DALS Graduate Won Second Prize in Provincial Award for a Paper Co-authored with Prof. Hu Guangwei

Dr Wang Qian, a graduate of our Doctor of Applied Language Sciences programme, won Second Prize in the 2023 Philosophy and Social Science Outstanding Achievement Award of Shaanxi Province for a paper co-authored with Associate Dean Prof. Hu Guangwei. The paper, published earlier in Lingua, is entitled “What surprises, interests and confuses researchers? A frame-based analysis of knowledge emotion markers in research articles”. The Award is initiated and established by the Shaanxi Provincial People’s Government. It is awarded biennially and represents the highest honour and level of research in the field of philosophy and social sciences in Shaanxi province. With a history of over 30 years, the award categories span across monographs, papers, and consulting reports, with 318 achievements honored out of nearly 3000 submissions from across Shaanxi Province. Click HERE to read the paper.

PolyU Launches Chinese Culture Festival Empowering Younger Generation with Cultural Confidence and Promoting Vibrant Traditions of Chinese Culture

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is committed to promoting the rich traditions of Chinese culture and, to this end, established the Research Centre for Chinese History and Culture last year to facilitate promotion of Chinese history and cultural education on campus. This year, the University is organising the “PolyU Chinese Culture Festival” to showcase the beauty and significance of various aspects of Chinese culture, cultivate a deeper appreciation of Chinese heritage, strengthen a sense of pride and belonging to the Nation among the younger generation, and contribute to the development of Hong Kong into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. As part of the celebratory events commemorating the 30th anniversary of PolyU achieving university status, the University hosted the Opening Ceremony of the PolyU Chinese Culture Festival in March. The Ceremony was officiated by Dr CHOI Yuk-lin, Secretary for Education of the HKSAR. She was joined by Dr LAM Tai-fai, PolyU Council Chairman; Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President; Prof. Ben YOUNG, Vice President (Student and Global Affairs); and Prof. LI Ping, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities. Representatives from the co-organisers of the PolyU Chinese Culture Festival, including Ms SHEN Jiang, Secretary of the Party Committee at Tiangong University; Prof. YU Chuang, President of the Zhejiang Industry & Trade Vocational College; and Dr Louis NG, Museum Director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, also joined them to kick off the Festival. Dr Choi Yuk-lin emphasised the significance of higher education as a crucial vehicle for inheriting cultural heritage and driving ideological and cultural innovation. It is also an important foundation for upholding the unity of the country and the Nation. Learning, comprehending and inheriting Chinese culture can enhance the youngsters’ national identity, cultural confidence and their sense of belonging to the Nation. The 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China report underscored the imperative to reinforce the dissemination and influence of Chinese civilisation, fostering cultural confidence and strength. Additionally, our country’s “14th Five-Year Plan” supports Hong Kong in developing into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. She mentioned that PolyU hosts the Chinese Culture Festival and co-organises various exciting activities in collaboration with the Hong Kong Palace Museum, mainland institutions and other arts and culture organisations, providing an invaluable platform to promote mutual cultural learning and exchange. As well as making a contribution to the development of Hong Kong into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, these efforts aim to ignite a passion for Chinese culture among PolyU faculty members, students, alumni and the broader community, strengthening their sense of belonging to the Nation and cultural confidence. There will be a series of activities focusing on pottery lacquerware, embroidery, Chinese music, Chinese classics recitation and more. Distinguished scholars, experts and artists will be invited on campus to exhibit the unique artistic charm of Chinese culture through exhibitions, lectures, workshops and musical performance. Dr Lam Tai-fai stated that guided by its motto “To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind,” PolyU was committed to nurturing students who possess a strong sense of national identity and a positive mindset. The University would continue to promote Chinese culture and contribute to the development of Hong Kong into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, while providing full support to the City in integrating itself into the overall development of the Nation. Prof. Jin-Guang Teng said, “The ‘Chinese Culture Festival’ is a profoundly significant endeavour for us in terms of nurturing graduates with both ability and moral integrity. It aims to deepen the understanding of Chinese culture among the younger generation and wider society, to foster their pride and sense of belonging to the Nation, as well as to bolster their cultural confidence and patriotic sentiments.” Prof. Ben Young, who also serves as Chairman of the PolyU Chinese Culture Festival, thanked the broader community for their support of PolyU. He hoped that through the series of stimulating activities, students could deepen their knowledge and understanding of Chinese culture. During the next two weeks, until 27 March, PolyU will be collaborating with Tiangong University’s International Innovation Centre of Chinese Traditional Culture and Artistry Inheritance to co-organise an exhibition on campus showcasing intangible cultural heritage from Tianjin. Eight artists from Tianjin have been invited to exhibit their artworks, including HuLian Art Studio (Prof. Zheng Yong’s Studio), the City’s three unique intangible cultural heritages: Clay Figurines Zhang, Tianjin Kite Wei and Yucheng Hao New Year Painting, as well as other intangible cultural heritages at national, provincial and municipal levels such as Hezhen Handmade Incense, Guanzhao Xuan Ceramic Painting, Zhao’s Gourd-making and Tianjin Musical Instruments Zhang. The exhibition will also highlight a collection of selected works of Wenzhou embroidery, which is also recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage. In addition to the large-scale exhibition, there will be expert lectures, workshops and guided tours, all of which will be open to PolyU students, staff, alumni and the public free of charge. After the Opening Ceremony, Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) were signed between PolyU and Tiangong University to reinforce academic exchange and collaboration on scientific research projects. Witnessed by Dr Lam Tai-fai and Ms Shen Jiang, the MoU were signed respectively by Prof. Li Ping and Prof. JIANG Yaming, Dean of the School of International Education and Director of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs Office of Tiangong University, as well as Prof. Erin CHO, Dean of the School of Fashion and Textiles; and Prof. GONG Jixian, Associate Dean of the School of Textile Science and Engineering of Tiangong University. To find out more about the PolyU Chinese Culture Festival, please visit: https://polyu.me/PolyU-Chinese-Culture-Festival (Chinese only). For details about the activities in March, please click here (Chinese only). Activity Highlights (March and April)

