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MoU Signing Ceremony between PolyU and Chiang Mai University (CMU)

On 9 December 2021, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Signing Ceremony was held between PolyU and Chiang Mai University (CMU), Thailand, signifying a closer and more concrete partnership on education and research. The collaboration was driven by COMP and Research Centre on Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RC-DSAI) of PolyU, bringing both institutions to a new stage of international cooperation. Following the congratulatory speech by Dr Juggapong Nartwichai, Associate Dean, Faculty of Engineering of CMU, Dr Sampan Singharajwarapan, Vice President of CMU, delivered the welcome remarks and he believes that the two organisations will strengthen the alliance in various areas by leveraging their respective expertise. Prof. Christopher Chao, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, expressed his enthusiasm for collaboration and said, “With the strong commitment, concerted efforts and world-renowned experts from CMU and PolyU, we can provide all-round development and make significant contributions to our emerging society.” The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Prof. Qing Li, Chair Professor and Head of COMP, also the Co-Director of RC-DSAI and honoured representatives from PolyU and CMU. The signed agreement is poised to propel new and more substantial engagement initiatives in the near future, enabling both parties to further explore the opportunities of academic and research exchanges for students, faculty members and staff; jointly organise educational and research activities at all levels and share resources with each other including qualified research specialists, scholars and facilities. More photos are available on COMP Facebook page and COMP Instagram.

COMP undergraduate won in the New World Innovation Challenge 2021

COMP student, Romeo Ng Wang-hei, (BSc (Hons) in Financial Technology and Artificial Intelligence, Year 3) received the ‘’Most Innovative Award (Open Stream)” with his team members from other universities at the finale of the New World Innovation Challenge 2021 on 27 November. New World Innovation Challenge 2021 is a multi-stream open competition designed to elevate solutions provided by the next generation of promising startups, students and intrapreneurs. Romeo’s team, Team Avant, selected “Retail” as the problem statement. Focused on the New World Group's project, 11 SKIES, the city's largest retail, dining, and entertainment hub located next to the Hong Kong International Airport which is expected to open in 2025, the team provided solutions towards customer shopping behaviour and pattern identification by presenting a full-fledged digital strategy that benefits customers, 11 SKIES, and the New World Ecosystem. They proposed a revamped digital journey and mobile app that features a seamless and customised experience. An AI-powered virtual "Koncierge" offers a localised conversational experience to citizens and tourists, generating a personalised shopping journey with smart notification and an automated booking system. This is made possible by their Bluetooth-driven interest prediction model, which allows 11 SKIES to discover interests among customer segments to launch effective cross-selling strategies, increasing customer satisfaction. The proposal also highlights a hybrid-shopping experience. With post-purchase follow-up, the app loops customers into the New World Ecosystem, providing them with an innovative and exceptional purchase journey. Throughout the competition, finalists were given exclusive access to mentorship from established startup founders and industry experts, as well as in-person site visits on the case studies they tackle, enabling them to gain invaluable advice and guidance. They could learn directly from the case study owners and understand how business decisions are made on the usage of technology. “We were inspired by the fresh ideas from other startups, students, and intrapreneurs,” Romeo shared. “It was a precious journey.”

The 27th Congregation of PolyU

Congratulations to all COMP graduates! The graduation ceremonies of COMP bachelor and master degrees students have been successfully concluded on 29 November at the Jockey Club Auditorium of PolyU. Families and friends of graduates gathered together to witness such a memorable moment. More photos are available on COMP Facebook page and COMP Instagram.

Prof. Qing Li named IEEE Fellow

We are delighted and proud to announce that Prof. Qing Li, Chair Professor of Data Science and Head of COMP, has recently been elevated to Fellow of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) with effect from 1 January 2022, for his contributions to machine learning in multimedia, data mining and data warehousing. Prof. Li joined COMP in 2018 as Head of the Department. His research interests are mainly in the areas of Multi-modal data management, Data warehousing and mining, Social media and Web services, and e-Learning Technologies. He has been actively involved in the research community by serving as an associate editor and reviewer for technical journals, and as an organiser/co-organiser of numerous international conferences. His significant achievement in research has also earned him the Fellowship of IET/IEE. The IEEE is the world’s leading professional association for advancing technology for humanity. Through its 400,000 plus members in 160 countries, the association is a leading authority in a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics. The IEEE Grade of Fellow is conferred by the IEEE Board of Directors upon a person with an outstanding record of accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest. Fellow is the highest grade of membership in IEEE, with the number selected each year not exceeding 0.1% of its total voting members. IEEE Fellow is recognised by the technical community as a prestigious honour and an important career achievement. Congratulations to Prof. Li on this well-deserved recognition and bringing honour to the Department, the Faculty and the University for his outstanding accomplishments in advancing innovation in his fields for the benefit of society.

