Energetically creating synergies among language, culture and science in education and research, the Faculty strives to excel in applied language sciences and bilingual China studies. We are also rapidly advancing in the fields of speech therapy, language and cognitive neuroscience, and healthcare communication. Besides, the Faculty continues to play a significant role in enhancing students’ language ability, and their understanding of the nature and cultures of human beings.
10+ signifies the Faculty’s contributions and achievements beyond 10 years. Looking to the future, 10+ also signifies many more success stories to come.
Throughout the year, the Faculty will be celebrating its anniversary with a variety of events. We invite our students and alumni, colleagues, friends, partners and the local community to celebrate this special year with us.
Event Calendar
In 2018, the Faculty will be celebrating its anniversary with a variety of events. We invite our students and alumni, colleagues, friends, partners and the local community to celebrate this special year with us.
contributions and achievements
FH is recognised worldwide. FH has gained worldwide recognition for its academic excellence, as reflected in the high university rankings. In Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings, the subject of linguistics – the discipline in which a majority of FH staff members are engaged – is constantly ranked among the top 50 in the world, and stood at 34th in 2017. In the broader area of arts and humanities, PolyU is ranked among the top 20 in Asia.
FH conducts high-standard research. According to the result of the latest Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) conducted by the Research Grants Council, 45% and 60% of our research in the fields of linguistics & language studies and history respectively are judged to meet the standard of either ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’.
FH departments have nurtured about 15,000* graduates since 1976 (when the first programme was launched). We have a well-recognised track record and experience in nurturing highly effective, creative and seasoned professionals in language and communication or Chinese culture, who can contribute to the advancement of their professions as well as the community at large.
* Excluding graduates from the School of Design (and its predecessor).
* Excluding graduates from the School of Design (and its predecessor).
FH students received awards in major interpreting and language contests, and have been named "The Most Outstanding PolyU Student" twice in the last ten years.
FH is committed to teaching excellence. Our academic staff members won numerous teaching awards, including the University Grants Committee Teaching Award and the President’s award.
FH contributes to establishing a truly international and intercultural learning environment at PolyU
FH contributes to establishing a truly international and intercultural learning environment at PolyU. The Faculty attracts a good number of international staff members and students. Currently, FH staff members hail from over 20 different countries/regions and research postgraduate students from 17 different countries/regions. Our four-year undergraduate programmes are designed to allow room for students to gain international experience. For the cohort that graduated in 2016/17, over 40% of our four-year undergraduate students had participated in an outbound exchange and 60% an overseas internship during their study.
In addition to Chinese and English, the Faculty offers minor programmes and subjects in French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish to strengthen students’ multilingual and multicultural competencies.
FH is connected internationally. We have established joint research centres, partnerships and exchange programmes with leading universities/organisations in the world. This World Partners Map shows our connections at a glance.
The Faculty, in collaboration with eleven partner institutions, was granted the first Erasmus Mundus mobility programme in Hong Kong, which supported about 170 staff/student exchanges. In 2017, the Faculty was one of the two key members of a funded Erasmus+ programme hosted by Free University (Freie Universität) of Berlin.
In addition to Chinese and English, the Faculty offers minor programmes and subjects in French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish to strengthen students’ multilingual and multicultural competencies.
FH is connected internationally. We have established joint research centres, partnerships and exchange programmes with leading universities/organisations in the world. This World Partners Map shows our connections at a glance.
The Faculty, in collaboration with eleven partner institutions, was granted the first Erasmus Mundus mobility programme in Hong Kong, which supported about 170 staff/student exchanges. In 2017, the Faculty was one of the two key members of a funded Erasmus+ programme hosted by Free University (Freie Universität) of Berlin.
FH serves the entire University. Our Chinese and English language centres are the sole providers of language courses to all PolyU students. In 2017, around 55% of the University’s CAR (general education) subjects were offered by the Faculty.
FH supports the society. In addition to offering programmes that meet societal needs, FH provides services to different communities by offering a wide range of service-learning subjects, including language teaching, language arts projects, helping primary students with specific reading difficulties, applying Chinese culture in modern daily life, and looking at social issues such as cultural heritage preservation and social poverty in developing countries. We also provide professional and research-led consultancy. In terms of knowledge transfer, we host Education Bureau-funded projects on curriculum development and pedagogy research for Chinese teachers teaching non-Chinese speaking students. Our Speech Therapy Unit provides therapy services to both adult and child clients with communication and swallowing disorders.
FH Milestones
The Faculty’s departments have a long history in language education. Our history as a formal department can be traced back to 1973. We focused on Chinese, English, Japanese and translation at the beginning, then gradually offering more languages including French, German, Korean and other European languages. In addition to serving the whole University, we also offer applied language sciences and bilingual China studies programmes that evolve along with societal needs. In 2008, the Faculty entered a new era when the Department of Chinese Culture was established and the Faculty renamed as the Faculty of Humanities. Over the years, the Faculty has established widely recognised professional and research centres. Recently, our research has expanded from language and cultural studies to related areas including speech therapy, language and cognitive neuroscience and healthcare communication.
(Sources of information: University Prospectus and Graduation Ceremony House Programmes, Administrative Notes, PolyU 65 Years of Education and Innovation commemorative album, Research Office)