor Leung said as viruses usually carry negative electrostatic charges, they can be captured very effectively by the positively charged PVDF nanofibers. “The filter or face mask applying our innovation would therefore be an ideal defense against virus during an outbreak.” Novel multiple electrostatic separator layers To further strengthen the electrostatic capture performance of the filter, the research team developed the configuration of multiple electrostatic separator layers — distributing the same weight of PVDF nanofibers in a single-layer filter into several filter layers with each layer insulated by a separator, in order to reduce the electrostatic interference among fibers of adjacent layers and increase the filter efficiency by electrostatic force. Filtration tests showed that filtration efficiency of the filters with charged multiple electrostatic separator layers (tests on two, three and four-layer) were 39% to 45% higher than the charged filter without the separator. Quality factor of the filters with charged multiple electrostatic separator layers were 2 to 3.5 times higher than the one without the separator. Stability and durability Charge on filter medium and its related electrostatic effect will dissipate with time. Filter durability test proved that PolyU’s novel electrostatically charged nanofiber filter with multiple separator layers could maintain a persistently high performance for an extended period, and is thus more durable and can store for a longer time. Filtration efficiency tests in humid ambient of 80% relative humidity (Hong Kong’s average annual percentage of humidity is 77.0%) for filters with four electrostatic separator layers (with 1.75 grams of fibers per square meter) showed that the filtration efficiency dropped only marginally after 15 days, and dropped only 1% after 90 days. Potential applications PolyU’s innovation can be widely applied in air filtration, from industrial to personal and household applications. Industrial usage includes dust-free rooms and fossil-fuel power stations. Air filtration can also be used to reduce particulate emission from exhaust of ships and vehicles. Personal and household usage of air filtration includes facemask, air purifier, vacuum cleaner, window filter screen, etc. The electret PVDF nanofiber filter can be used in Western Blot, an analytical technique widely used to detect or extract proteins. In the process, PVDF membrane is often used in transferring proteins separated from the original sample. The PolyU innovation can help greatly enhance the nanofiber mat’s electrostatic force in capturing protein, while maintaining the protein integrity without affecting its organization. The innovation can also be applied to effective release of protein-based drugs. Drugs made in powder form, for example asthma drug, can be captured electrostatically by the charged PVDF nanofiber mat for more effective release and inhalation by users. Other than drugs delivered by inhalation, the innovation can also be applied similarly to drugs for use topically over skin.

Professor Jin-Guang Teng appointed as the next PolyU President

The Council of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today announced the appointment of Professor Jin-Guang Teng, currently a Vice-President, Dean of Graduate School and Chair Professor of Southern University of Science and Technology, as its new President with effect from 1 July 2019. Joining PolyU in 1994, Professor Teng has a long association with the University. The University started the global search for a new President upon confirming that the former President Professor Timothy W. Tong would retire by the end of December 2018. A Search Committee chaired by Council Chairman was formed last February, with representatives from the Council and staff members, and a headhunter has been engaged to support the exercise. After rounds of selection and deliberations, the Search Committee resolved to recommend Professor Teng to be the next PolyU President. Professor Teng today attended two sharing sessions, with colleagues and students respectively, to articulate his vision for the University and to answer their questions. The appointment was approved by the Council at its meeting in the afternoon today. Professor Teng considers the appointment a great honour for him and is well aware of the huge responsibilities of and the demanding expectations for the post. He looks forward to contributing to the University on multiple fronts. He pledges to work closely with various stakeholders of the University to turn its education and research vision into reality. In addition to providing the best holistic education for students and supporting colleagues to realise their potentials, Professor Teng will strive to enhance the academic standing and the impact of PolyU in Hong Kong and the world. He will also ensure that the University will be a world leader for a significant number of disciplines and will develop strong education and research programmes in emerging areas such as robotics and artificial intelligence. Establishing a foothold in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) will be one of the University's focuses. He said, "With the various opportunities brought about by the development of the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong's higher education sector is keen to establish its foothold there. I am committed to making PolyU a key player in this cause, setting examples of how education and research collaborations between institutions of Hong Kong and other GBA cities can best serve the long-term interest of the Area." Born in Wenzhou, China, Professor Teng received his BEng Degree from Zhejiang University in 1983. He pursued further study in Australia and received his PhD Degree from the University of Sydney in 1990. He spent about two years as a visiting PhD student and then a researcher at the University of Edinburgh, UK, from 1989 to 1991. From 1991 to 1994, he served as a Lecturer and then a Senior Lecturer at James Cook University of North Queensland. He joined the then Hong Kong Polytechnic as Lecturer in the Department of Civil and Structural Engineering in October 1994 and rose through the ranks at PolyU to become a Chair Professor in January 2005. He has served in various academic leadership roles at PolyU over the years, including Associate Dean of Faculty of Construction and Land Use (October 2005 – August 2006), Associate Vice President (September 2006 – June 2010), Dean of Faculty of Construction and Land Use/Faculty of Construction and Environment (September 2007 – June 2013) and Director of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (January 2012 – June 2018).   A well-accomplished and distinguished scholar in the field of structural engineering, Professor Teng has authored/co-authored one book and over 210 SCI journal papers. His publications have been widely cited by researchers around the world, and many of his research findings have been adopted by relevant design codes/guidelines in China, Australia, Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States. His outstanding academic achievements have earned him numerous accolades, local and overseas. He was elected in 2017 as Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which is the highest academic title in the field of science and technology in China, Corresponding Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2015, and Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Engineering Sciences in 2013. He won the State Natural Science Award of China (Second Class) in 2013 and Distinguished Young Scholar Award from the National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2004. At PolyU, he was the recipient of The President's Award for Excellent Performance /Achievement (Research and Scholarly Activities) in 2015.     Council Chairman Dr Lam Tai-fai said, "The Council is delighted to have Professor Teng to be PolyU's next President. We are confident that Professor Teng, with his outstanding academic standing, effective leadership and management abilities, and his good understanding of PolyU, the local and the Mainland environments, in particular, the higher education sector, will be able to set a clear and viable vision for PolyU's future development and steer the University to scale new heights."

