Media Releases

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****

PolyU establishes an alliance with eight institutions in the Greater Bay Area to advance research in nursing

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with eight participating universities / institutions in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) to establish The Nursing Alliance of Research and Knowledge Transfer. The initiative aims to strengthen collaboration in nursing research and knowledge transfer among cities of the GBA in response to the national strategy for the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The MoU was signed in Shenzhen in the Mainland by Prof Alex Molasiotis, Chair Professor of Nursing and Head of the School of Nursing, PolyU, and the eight representatives of other institutions, including: Dr Li Yanlian, Vice President, Macao Polytechnic Institute; Prof.Zhou Ying, Associate Dean of the School of Nursing, Guangzhou Medical University; Prof.June Zhang, Associate Dean of the School of Nursing, Sun Yat-Sen University; Prof. Zhang Lili, Dean of the School of Nursing, Southern Medical University; Prof. Chen Weiju, Secretary and Associate Dean of the School of Nursing,Director of the Nursing Department of the First Affiliated Hospital, Jinan University; Ms Mo Beirong, Vice President of the Nanshan District People's Hospital of Shenzhen; Prof. Wang Chunmei, Vice Director of Zhuhai Campus Management Committee, Zunyi Medical University; and Ms Zhang Li, Director of the Nursing Department, The First People's Hospital of Foshan.  "The signing of the MoU heralds a significant milestone in the collaboration in nursing development among Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macau," said Prof David Shum, Dean of Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, PolyU, at the ceremony. In the 3-year collaboration, the Alliance will actively promote nursing research cooperation, enhance the quality of care services, encourage sharing of information, resources, evidence-based nursing practice and research outcomes, as well as facilitate training of nursing personnel. "With our unique position as an international and a core city for driving regional development, Hong Kong and PolyU will grasp the opportunities to advance the discipline of nursing; develop inter-disciplinary, cross-institutional, as well as international collaborative research projects; and promote training and innovative services for the benefit of the people in the GBA, " said Prof Alex Molasiotis. The Alliance was selected as one of the top projects at the 2nd Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GreaterBay Area Health Cooperation Conference held earlier. The honour was received by the representatives from PolyU, Sun Yat-Sen University and The Nanshan District People's Hospital of Shenzhen.

PolyU takes home the Championship of the "Most Supportive Group Award" at Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon for ten years in a row

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today brings home the Championship of the "Most Supportive Group Award" at the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2019 with a team of 3,000 runners, comprising of students, staff and alumni. This has been the tenth consecutive year for PolyU to seize the award since the University made its debut in 2009. Dr LAM Tai-fai, PolyU's Council Chairman, Professor Ben YOUNG, Vice President (Student Affairs), and Professor Alex WAI, Vice President (Research Development),received the trophy on behalf of the University at the Prize Presentation Ceremony held at Victoria Park today. Dr Lam thanked all runners, volunteers and sponsors for their enthusiastic support to the PolyU running team. "I am so delighted to see the perseverance and determination showcased by PolyU runners as well as the concerted efforts we put together to win the Championship of Most Supportive Group year after year," said Professor Young. The below PolyU athletes have won the following prizes this year: Winners Race Award Results Wong Wan-chun Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics, Alumnus Full Marathon Men's Senior 2nd Runner-up 2:29:33 Shuen Chun-kit Department of Building and Real Estate, Year-four student 10 KM Men's Senior Men's Overall   Champion   Champion   33:00 Lo Ying-chiu Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, Year-three student 10 KM Women's Senior   2ndRunner-up   38:18 More than 50 PolyU faculty members, physiotherapists and students from the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences were on duty at the Marathon providing immediate assistance to runners who need help during or after the race. The organising committee of the PolyU Running Team expressed sincere thanks to Acti-Tape, ADRIEN GAGNON, belif, Hong Kong Airlines, Hotel ICON, Hung Fook Tong, INGRID MILLET, Nike, SALONSIP, SWISS MISS, THE FACE SHOP and TURBOJET for their generous sponsorship for the team and the race.

