Professor Wing-tak Wong appointed as next Deputy President and Provost of PolyU

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today announced the appointment of Professor Wing-tak WONG to the post of Deputy President and Provost (DP) with effect from 1 December 2020 to succeed Ir. Professor Ping-kong Alexander WAI, who will start his final leave on the same day prior to leaving PolyU in early 2021.

Professor Wong has extensive management experience and an in-depth understanding of PolyU. He has held various leadership and management positions at the University, including Head of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (2009-2015) and Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles (2015-present). Professor Wong is also the Chair Professor of Chemical Technology, and serves as Director of the University Research Facility in Chemical and Environmental Analysis and as Deputy Dean of PolyU’s Shenzhen Research Institute.

Professor Wong is an accomplished scientist with outstanding research achievements. He has published papers in various prestigious academic journals, including Nature Communications, PNAS, and Chemical Sciences. He has played a vital part in establishing four state-of-the-art University Research Facilities, namely Materials Characterisation & Device Fabrication, Life Sciences, Big Data Analytics, and Chemical and Environmental Analysis. He was a key driver in setting up the Food Safety and Technology Research Centre in 2011 to address the societal need for professional advice on food related issues.

Professor Wong has also played a prominent role in developing three well-received Master of Science degree programmes, four Bachelor of Science degree programmes, as well as the Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles Entry Scholarship in 2017 that aims to elevate student intake quality.

Dr. LAM Tai Fai, Council Chairman of PolyU, said, “Professor Wong is an outstanding leader who has led his Faculty to achieve remarkable and well-recognised results during his tenure as Dean. We are confident that with his wealth of management experience, leadership vision, as well as his understanding of the University and the higher education landscape, Professor Wong will continue to contribute to the development of PolyU in his new role.”

President Professor Jin-Guang TENG, said, “PolyU will benefit immensely from Professor Wong’s rich experience and exceptional track record as a world-class scholar and a seasoned academic leader. With his deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by the higher education sector in Hong Kong and beyond, he will be able to reinforce PolyU’s pursuit of excellence in education, research, and knowledge transfer for the benefit of our community, the nation and the world.”

The President also expressed his gratitude to Professor Wai for his outstanding contributions to PolyU and wished him great success in his new endeavors.

Professor Wong received a Bachelor of Science degree with first-class honours in 1986 and a Master of Philosophy degree in 1988 from The University of Hong Kong. He obtained his Ph.D. degree from the University of Cambridge in 1991. Prior to joining PolyU, Professor Wong was a Chair Professor in the Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, where he began his career as a lecturer in Chemistry in 1991.