PolyU stages Intimate Fashion Show 2019

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) showcased the creativity and talents of 12 graduating students at the PolyU Intimate Fashion Show held earlier at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, Kowloon Bay. The 12 collections of three outfits put on show on 20 March were designed and produced by the students majoring in Intimate Apparel and Activewear under the University's Institute of Textiles and Clothing (ITC), with raw materials sponsored by intimate apparel manufacturers and suppliers. The venue of the Show was also provided free by the Interfiliere Hong Kong. Four renowned figures in the design and fashion industry also formed a panel of judges to shortlist six finalists who were awarded the opportunity to showcase the full set of their design collections at the PolyU Fashion Show scheduled in June this year. The panel of judges includes: Ms Jos Berry, Founder and Creative Director of Concept Paris; Ms Mon Leung, Head of Creation of Pioneer Elastic; Mr Walter Ma, renowned fashion designer and Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Fashion Designer Association; and Ms Anne Mok, President of Luen Thai Holdings. Prof. Wing-tak Wong, Dean of Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles, PolyU, expressed his gratitude to the industry for its generous support to the Show which enhanced the diversity of students' learning experience. Prof. Jintu Fan, Chair Professor and Head of ITC, remarked that the students' innovation, talent and passion for intimate apparel and activewear design were manifested in the fashion show. Ms Angie Lau, Chairman of Hong Kong Intimate Apparel Industries' Association and the CEO of Clover Group International Limited, stressed that HKIAIA would continue to support and nurture the younger generation for the continuous development of the industry.

第一屆粵港澳大灣區磁浮列車與先進軌道交通發展研討會 (only Chinese version available)

Only Chinese version available

PolyU Alumni make contributions to the Country PolyU forum in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of China’s Reform and Opening-up

The Faculty of Business at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today hosted a forum on the “Contributions of PolyU Alumni to the Country” to commemorate the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up. The forum was well attended by about 250 PolyU alumni as well as business elites, community leaders, and professionals from different sectors. Officiating at the opening of the forum were Mr JIANG Jianxiang, Deputy Director General, Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs, Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU; and Professor Philip C. H. CHAN, Interim President of PolyU. Sir Gordon WU, former Council Chairman of PolyU cum Co-founder and Chairman of Hopewell Holdings Ltd., shared his insights on “1978-2018 Open Door and Reform – Economic Miracle” in his keynote speech. Addressing at the opening ceremony, Dr Lam Tai-fai said throughout its over eighty-year of history in Hong Kong, PolyU has been the “witness”, “participant” and “beneficiary” of the country’s reform and opening-up. “The advancement of the initiatives for Belt and Road and the Greater Bay Area provides Hong Kong with invaluable opportunities for development. PolyU will continue to capitalise on our expertise and strengths, and complement with our Mainland partners, to work towards meeting the nation’s economic and societal needs.” Mr Jiang Jianxiangsaid the “Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area” promulgated by the Central Government has provided a clear direction about how Hong Kong could continuously participate in the nation’s development. Hong Kong has to consolidate and enhance its status as international financial, shipping and trade centres as well as international aviation hub; promote high value-added development in financial services, business and commerce, logistics and professional services; and robustly develop innovation and technology industry, and emerging industries. “PolyU has leading strengths in many of these spectra. I hope the University will continue to take important roles in this historical opportunity,” said Mr Jiang. With more than 400,000 alumni around the globe, PolyU has nurtured many distinguished leaders in all sectors including various professions, industry, business and community. Since 1997, PolyU has also provided programmes for professionals in the Mainland and have groomed about 10,000 graduates in the Mainland so far. At the forum today, a dozen of PolyU alumni or University Fellows, who are also community and business leaders, shared their experiences of participating in, and contributing towards, China’s developments over the past four decades. In the panel discussions, they deliberated on the implications of China’s reform for the world, the role of Hong Kong, as well as how to grasp the opportunities brought by the national developments and contribute Hong Kong’s edge in professional services. The panel discussion sessions were chaired by Dr Miranda LOU, Executive Vice President of PolyU, and Professor Haitian LU, Associate Dean (External Relations and Development) of PolyU Faculty of Business. The guest panelists included: Ms Fiona CHEUNG Sum-yu, Chairman of Forest Zone Limited Dr Edwin LEE, Founder, CEO and Responsible Officer of Bridgeway Prime Shop Fund Management Limited Ir Dr Hon LO Wai-kwok, Legislative Council Member of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Mr Henry NGAI, CFO of Banyan Tree China Mr Michael ROSS, Vice Chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group Sr Augustine WONG Ho Ming, Executive Director of Henderson Land Development Co. Ltd. Mr Jack CHAN, Managing Partner of Financial Services Greater China at Ernst & Young Dr Jacky CHEUNG, Chairman of Shinhint Group Ms Katie LEE, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of QCURE International Doctors Platform Mr Dickson SZETO, Chairman & CEO of Urban Revitalization Force Mr WAN Yixue, Deputy Director of United Front Work Department of CPC Central Committee (Anhui Province) and Director of Provincial Overseas Chinese Affairs Office Mr WANG Chunlin, Chairman of China League International Group Ltd.   *****END****

