PolyU welcomes the initiatives in the Chief Executive's 2020 Policy Address

Professor Jin-Guang TENG, President of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), welcomes and supports the new higher education initiatives as announced in the Chief Executive's 2020 Policy Address, and believes that they are significant to the future development of higher education in Hong Kong.

With regard to the Global STEM Professorship Scheme, Professor TENG remarked, “The scheme will help encourage overseas talent to come to work in Hong Kong, thus adding new momentum to the city's innovation and technology (I&T) development. The world has now entered the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and future I&T development will focus on emerging technologies such as life science, materials science, data science, artificial intelligence, and robotics. PolyU will continue to strive for excellence in these areas to make contributions to Hong Kong, our Nation and the world. In terms of attracting world-class I&T talent, the University has been recruiting outstanding scholars and scientists from all over the world so as to reinforce its capabilities in teaching, learning, and innovative research.”

PolyU has been facilitating its students to develop their career in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) through its Job Recommendation Scheme and The Greater Bay Area International Institute for Innovations, which was jointly established by PolyU and Shenzhen University in 2018 as a platform to provide training and internship opportunities for young people. Professor TENG expects that the “Greater Bay Area Youth Employment Scheme” and the “Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the Greater Bay Area” announced in the Policy Address will encourage more young people to develop their career in the GBA.

The Policy Address also proposed to advocate the development of creative industries as well as art technology (Art Tech). With respect to Art Tech, President Teng said that PolyU and the Royal College of Art (RCA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding early last year to establish the PolyU | RCA Artificial Intelligence Design Laboratory (AIDL). Its mission is to uncover knowledge and techniques related to design and scientific principles, new design processes and innovative products. In this way, the 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.

Professor TENG found it encouraging that the research capabilities of local universities were recognised in the Policy Address. He also expressed his appreciation to the HKSAR Government for their support in the development of universities in Hong Kong, which includes initiatives for fostering academic and research development, funding for upgrading campus facilities, as well as the establishment of the Targeted Taught Postgraduate Programmes Fellowships Scheme. Professor TENG shared the view of the Chief Executive that “on the road of I&T, one will never go too fast and should strive to go faster”. PolyU will continue to make impactful contributions to help build an international I&T hub in the GBA.

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