PolyU-led research projects secure $27.8m funding from RGC to enhance the community’s health and well-being

Ten projects led by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have recently received funding support from the inaugurated Research Impact Fund (RIF) under the Research Grants Council (RGC). Among them, half of them are health-related, covering areas of drug development, detection of scoliosis, myopia control and food safety. This has rightly demonstrated not only the strong research capabilities of the University but also the contribution of its research to the well-being of the community. The funded health-related research projects include the followings: Project Project-in-charge Funding Amount (HK$ million) Development of a colistin/adjuvant antimicrobial regimen that exhibits low toxicity and high efficacy in combating multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens Professor CHEN Sheng, Professor of Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, PolyU 6 Early Detection of progressive adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and optimization for non-surgical treatments using novel 3D ultrasound imaging Professor ZHENG Yongping, Head, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Henry G. Leong Professor in Biomedical Engineering, PolyU 8.4 Tackling grand challenges in food safety: a big data and IoT enabled approach Professor CAO Jiannong, Chair Professor of Distributed and Mobile Computing, Department of Computing, PolyU 5.4 Effective of bright light therapy, myopic defocus, atropine and the combinations for controlling myopic eye growth in schoolchildren: a randomized control trial Professor TO Chi-ho, Head, School of Optometry and Henry G. Leong Professor in Elderly Vision Health, PolyU 8 Total amount 27.8 Details of the research projects are listed in the Appendix. “Committed to conducting impactful research for the benefit of the community, PolyU has made healthcare and medical-related research one of our foci of research. From drug development, AI-powered medical images, predictive analytics and diagnosis, to surgical robotic systems and preventive medical intervention, we are leveraging our cross-disciplinary strength to come up with solutions to help prevent and treat illnesses as well as to enhance the health and well-being of the community,” said Ir Professor Alex Wai, Vice President (Research Development) of PolyU. The 10 PolyU projects funded by RIF received a total of HK$65 million, representing one-third in terms of both funding and number of projects of the RIF in 2018/19. Other than the health-related projects, the other projects are related to the development of smart city, transportation and marine reclamation.   *****END****

PolyU academics receive national awards in teaching and research

Three academics of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have recently been honoured with national awards for their teaching and research excellence. Professor DING Xiao-li and Professor XIA Yong from the Faculty of Construction and Environment received the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award (Second Class Prize) and State Technological Invention Award (Second Class Prize) respectively from the State Council while Dr Shirley NGAI from the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences was awarded the 2018 National Teaching Achievement Award (Higher Education) (Second Class Prize) by the Ministry of Education. The State Scientific and Technological Progress Award is meant to recognise outstanding contribution in applying and disseminating advanced research results or completing major R&D projects, plans and programs. Professor Ding won the award with the project entitled "Key InSAR Technologies for Millimetre-Level Ground Deformation Monitoring and Their Applications". His research has helped advance the interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), one of the most important satellite-based remote sensing technologies, which is especially useful for monitoring grounds and infrastructural deformations including those related to earthquakes, landslides, construction and structural health conditions. Researchers from Central South University, China University of Mining and Technology, Guangdong Institute of Geological Survey, and Chang’An University have participated in this research. The State Technological Invention Award is meant to recognise individuals who have made major technological inventions that led to products, technologies, materials and systems, etc. Professor Xia won the award with the project entitled “Safety Assessment and Precise Local Damage Detection Technologies for Long-span Bridges”. These technologies have been applied to over 30 bridges around the world, and to skyscrapers such as the 632m high Shanghai Tower, the tallest building in the mainland. Researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology and China Railway Bridge Science Research Institute Ltd have participated in this research. The National Teaching Achievement Award (Higher Education) is presented to individuals or teams who have made great contribution to either education theory or practice and achieved significant improvement in education quality and learning outcome. Dr Ngai is among the first academics from Hong Kong to receive this top honour in education at the national level. Dr Ngai specialises in research and teaching in cardiopulmonary physiotherapy. To enhance the confidence of her students in the real clinical scenarios, she has designed and introduced various innovative pedagogical methods including converting the classroom into a simulated “ward” to allow students applying their professional knowledge in a “simulated” clinical setting. “The awards are clear manifestations of the dedication and excellent capabilities of our faculty members. They have helped turn our vision for education and research into reality.” said Professor Philip C. H. CHAN, Interim President, PolyU.   *****END****

