Welcome to this new Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)! As the latest artificial intelligence (AI) revolution has been upon our generation, we have witnessed a paradigm-shifting transformation of the global landscape of scientific and technological development which has caused deep penetration into all corners of the world in every corporation’s operations and growth and every individual’s everyday live. As a world-class research university, PolyU is proud to be the first University worldwide in 2022 to institute a second major in Artificial Intelligence and Data Analytics (AIDA) for all academic programmes. By integrating this second major within the major disciplines of students, this AIDA second major aims to equip the next generation of graduates with AI and data analytics skills to apply to their chosen disciplines, meet the needs of digital transformation in a particular field, and help improve work efficiencies and substantially augment human capabilities.
On January 1, 2025, PolyU established this new Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences (FCMS) to meet the ever-increasing demand for educating the future generation of talents in the era of AI and digital transformation. FCMS consists of three constituent departments, namely, the Department of Applied Mathematics (AMA), the Department of Computing (COMP), and the Department of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DSAI). All three academic disciplines offer complete degree programmes in three levels: Bachelor, Taught Postgraduate, and Research Postgraduate.
The advances in AIDA have been fueling the rapid development of unprecedented innovations in all scientific and technological fields. It is well-known that the emerging development of AIDA rests on two major foundations: computing and mathematics. Therefore, the current academic structure for this new faculty, FCMS, provides a perfect framework with one central theme in AIDA and two necessary foundational supports in computing and mathematics. This academic structure can be branded as a two-wheel driving development system, which is expected to offer a more comprehensive educational setting for the next generation of talents with holistic mathematical and computing foundations and a sharp vision for AIDA frontiers.
I am very confident that this new Faculty will have great potential in achieving its vision of becoming a world-leading Faculty in broad areas related to the emerging global digital and intelligent transformation through excellence in education, research, and knowledge transfer programmes.