Prof. William Shiyuan Wang Celebrated as the Pride of Chinese Scholars in Local Magazine

Prof. William Shiyuan Wang, Chair Professor of Language and Cognitive Sciences, was recently profiled in a feature article of Hong Kong Economic Journal Monthly. The writer lauded Prof. Wang for his transdisciplinary knowledge and approach in research, quoting from him that “only by identifying new links between various disciplines can knowledge be advanced.” The late Prof. Yuen Ren Chao, who is widely regarded as the Father of Modern Chinese Language Studies, and the Yuen Ren Chao Prize in Language Sciences organised by the Faculty were also covered in the article. Click HERE to read the article.

Director of Hong Kong Palace Museum Dr Louis Ng Appointed as Honorary Professor at CHC

The Faculty is honoured to welcome Dr Louis Ng Chi-wa, Director of Hong Kong Palace Museum, to join us as Honorary Professor in our Department of Chinese History and Culture with effect from 1 February 2024. In his position, Dr Ng will provide guidance to the Department in the areas of History and Museum Studies. Dr Ng is appointed under the Honorary Professorship scheme which aims to enable the University to seek expert advice from renowned scholars in other institutions or eminent practitioners in related professions.

Join the FH Massive Open Online Course (MOOC): Humanities in Focus

Join the FH Massive Open Online Course (MOOC): Humanities in Focus to explore What Humanities is, Why Humanities Matter and most importantly, Why Humanities Matter to You!   The questioning, humanising and connecting approach of humanities education trains all of us to think critically and creatively. In the context of humanities, thinking critically and creatively means to reflect on our personal values and experiences, and challenge what we think we know, and explore how other people may see or experience the world differently from us.  Start your journey of thinking critically and creatively by joining the course in just three simple steps: https://www.edx.org/learn/humanities/the-hong-kong-polytechnic-university-Humanities-in-Focus Click Enroll Register/Sign in Learn anytime, anywhere and at your own pace Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to deepen your understanding of Humanities. Open NOW until July 2024.

ENGL Appoints Renowned Tenor Dr Warren Mok as Honorary Professor

The Faculty is honoured to welcome Dr Warren Mok to join us as Honorary Professor in our Department of English and Communication with effect from 15 January 2024. Dr Mok will play an important role in advising the Department in the areas of Language Arts, Opera and Musical Performance. Dr Mok is appointed under the Honorary Professorship scheme which aims to enable the University to seek expert advice from renowned scholars in other institutions or eminent practitioners in related professions.

Faculty Dean Prof. Li Ping Appointed to HKPM Board

Our Faculty Dean Prof. Li Ping has been appointed to the Board of Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) by the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2025. The HKPM Board is responsible for formulating the vision and mission, as well as the strategies, policies and guidelines in relation to museological matters and professional standards of the HKPM’s operations.

FH Speech Therapists on Speech and Language Disorders in Children

Mr Alex Ho (Assistant Professor of Practice) and Ms Faye Kou (Speech Therapist) from our Speech Therapy Unit were featured on a local TV programme explaining and providing valuable insights into speech and language disorders affecting children. Click HERE to watch the programme.

The Faculty Debuts MSc Programme in Generative AI and the Humanities

A new programme aiming to nurture a new generation of interdisciplinary professionals capable of combining knowledge of AI with humanities in today’s data-driven world has been launched at our Faculty. The MSc in Generative AI and the Humanities* is the first of its kind in Hong Kong and the world that offers a specialised focus on Generative AI in the context of humanities. Its integration of AI and humanities will enable students to address complex societal challenges and contribute to innovation in various industries. To offer students unparalleled flexibility and also opportunities to align their disciplinary expertise, the programme combines foundational subjects in generative AI with two specialisms, namely ‘Language and Communication’, and ‘Arts and Culture’. Hosted by our Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, other contributing departments include the Department of Chinese History and Culture, Department of English and Communication, and Department of Computing. Find more information about the programme and how to apply HERE. *Subject to approval

Dr Emmanuele Chersoni and a CBS Graduate Received Honourable Mention to Best Paper Award at BlackboxNLP 2023

Dr Emmanuele Chersoni, Assistant Professor of the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies (CBS), and CBS graduate Ms Chenxin Liu, received an honourable mention to Best Paper Award at the BlackboxNLP 2023 which was held in Singapore on 7 December 2023. The Blackbox NLP is an important international workshop on analysing and interpreting neural networks for natural language processing. The paper "On Quick Kisses and How to Make Them Count: A Study on Event Construal in Light Verb Constructions with BERT" was co-authored by Dr Chersoni and Chenxin. It is noteworthy that the materials of the paper came from the Capstone Project that Chenxin did with Dr Chersoni during the final year of her undergraduate studies at CBS. Click HERE to read the paper.