PolyU Innovates Nano-encapsulation Technology to Enhance DHA Absorption for Early Brain Development

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today announced the findings on its novel nano-encapsulation technology for optimising the maternal and fetal absorption of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The research, conducted by PolyU’s Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (ABCT), aimed to address the delivery and absorption issues of DHA that affect its potency and efficacy. DHA, a type of Omega-3 fatty acid naturally found in breast milk and fish oil, is an important nutrient for the development and function of brain. It is primarily obtained from diet, and preferentially transferred from mother to fetus across the placenta during fetal life. However, for people with problem in getting sufficient DHA from normal dietary sources, particularly those in late pregnancy, early childhood, or with cancer or declining cognitive abilities, DHA supplementation is recommended. Given DHA is highly unsaturated and is vulnerable to oxidation and degradation under acid conditions, it is uncertain that the intake of DHA through supplementation will be effectively delivered and absorbed in vivo. Led by Dr Wang Yi, Assistant Professor of ABCT, and Professor Wong Man-sau, Professor of ABCT, the research team innovated a nano-encapsulation technology to protect DHA from oxidation. The team used Zein, an edible corn protein, as the encapsulation material to mimic milk fat globule membrane. The nano-encapsulation forms a core-shell structure to protect DHA in fish oil throughout gastric digestion and facilitate DHA absorption in brain, intestine and placenta. “Our team innovated the nano-encapsulation technology, which is proven to be an effective technology to protect DHA from oxidation in vivo, thus enhancing the absorption and efficacy of DHA. Our findings also indicated that the technology can help overcome blood-brain barrier in DHA delivery. We therefore believe that the technology could be further applied to enhance the efficiency of drug delivery for the brain, such as those for patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr Wang Yi. DHA in maternal tissues To test the effectiveness of nano-encapsulation technology in enhancing DHA absorption, PolyU’s team conducted some experiments on maternal mice and their offsprings. In two groups of maternal mice, each of six, fed with normal fish oil (Normal FO) and nano-encapsulated fish oil (Nano FO) respectively, it was found that the DHA concentration in the duodenum and jejunum of the Nano FO group is significantly higher than the Normal FO group (see Figure 1). The result implies that DHA, being protected by the encapsulation structure from oxidation and degradation under stomach’s acidic conditions, is successfully released in the upper two parts of the small intestine of the Nano FO group. Also, the DHA contents in the brain of the Nano FO maternal mice were significantly higher (see Figure 2). This indicates that DHA was delivered to the brain of the Nano FO group more effectively as the challenge of the blood-brain barrier was overcome. DHA in the offsprings The team also conducted tracer studies on the offsprings of the maternal mice. The mice were divided into six groups, each with 10, and were fed with different diets including: 1) no DHA meal; 2) Zein; 3) normal low dose fish oil (Normal FO-low); 4) normal high dose fish oil (Normal FO-high); 5) Nano-encapsulated low dose fish oil (Nano FO-low); and 6) Nano-encapsulated high dose fish oil (Nano FO-high). The findings showed that the three groups, namely: Normal FO-high, Nano FO-low and Nano FO-high spent more time on novel objects rather than on familiar objects (see Figure 3), implying that they were more curious about new things and demonstrated better memory and learning capabilities. For the Nano FO-high group, they had higher amount of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in hippocampus (see Figure 4). BDNF, a protein activated by DHA, plays an important role in supporting the survival of existing brain neurons and encouraging the growth and differentiation of new neurons and synapses. They also demonstrated a significant difference to other groups in terms of better spatial learning and memory abilities in the Y-maze experiment (see Figure 5). The research project was funded by the Health and Medical Research Fund (HMRF) of the Food and Health Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Shenzhen Basic Research (Layout of Disciplines) Project Fund.c   *****END*****

