1937
Founding of the Government Trade School in Wanchai, the first government funded, post-secondary technical school in Hong Kong. About 70 students enrolled for classes in marine wireless operating, mechanical engineering and building construction.
1947
The School was renamed the Hong Kong Technical College after World War II.
1957
The Hong Kong Technical College moved to its new premises in Hung Hom. The then Governor Sir Alexander Grantham officiated at the opening ceremony.
1969
The Polytechnic Planning Committee, chaired by Dr P. Y. Tang, was appointed to make detailed proposals on the establishment of a polytechnic in Hong Kong
1971
The Committee, under the leadership of Dr Chung Sze-yuen (now Sir Sze-yuen Chung) who served as Acting Chairman following the passing away of Committee Chairman, Dr P. Y. Tang, submitted a proposal.
1972
24.3.1972
The Hong Kong Polytechnic Ordinance was enacted. The Governor, the late Sir Murray MacLehose, became the first President of the Polytechnic. Sir S. Y. Chung was appointed Chairman of the Board of Governors.
The Hong Kong Polytechnic Ordinance was enacted. The Governor, the late Sir Murray MacLehose, became the first President of the Polytechnic. Sir S. Y. Chung was appointed Chairman of the Board of Governors.
1972
1.8.1972
The Hong Kong Polytechnic (the Polytechnic) was formally established, taking over the campus of the Hong Kong Technical College.
The Hong Kong Polytechnic (the Polytechnic) was formally established, taking over the campus of the Hong Kong Technical College.
1976
26.10.1976
The first new building of the Polytechnic was officially opened by The Governor, the late Sir Murray MacLehose. It was later named the Tang Ping Yuan Building as a tribute to the late Dr P. Y. Tang.
The first new building of the Polytechnic was officially opened by The Governor, the late Sir Murray MacLehose. It was later named the Tang Ping Yuan Building as a tribute to the late Dr P. Y. Tang.
1977
7.2.1977
The new Polytechnic Library was officially opened by Princess Alexandra.
The new Polytechnic Library was officially opened by Princess Alexandra.
1978
A Polytechnic delegation led by the Director, Dr Keith Legg, paid an official visit to Xian Jiaotong University - the first-ever official visit of a Hong Kong academic institution to an institution in the Chinese mainland.
1983
Launch of the first batch of five degree courses in the areas of Mathematics and Science; Computing Studies; Electronic Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; and Social Work.
1988
The Institution conferred its first MPhil degree.
1989
The Polytechnic conferred its first honorary doctorate on the Founding Chairman of Council, Sir Sze-yuen Chung.
1989
Following the submission of the New Academic Development Proposals 1991-1994 in response to the Government's policy to expand degree places, the Polytechnic was subsequently authorized by the University and Polytechnic Grants Committee to offer degree programmes to 65 per cent of its student population by 1994/95.
1991
The Polytechnic conferred its first PhD degree.
1992
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the Polytechnic erected a four-faced clock tower on the campus podium to commemorate the occasion.
1994
25.11.1994
Legislation was enacted to change the name of the Institution to "The Hong Kong Polytechnic University". Self-accreditation status was granted by the Government.
Legislation was enacted to change the name of the Institution to "The Hong Kong Polytechnic University". Self-accreditation status was granted by the Government.
1994
The University logo is developed from the well-established emblem designed in the early 1970 for the then Hong Kong Polytechnic. The round shapes at each corner interwine to symbolize "P" for Polytechnic and "U" for University. The image of "T" that stands for technical excellence in the past logo is retained, and the open perimeter represents increased interaction between the University and the world.
1995
The Council of the University was formally inaugurated on January 1, 1995.
1995
Founding of the Federation of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Alumni Associations.
1995
Establishment of the International Strategic Technology Alliance (ISTA) to promote applied research and collaboration and to facilitate knowledge transfer on an international scale.
1996
Establishment of the PolyU Technology & Consultancy Company Ltd (PTeC), a not-for-profit service arm of the University to offer one-stop professional services for business and industry.