Alliance with TCL to foster research collaboration

PolyU announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with TCL Group, a multinational electronics company headquartered in Mainland China at the TCL Global Technology Project Release and Cooperation Signing Conference in Nov 2021. The cooperation was driven by COMP and the Research Centre on Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RC-DSAI) of PolyU. The MoU offers a framework for collaboration to develop research in science and technology, as well as for developing and implementing applied research projects in innovative Artificial Intelligence. The MoU was signed by Prof. Christopher Chao, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU and Dr Jiajun Shen, Chief AI Scientist of TCL Corporate Research (Hong Kong) Co. Limited. The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Co-Directors of RC-DSAI, Prof. Qing Li, Chair Professor and Head of COMP and Prof. Lei Zhang, Chair Professor of COMP as well as Mr Hei Chak, Design Director and Mr Karl Li, Manager of External Affairs from TCL Corporate Research. At the ceremony, Prof. Chao said, “This MoU marks a closer tie between the two parties, represents our efforts to promote long-term academic and research cooperation, and also perfectly reflects our commitment to meet the changing needs of students and society.” On behalf of TCL Group, Dr Shen expressed his enthusiasm for collaboration and said the main purpose of the MoU was to facilitate further discussions and explore collaborative opportunities on AI, Data Science and robotics technologies. TCL Corporate Research is dedicated to AI-related research including natural language processing, computer vision, big data analysis, etc. Through this alliance, both parties aim to promote the long-term development of AI, identify new applications, explore more innovative technologies, attract R&D experts and cultivate AI talents.

COMP scholars named Highly Cited Researchers 2021

We are proud to announce that Prof. Song Guo, Professor, and Prof. Lei Zhang, Chair Professor of Computer Vision and Image Analysis, have been recognised in the list of Highly Cited Researchers 2021 by Clarivate Analytics for their exceptional research and scientific impact in the field of Computer Science and Engineering respectively. Prof. Guo conducts research mainly in the areas of Big Data, Edge AI, Mobile Computing, Machine Learning and Distributed Systems. He is an IEEE Fellow and the Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Open Journal of the Computer Society. He has also served on the editorial board of prestigious international journals. This is the second year in a row for Prof. Guo being named a Highly Cited Researcher. Prof. Zhang is an IEEE Fellow and he has been named a Highly Cited Researcher for the seventh consecutive year. His research interests include Image and Video Processing, Computer Vision, Pattern Recognition and Biometrics, etc. and he has published more than 300 papers in these areas. According to Google Scholar, his works have been cited more than 67,000 times and his h-index is 125. Clarivate™ Highly Cited Researchers identifies the world's most influential researchers of the past decade, demonstrated by the production of multiple highly cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and year in Web of Science™.

Joining hands with CAIR-HKISI-CAS to advance AI, DS and Robotics technologies

Under the support of COMP and Research Centre on Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RC-DSAI), PolyU signed a collaborative agreement with the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Hong Kong Institute of Science & Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAIR-HKISI-CAS) on 1 Nov 2021 to advance Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Science (DS) and Robotic technologies research. With a longstanding collaboration with CAS, PolyU expands and deepens its existing partnership and enters into cooperation with CAIR-HKISI-CAS. The signing ceremony was held as a hybrid event at PolyU and the Institute of Automation, in Beijing simultaneously. It was witnessed by senior management and representatives of both parties. Prof. Christopher Chao, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, officiated the signing ceremony and gave a speech highlighting PolyU has become the first local institution that collaborates with CAIR-HKISI-CAS. “I am confident that with the strong commitment, concerted efforts and world-renowned experts from the CAIR-HKISI-CAS, the RC-DSAI and COMP of PolyU, we can strengthen our collaboration in research, provide all-around development and make significant contributions to our emerging society,” said Prof. Chao. PolyU established the RC-DSAI earlier in May, an intra-faculty research centre that focuses on discovering the unknown areas of AI, DS and deep learning to conduct sustainable and influential research. The Co-Directors of RC-DSAI, Prof. Qing Li, Chair Professor and Head of COMP together with Prof. Lei Zhang, Chair Professor of COMP, briefly introduced the Centre and its development directions. Prof. Bo Xu, Director of CAIR-HKISI-CAS delivered his remarks at the opening and welcomed the alliance while Prof. Zhaoxiang Zhang, Executive Director of CAIR-HKISI-CAS, also expressed his gratitude for the collaboration. This agreement offers a framework for collaboration to develop and apply innovative technologies in the fields of AI, DS and Robotics, to generate high impact research as well as to nurture talents and benefit mankind. The collaboration marks a new milestone in PolyU’s development and represents our earnest efforts in fostering long-term academic and research collaborations. Through leveraging the university’s competitive edge in education, research and complementing the strengths of CAIR-HKISI-CAS, the two parties will contribute to pursuing impactful research that benefits the region, the country and the world.

