This newsletter keeps you up to date with recent developments and opportunities at PolyU. This issue includes information about PolyU’s Outstanding Student Awards 2021, the establishment of a second residential college at Homantin Halls, and PolyU’s success at the TechConnect Innovation Awards. An undergraduate student who has just completed her first year at PolyU also shares her thoughts about the university and her experiences.

We look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to PolyU soon!

Best wishes,
Global Engagement Office

Each year, PolyU’s Outstanding Students Award Scheme honours full-time final-year students who excel in academic and non-academic pursuits. Within each faculty or school, each academic department awards one student the outstanding student; among these students, one is further awarded the “Outstanding Student Award of Faculty”. In addition, each school not under the purview of a faculty awards one student the “Outstanding Student Award of School”. One of the outstanding students from the eight faculties/schools is then honoured as “The Most Outstanding PolyU Student of the Year”.

This year, 28 students were recognised as outstanding at the departmental and faculty/school levels. The Outstanding Student of the Faculty of Humanities, HO Hiu Man, was named The Most Outstanding PolyU Student of the Year.

Let’s hear what the winners have to say about it!

A second residential college will be established in the Homantin Student Halls for the 2022/23 academic year. With the theme of “Multi-faceted Excellence”, the new college reflects PolyU’s aim to provide students with a vibrant living and learning environment that emphasises the provision of diverse opportunities for nurturing talent and facilitating holistic development alongside the pursuit of academic excellence. The new college will be led by a dedicated team comprising a Master, Resident Fellows and Tutors. A new residential college scholarship scheme will also be launched in the 2022/23 academic year to provide further support to students with exceptional non-academic talent or achievements.

PolyU received three prestigious Innovation Awards in the areas of AI, materials science and biotechnology at the TechConnect World Innovation Conference and Expo 2022 – the world’s largest multi-sector event for fostering the development and commercialisation of innovations. This is the sixth consecutive year that PolyU research teams have been among the top-ranked innovators to receive Innovation Awards at TechConnect, and PolyU was the only higher education institution in Hong Kong to be awarded at this year’s Conference.

The award-winning PolyU innovations are an AI-empowered chest X-ray imaging technique for clinical applications, an automatic temperature-controllable mask and a new type of more environmentally friendly moisture-absorbing and sweat-releasing fabric.

Read more about PolyU’s success at TechConnect 2022.

Student name: Alessandra Sylva Saleh

I’m from: Indonesia

Programme: BEng (Hons) Scheme in Product and Industrial Engineering

Year of study: Year 1

Why did you choose PolyU?

PolyU is a popular university destination for students from my high school (Bina Bangsa School PIK), and I learnt about PolyU from our school’s education fair. I chose PolyU for many reasons. I had already decided to study abroad as I wanted to learn how to live independently, and Hong Kong had always been at the back of my mind as a study destination. I heard my high school seniors praising PolyU, but what really caught my attention was PolyU’s focus on practical learning – I have always found it better to learn by doing. When I received a scholarship offer for my first choice of programme, the BEng (Hons) Scheme in Product and Industrial Engineering, I had many discussions with my parents and decided to pursue my undergraduate degree at PolyU.

Why did you choose the BEng (Hons) Scheme in Product and Industrial Engineering?

I have never been certain of what I wanted to pursue as a university major, and even on accepting the offer I was not completely sure if Product and Industrial Engineering was the right choice for me. Soon after starting my university life at PolyU, however, I realised that this programme has so much to offer and I found it very enjoyable. The professors are very passionate about their subject and give us great support to understand what is being taught. I have learnt so many new, useful and important things! It is quite challenging to achieve high grades, but I have no regrets about my choice of major. I trust that PolyU, as one of the world’s most reputable universities, will continue to provide me with endless opportunities for enrichment through high-quality education and lead me to a stable and rewarding occupation.

What advice would you give to students in next year’s class?

The key is good time management! Living your dream university life and enjoying yourself is within reach if you manage your time well. But don’t stress out too much – there is much more to life than just academic success.

View the PolyU Experience series