PolyU and Chinese Academy of Sciences launch two joint laboratories for collaborative studies in "Applied Mathematics" and "Greater Bay Area Environment"

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the two research institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), namely Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science (AMSS) and Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry (GIG), today staged an inauguration ceremony of two joint laboratories on PolyU campus, marking the official launch of their collaborations. The two new laboratories are: CAS AMSS-PolyU Joint Laboratory of Applied Mathematics (Directors: Professor Yuan Ya-xiang and Professor Chen Xiao-jun); and CAS GIG-PolyU Joint Laboratory of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area for the Environment (Directors: Professor Wang Xin-ming and Professor Li Xiang-dong). Complementing the strengths of PolyU and the CAS research institutes, the two joint laboratories will collaborate to extend research frontiers, advance knowledge transfer and applications as well as cultivate talents in the fields of applied mathematics and environmental protection for contributing towards the development of the Greater Bay Area and the society. In November last year, the Hong Kong SAR Government announced the setting up of the Joint Laboratory Funding Scheme by the University Grants Committee to provide research subsidy to the joint laboratories approved by the CAS. Among the 22 joint laboratories, three are located in PolyU, including the Joint Laboratory for Aerosol and Environment set up by PolyU and the CAS Institute of Earth Environment in 2013, and the two laboratories officially launched today. Addressing the opening ceremony, Professor Philip C. H. Chan, Interim President of PolyU said, “Over the years, PolyU and the CAS have built solid foundation in research collaboration. The establishment of another two joint laboratories signifies CAS’ recognition of our research excellence in applied mathematics and environmental science. We will leverage each other’s expertise to beef up research studies that align with the nation’s development. Through the on-going collaborations with the CAS, we hope we could make valuable contributions to Hong Kong and the nation.” Mr Cao Jing-hua, Director General of CAS Bureau of International Cooperation, said the Central Government had made it definite to support Hong Kong for developing into an International Innovation and Technology Hub, and CAS for establishing an affiliated institution in Hong Kong. “CAS and PolyU are close partners. The joint laboratories are important platforms for enhancing technological collaborations between the Mainland and Hong Kong. PolyU and CAS had set up the Joint Laboratory for Aerosol and Environment, which has made considerable achievements in that aspect. We hope that the newly established joint laboratories will showcase the synergies of CAS and PolyU and will deepen our collaboration in the studies of Fundamental and Applied Mathematics as well as Environmental Science and Management, which are subjects of common concerns. We hope that our collaboration will be beneficial to the advancement of Greater Bay Area (GBA) development and will support the strategic deployment of the Central Government in making Hong Kong as the International Innovation and Technology Hub. We also hope that it will bring the complementary strengths of the Mainland and Hong Kong into full play and ultimately contribute to the economic development and betterment of people’s livelihood of the two places.” Attending the ceremony were Professor Gao Xiao-shan, Executive Vice-President of CAS Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science; Professor Xu Yi-gang, Director General of Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, CAS; Mr Zheng Xiao-nian, Director General of CAS Bureau of Facility Support and Budget; Ms Li Fang-fang, Director of Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs, CAS Bureau of International Cooperation; Ms Luo Wen, Director of CAS Division of Budget System; Ir Professor Alex Wai, Vice President (Research Development), PolyU; Professor Wong Wing-tak, Dean of Faculty of Science and Textiles, PolyU; Ir Professor Xu You-lin, Dean of Faculty of Construction and Environment, PolyU; as well as senior members of the partnering institutes and departments of the two joint laboratories. CAS AMSS-PolyU Joint Laboratory of Applied Mathematics The CAS Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science (AMSS) and PolyU have complementary strengths in the areas of optimisation calculation, computational mathematics, and biological sciences. The State Key Laboratory in Science and Engineering Computing of AMSS is the only national level laboratory in the field. While PolyU’s University Research Facility in Big Data Analytics aggregates big data on smart cities, financial technology and healthcare, which are valuable resources for data analysis modeling and testing of algorithm. The collaboration between AMSS and PolyU, through leveraging each other’s competences and sharing research resources, can thus comprehensively cover the many directions of research in applied mathematics. The CAS AMSS-PolyU Joint Laboratory of Applied Mathematics will focus on developing basic algorithms studies covering optimisation calculations, tensor calculations, multiphysics calculations, etc; research in applied statistics and financial mathematics; and further studies in the spectra of big data and artificial intelligence. CAS GIG-PolyU Joint Laboratory of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area for the Environment The CAS Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry (GIG) and PolyU have respective strengths in environmental sciences and engineering. Both institutes are located in GBA and thus can enjoy the geographical advantage of GBA where the nation is determined to develop. To manage the emerging environmental issues in GBA, especially in pollution and ecological issues, GIG and PolyU can jointly develop scientific researches and technological solutions, ranging from monitoring, prevention to remediation, to enhance the health and environmental quality in GBA. The focus areas of research of the CAS GIG-PolyU Joint Laboratory of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area for the Environment will include air quality improvement, environment and health for city clusters, urban land integrated remediation measures for different types of pollution, municipal solid waste and sewage treatment in new rural areas, ecological management in estuary and coastal areas, etc.   *****END****