COMP x CAA Academic-Industry Seminar Series (Oct 2021)

To encourage lifelong learning and strengthen the connection between COMP and Alumni, as well as to foster possible collaboration between academia and industry, COMP and the Computing Alumni Association (CAA) are co-organising the “COMP x CAA Academic-Industry Seminar Series” in the academic year of 2021/22. Various academics and industry professionals will be invited to share their insights and experiences on important computing topics. The first seminar was held successfully at PolyU on 27 October with the topic of “Artificial Intelligence”. Dr Miranda Lou, Executive Vice President of PolyU, was invited to officiate the seminar. Prof. Qing Li, Chair Professor and Head of COMP delivered a welcome remark, followed by Mr Darron Sun, President of CAA and Head of Information Technology of Hong Kong Housing Society also gave a warm welcome. Themed on “Applied Artificial Intelligence in Engineering”, Prof. Kay Chen Tan, our Chair Professor and Associate Head (Research & Development) was invited as the first speaker to discuss how artificial intelligence can be used in big data analytics to improve problem-solving efficiency for better decision making and optimization in industrial applications. Mr Jeffrey Ng, Vice President of CAA and Project Leader of MBB Strategy Firm, shared his hands-on experience in artificial intelligence for banking and finance with the audiences. Dr Henry Chan, Associate Professor and Associate Head (Partnership & Collaboration) of COMP hosted an interactive Q&A session near the end of the seminar. Winners from the Q&A session were able to get a prize – the new book named “Hands-On Artificial Intelligence for Banking” donated and written by Mr Jeffrey Ng.

COMP @ PolyU Undergraduate Info Day 2021

PolyU Education Info Day was successfully concluded on 10 October 2021. This year, the Info Day was conducted in hybrid mode in which COMP organised various activities including the info seminars with live consultation and a virtual booth exhibition. Dr Hong-va Leong, our Associate Professor and Associate Head (Teaching & Learning) hosted the info seminar of the BSc (Hons) Scheme in Computing & AI with comprehensive information including the programmes on offer, admission requirements, learning opportunities and career prospects. During the Q&A session, Dr Leong offered his professional advice on studying at COMP to the attendees both online and physically. There was lively interaction among them. We have prepared a video covering the introduction of our teaching facilities, students’ sharing of learning experiences and career options illustrated by our alumni in the virtual booth exhibition. Posters on the development of the FinTech & AI profession, COMP graduate employment figures and alumni testimonials, were also showcased to further enable participants to understand more about COMP. The BSc (Hons) Scheme in Computing & AI that we offer includes three major degree programmes – BSc (Hons) in Computer Science, BSc (Hons) in Enterprise Information Systems, and BSc (Hons) in Financial Technology and Artificial Intelligence. These programmes are designed with diversified scopes of curriculum, allowing students to select the most suitable one for themselves in the second year of study after a unique common first year. The annual PolyU Undergraduate Info Day provides an excellent platform for prospective students, their parents and the public to obtain first-hand information on a wide range of academic programmes and to gain useful tips about planning for university life.

University of Cambridge (Girton College) Online Summer Programme - Mathematics for Engineering

Co-organised by Girton College of the University of Cambridge and the Faculty of Engineering (FENG) of PolyU, the “University of Cambridge (Girton College) Online Summer Engineering School” was held from 26 – 30 July 2021. Thirty-nine FENG students including nine from COMP joined the programme. Dr John Longley, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Engineering from the University of Cambridge, delivered a course “Mathematics for Engineering”. Focusing on the theoretical concept, the course covered useful knowledge for engineers, including vectors analysis, matrices algebra, numerical solutions and quadrature, statistics, as well as data analysis. Daily homework assignments were given to participants after each class. “I chose to join this programme to enhance my mathematic ability and skills,” Liu Yunfei (BSc (Hons) in Computing, Year 2) said. “I learnt essential knowledge about some basic mathematic methods and techniques, which can be easily applied to my major study.” To enable participants to know more about Girton College and Cambridge student life, a series of special events were arranged such as Orientation, Watch Party of Girton College Experience, Guest Lecture on Graduate Studies at Cambridge. Students were also honoured to meet with the Mistress of Girton College, Prof. Susan Smith on 29 July, discussing education-related topics. Apart from the class learning, the summer programme also offered attendees opportunities to communicate with students who are currently studying at Girton College. Social activities with Student Ambassadors like “Quiz and Discussion Night” and “Walking Tour of Girton College”, further allowed students to experience the Cambridge study life. “Every day there was one challenge question at the end of the lecture for us to practice what we have learnt. I found this was so encouraging and interesting by solving the problem,” Geng Longling (BSc (Hons) in Computing, Year 2) shared. In conclusion, the programme provided students with valuable international learning experience in various aspects. “At Girton College we are very fortunate to have collaborated on short-term programmes with PolyU over a number of years now. The PolyU students on this new Mathematics for Engineering programme were as hard-working as always, and it is wonderful to know that even though the programme was delivered online the students still learnt a lot academically, and even got to experience something of Girton College life through the additional activities that were organised. We look forward to welcoming further PolyU students to Cambridge in future.” Dr Nick Godfrey, Director of Summer Programmes said.