1996
Launch of the territory's first Doctor of Business Administration programme.
1996
Inauguration of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Western Canada) Association, the first overseas association.
1997
The first Outstanding PolyU Alumni Awards were presented.
1997
Establishment of the first mainland training outpost in Hangzhou, Zhejiang.
1999
Inauguration of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Eastern Canada) Association, the second overseas association.
1999
Establishment of the School of Professional Education and Executive Development (SPEED) to foster lifelong education.
2000
Inauguration of the Institute for Enterprise (IfE) to provide professional services for business and industry on a self-financed basis.
2000
Co-founded the Hong Kong CyberU, Hong Kong's first virtual university, with Cable & Wireless HKT (now known as PCCW).
2001
Set up of Hong Kong Community College to offer an expanded range of Associate Degree programmes.
2002
Admission of the first batch of foreign students from Europe and Asia to its undergraduate programmes.
2002
PolyU celebrated its 65th anniversary. A total of 11,273 students, alumni, staff, friends and families together formed the world's largest Human Rainbow, as recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records, at the Hong Kong Stadium.
2002
Inauguration of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Australia) Association, the third overseas association.
2002
Opening of the Student Halls of Residence.
2003
PolyU contributed to European Space Agency’s Mars Express Mission - The Mars Rock Corer, a soil sampling tool invented by University Fellow and dentist Dr Ng Tze-chuen in collaboration with PolyU scientists, was one of the instruments employed by the European Space Agency for its "Beagle 2 Lander" in its Mars Express mission.
2004
Signing of a collaborative agreement with the Shenzhen Hi-Tech Industrial Park. The University was the first local tertiary institution to set up research centres and training facilities at the National University Science and Technology Park of the Virtual University Park in Shenzhen.
2004
Inauguration of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Eastern USA) Association, the fourth overseas association.
2005
PolyU obtained Central Government's approval for developing a State Key Laboratory for Chinese Medicine and Molecular Pharmacology at the University's Shenzhen-based Institute of Modern Chinese Medicine. This is the first State Key Laboratory with a focus on Chinese medicine being established on the mainland by a Hong Kong academic institution.
2005
PolyU researchers had successfully developed a new drug to cure liver cancer. It was an important milestone in the development of bio-technology and pharmaceutical industry in Hong Kong.
2005
Vice-President Zeng Qinghong visited PolyU's Nanotechnology Centre for Functional and Intelligent Textiles and Apparel of the Institute of Textiles and Clothing and witnessed the signing of a co-operation agreement between PolyU and the Beijing Institute of Technology.
2006
Inauguration of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Association (Singapore), the fifth overseas association.
2006
PolyU signed a collaborative agreement with the Lunar Exploration Programme Centre of China National Space Administration (CNSA) to nurture talents and foster academic exchange and research collaboration in support of the lunar exploration projects.
2006
Designation of the University as a collaborative research partner for the Beijing Olympics by the Science and Education Department of the Chinese Olympic Committee.
2006
Authorized by the China National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, PolyU set up Hong Kong's first and only Confucius Institute of Hong Kong to further promote Chinese language and culture in the territory.
2006
Inauguration of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Development Foundation.
2006
Inauguration of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Association (Northern California), the sixth overseas association.
2007
PolyU celebrated its 70th anniversary and HKSAR's 10th Anniversary through staging the "Flags of Harmony and Unity" event, drawing 21,726 members and friends of the PolyU community and scouts to form the largest national flag and HKSAR flag in the world, as recognized by the Guinness World Records.
2007
A congratulatory message from Premier Wen Jiabao for PolyU's 70th Anniversary.
2007
Inauguration of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Southern California) Association, the seventh overseas association.
2007
The University, which was designated as a strategic partner for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, further signed a new pact with national sports authorities to extend its provision of sports rehabilitation services and sports health care to the national sports squads beyond the Beijing Olympics.
2007
The Hung Hom Bay campus of the PolyU affiliated Hong Kong Community College opened.