PolyU myopia control technology extends impact into Greater Bay Area

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today extends its licence on Defocus Incorporated Soft Contact (DISC) technology to Vision Science and Technology Co. Ltd. (VST), a local start-up. The patented technology was licensed to VST last year for commercialisation of DISC lens in Hong Kong. Following the extended licensing arrangement, VST will further promote the product to the cities in the Greater Bay Area and other parts of China in the future. Children and teenagers in the nation will also be benefited from PolyU's research success in myopia control technology to address their vision health issues. The novel DISC technology has been patented in the Mainland, Australia, the United States and various European countries. DISC lens is a multi-zone soft contact lens that provides clear vision and at the same time projects blurred, out-of-focus (defocused) images onto the retina to slow down the increase in axial length of the eye of the myopic patients. The clinical control trial conducted by PolyU showed that DISC lens can effectively retard the progression of myopia by approximately 60% amongst Hong Kong children aged 8 to 13. DISC lens, launched by VST in Hong Kong last year, has received positive responses. To offer the myopic population an alternative, VST today launches a daily disposable contact lens — DISC-1 Day. With the authorisation from PolyU, VST will collaborate with Daylite Vision Care Ltd. to apply for licence application with the China Food and Drug Administration for DISC-1 Day in order to extend the DISC distribution to the Mainland. It is expected that with the licence granted by the Chinese authority, the brand new product will be distributed to the authorised optometric clinics and fitting centres within a year, initially in the Greater Bay Area, and gradually extending across the nation. Dr Dennis Tse, Assistant Professor of the School of Optometry at PolyU, said "We are so pleased that the novel DISC technology was successfully commercialised that many children in Hong Kong can be benefited. We keenly hope that this innovative technological solution can be brought to the Greater Bay Area and other cities in the Mainland to help the nation address the spiralling myopic problem among children and adolescents." VST is a local start-up founded by a PolyU alumnus. VST received support from the HKSTP-PolyU Tech Incubation Fund (TIF) and PolyU Tech Launchpad Fund (TLF). Specialising in developing and distributing products for vision improvement, VST is the first company in Hong Kong that adopts a tailor-made professional fitting approach to manufacture and provide soft myopic control lenses. Under the licensing arrangement with PolyU, VST manufactures and provides DISC lenses via its authorised optometric clinics and fitting centres. The lenses are manufactured according to the prescription of optometrists. Mr Jackson Leung, Founder and Director of VST, said DISC lens has been well received since its launch last year. However, DISC lens users are required to take a regular fitting assessment every three months and to wait for another two weeks for the newly prescribed DISC lens. They also need to clean and disinfect the lens every day. Therefore, some customers wish to have a more convenient option. "VST therefore developed the brand new DISC-1 Day in order to offer the myopia population with another choice. DISC-1 Day lens is readily available upon optometric fitting assessment, and is for daily wear and disposal without the need for care. With power of myopia correctable up to 10.00 diopters, it is of the highest diopter with ultraviolet protection among all similar products in the market." VST was awarded a total of HK$1.6 million, including a matching fund, under TIF and TLF schemes. Both schemes are funded by the Technology Start-up Support Scheme for Universities under the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Hong Kong Government. PolyU has been committed to promoting technology and knowledge transfer, nurturing entrepreneurial culture and providing support to aspiring entrepreneurs. Besides supporting start-ups by offering various seed funds, the University also provides co-working space for entrepreneurs at InnoHub in both its Hong Kong campus and Shenzhen Base, mentorship support through the Startup Consultation Clinic manned by Entrepreneurs-in-Residence, training workshops for entrepreneurs, and networking opportunities with incubators and investors. In line with the Hong Kong SAR Government's proactive endeavours in developing the Guangdong-Hong Kong-MacauGreater Bay Area, PolyU will put in further efforts in technology innovation and knowledge transfer in the region.   *****END****