PolyU collaborates with RCA, the world’s top institute in Art and Design, To establish an AI powered Design Laboratory

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the Royal College of Art (RCA), United Kingdom, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to confirm their intention to establish the PolyU|RCA Artificial Intelligence Design Laboratory (AIDL). The Laboratory will be the world’s first and leading research facility to advance the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the design of products and service. Targeted to uncover knowledge and techniques related to design and scientific principles, new design process and innovative products, AIDL will address industry demands for efficiency, automation and customising products and services in the innovation and technology era. Its research deliverables will support industries including healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality and retail services. The Hon Mrs Carrie LAM CHENG Yuet-ngor, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) attended the ceremony and witnessed the signing of MOU by Prof Philip C. H. CHAN, Interim President and Provost of PolyU and Dr Paul THOMPSON, Vice-Chancellor of RCA. Also joining the ceremony as witnesses were Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU; Ir Prof Alex WAI, Vice President (Research Development); Dr Miranda Lou, Executive Vice President; Prof Naren BARFIELD, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost of the RCA; Prof Juan Cruz, Dean of the School of Arts and Humanities and Ms. Helen PROTHEROE, Director of Development & Alumni Relations of RCA. Addressing in the ceremony, The Hon Mrs Carrie Lam, said, “The opportunity to witness this marriage of design and AI which belongs to the technology portfolio is extremely gratifying. I am sure that the collaborated team of PolyU and RCA will find in Hong Kong  the appeal of time-tested legal system, robust intellectual property protection, strong financial sector, and the support for commercialisation of R and D results, as well as the distinctive east meets west culture which sparks creative inspiration.” Prof Philip C. H. Chan said, “I am confident that this Laboratory will bring together the strengths of both institutions to lead the world in this new design paradigm, contributing to the innovation and technology development in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.”   “Founded 182 years ago, in response to the first industrial revolution, the Royal College of Art (RCA) today stands at the turn of the fourth revolution. The world will witness breakthroughs across design and technology including artificial intelligence – where art and design will meet.  As the world’s number one art and design university, we have built our capacity to work across disciplines, combining our art and design research expertise with insights from science, technology and engineering. We are delighted to collaborate with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University to bring together unrivalled capabilities,” said Dr Paul Thompson Vice-Chancellor of RCA. PolyU will engage researchers and resources from various disciplines including Department of Applied Mathematics, Department of Computing, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Institute of Textiles and Clothing, Department of Mechanical Engineering and School of Design to work together with RCA on a number of theme-based research. Among them, there will be empirical research in Affective Computing and Social Robots that could recognise and analyse human emotions. Other studies will include Intelligent Fashion Design; Intelligent Textile and Apparel Design and Manufacturing; innovating materials of the future that are extremely light, robust and able to detect human bio-metrics for fashion and wearables; creating automatic systems for ergonomic design and human modelling, and using regenerative approach in product design and material development for sustainability in the circular economy, etc. Committed to supporting the HKSAR Government’s InnoHK initiative in developing Hong Kong as the hub for global research collaborations, the two institutions has just submitted a proposal to the HKSAR Government under the AIR@InnoHK research cluster initiative.   *****END****