2008
After the 5.12 Sichuan earthquake, PolyU immediately launched a campus-wide fund raising campaign and a total of HK$3.5 million was raised for the victims. To support the reconstruction of Sichuan, PolyU also signed a landmark agreement with Sichuan University for the establishment of the Sichuan Post-disaster Reconstruction Support and Research Centre in the province.
2008
PolyU can claim some credit for China's outstanding performance at the Beijing Olympics. Experts from the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, including nursing staff, rehabilitation scientists and therapists, optometrists, health technology experts, and sports therapists were deployed to help the athletes prepare for the Beijing Olympics.
2008
Opening of the West Kowloon Campus of Hong Kong Community College.
2008
Professor Poon Chung-kwong retired from the post of PolyU President at the end of 2008 after 18 years of distinguished service.
2009
Professor Timothy W. Tong took office as PolyU President.
2009
Launch of mycar - the first Hong Kong-developed electric vehicle which fully complies with European standards, and also the first home-grown vehicle to hit the international market.
2009
Announcement of the appointment of Executive Councillor the Hon. Marjorie Yang Mun-tak as PolyU Council Chairman with effect from 1 January 2010. Ms Yang is the first female Council Chair in the local tertiary education sector.
2009
14 PolyU student-athletes participated in the East Asian Games and took home 10 medals, including 4 gold medals out of the 110 medals captured by the host city Hong Kong.
2009
Commencement of the campus expansion projects: Phase 8 campus, Innovation Tower and Student Phase 3 Development.
2010
The new senior management team fully in place.
2010
PolyU set a new record by sending forth the largest single team ever for the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2010. The strong PolyU team is made up of 3,100 students, staff, alumni and their family members and friends.
2010
Inauguration of The Hong Kong PolyU (United Kingdom) Association, the eighth overseas association.
2010
After two years of hard work following the Sichuan earthquake, PolyU secured a dontation of RMB200 million from The Hong Kong Jockey Club to establish the Training Institute for Diaster Management and Reconstruction in collaboration with Sichuan University.
2010
PolyU and the China Academy of Space Technology signed an agreement to formalize research collaboration relating to China's lunar exploration programme and announced the establishment of a Joint Laboratory in Precision Engineering for Space Applications.
2010
PolyU set up a high-level International Advisory Board (IAB) to further promote internationalization with the support of 19 prominent leaders from the academia, professional communities and the business sector.
2011
16.3.2011
PolyU established the "High Achievers Club" to provide learning opportunities for gifted students.
PolyU established the "High Achievers Club" to provide learning opportunities for gifted students.
2011
6.2011
PolyU President Professor Timothy W. Tong and Vice President (Research Development) Professor Alex Wai led a delegation to join a test ride along the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Rail. It marked the pilot use of PolyU's optical sensor technology for monitoring the structural safety across the country's Hi-Speed Rail.
PolyU President Professor Timothy W. Tong and Vice President (Research Development) Professor Alex Wai led a delegation to join a test ride along the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Rail. It marked the pilot use of PolyU's optical sensor technology for monitoring the structural safety across the country's Hi-Speed Rail.
2011
21.7.2011
PolyU opened its Shenzhen Base in the Nanshan District's High-Tech Industrial Park to further strengthen its collaboration with enterprises in Shenzhen and the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, nurture more professional manpower, and make further contribution to the PRD region's economic and technological development.
PolyU opened its Shenzhen Base in the Nanshan District's High-Tech Industrial Park to further strengthen its collaboration with enterprises in Shenzhen and the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, nurture more professional manpower, and make further contribution to the PRD region's economic and technological development.
2011
9.8.2011
The first-ever Food Safety and Technology Research Centre set up by a higher education institute in Hong Kong was launched. It serves to raise the standard of food safety in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta Region through education and research.
The first-ever Food Safety and Technology Research Centre set up by a higher education institute in Hong Kong was launched. It serves to raise the standard of food safety in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta Region through education and research.
2011
Hotel ICON, a teaching and research hotel wholly-owned by PolyU, was officially opened.