PolyU partners with employers to shape tomorrow’s talents

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) hosted a luncheon today to engage over 220 local and multi-national firms from various sectors, including finance, engineering, construction, logistics, healthcare and hospitality. Themed "Partnering with Employers – Shaping Tomorrow's Talent", the Luncheon served to provide an opportunity for PolyU to connect with the current and potential employers of its graduates. The Hon Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, Chief Secretary for Administration, HKSAR Government attended the event as the Guest of Honour and delivered a speech. "The Government has a clear vision to develop Hong Kong further into a high value-added and diversified economy. To this end, we need to develop a good mix of talents who have broad horizons, equipped with different skillsets and a solid grasp of international affairs, to sustain our competitiveness and contribute towards the diversified development of Hong Kong," Mr Cheung said. "I am delighted to note that universities have responded positively to the Government's call for promoting innovation and technology and offered more cross-disciplinary programmes in the planning cycle, including programmes on artificial intelligence and financial technology," he said. "I am confident that PolyU's partnership with the Government and the business community will go from strength to strength, and that the graduates will excel on all fronts." Professor Philip C. H. Chan, Interim President, PolyU also took the opportunity to share with the employers PolyU's vision in education. He said "PolyU, through the provision of a holistic education, aims to nurture future-ready graduates who are professionally competent, socially responsible, innovative and entrepreneurial." PolyU has an unique strength in grooming specialised professionals in  more than 10 disciplines, including Aviation Engineering; Design; Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Development; Fashion and Textiles; Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics; Sustainable Structural and Fire Engineering; Optometry; Occupational Therapy; Physiotherapy; Radiography; and  Transportation Systems Engineering. Many of the subjects are ranked among top 50 in the world. For instance, according to the QS University Ranking, our Civil and Structural Engineering subject is ranked 10th in world; while our Hospitality and Leisure Management subject is ranked 3rd in world. PolyU's Faculty of Business ranked 3rd in Asia and 17th in the world in 2018 KUBS Worldwide Business Research RankingsTM. PolyU constantly develops new programmes to keep up with the times and support students map their future path. For example, BSc(Hons) in Financial Technology and Artificial Intelligence will be rolling out in the academic year of 2019 to meet the upcoming needs for Fintech and AI roles such as data scientists, software engineers, and machine learning engineers, etc. PolyU's graduates are well poised to seize the opportunities in the global landscape as well as those presented by nation's initiatives along the Belt and Road and in the Greater Bay Area. The employability of the PolyU students is well illustrated by the survey results on the destinations of PolyU graduates. About 4,000 out of the 4,671 graduates provided response to the survey. Over 83 per cent were employed / self employed by December 2017, while more than six per cent carried on their studies. Over 92 per cent of the graduates received their first job offer by end of September and the monthly salary of the graduates of some programmes could be as high as $32,000. Dr Miranda Lou, Executive Vice President, PolyU, in her closing remarks, thanked the employers for joining hands with PolyU to nurture the rising generation. She urged the employers to continue to partner with PolyU so that its graduates could better contribute to the social and economic development of Hong Kong, as well as bringing positive changes to our society and our world.   *****END****