News

PolyU Student Brings Home the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) Creativity Competition Trophy

PolyU student Ada LO Wing-yan snapped up the winner's title of Tiny Model (Public Category) of the Maintenance and Appreciation of Historical Buildings Creativity Competition organised by HKIS. The model created by Ada is of 1 to 200 scale of Lui Seng Chun, a 4-storey Tong-lau built in 1931, with the major portion of the model in beige and grey colors. The two colors demarcate the original portion of the building structure with that of the revitalized new structure. From the cross-section cut design on the top and back of the model, one can see clearly the revitalized new structure, and the ability of Lui Seng Chun to uphold the original architectural value and satisfy the modern-day building code successfully. The Competition, which has four categories, i.e. Tiny Model, Microfilm, Drawing and Photography, received over 750 entries from the public, schools and other organizations. The competition was part of the "Maintenance and Appreciation of Historical Buildings" with an aim of encouraging the public to understand and appreciate the rich history, cultural traditions and conservation of Hong Kong historical buildings; as well as to educate the public about the importance of timely maintenance of these buildings.   To learn more about the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics under the Faculty of Construction and Environment and its programmes, please click here. 

GEO Exchange and Study Abroad Fair 2020

Although we found ourselves living in very different live then what we have planned for this year because of Coronavirus, our support to students’ learning continues. This year we have turned our Study Abroad Fair 2020 online and it was successfully organised between 12 – 23 October 2020. This 2-week event offered more than 30 hours of live presentations and consultations and has attracted more than 2200 student visits. These sessions covered the information about what we offer to students in terms of student exchange, other outbound opportunities, financial support, returned students sharing, and live presentations from selected partner institutions at different locations. Students, staff and partners treasured this opportunity to gather together and exchange the latest updates on exchange and study abroad opportunities in 2021. For more information about exchange and other outbound opportunities, please visit our study abroad page to learn more.

PolyU is Ranked 129th in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2021

PolyU achieved encouraging results in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2021, advancing 42 places to 129th! With our unwavering pursuit of excellence in education, research and knowledge transfer, we will continue to strengthen our position as a world-class university to make greater contributions to Hong Kong, the nation and the world. More: https://bit.ly/3lPZLH2

Student Mobility Team Takes Action against COVID-19

Our support to students who is participating or planning to participate any student mobility programmes but being disrupted by COVID-19 and associated travel restrictions has been activated and will be continued.   Student Exchange and Clinical Placement More than 320 students took up student exchange programme or clinical placement in semester 2, 2019/20 and were affected seriously by Covid-19 outbreak. Although majority of our students were not able to complete their overseas exchange experience by attending classes physically, over 80% of them have completed their studies and are expected to obtain credit transfer in due course. GEO has been in close contact with students, respective academic departments and partner institutions since the very early stage. Apart from reaching out to students on a regular basis to ensure their health status, we also kept our students promptly informed on any HKSAR government announcement on Red Travel Alert in student’s hosting country and region. We have also connected with our students through channels to their convenience and provided support on issues such as return home, insurance cover, academic arrangements and any other concerns that our students experienced. Student Mobility in Chinese Mainland and Taiwan Starting from 1 July 2020, GEO’s portfolio in student mobility has expanded and will be responsible in managing all student mobility programmes including student exchange, summer exchange, clinical placement programme and any other outbound opportunities worldwide including Chinese Mainland, Taiwan. Although COVID-19 disrupts student exchange and other outbound programmes participation, GEO remains fully committed to robust mobility programmes once circumstances improve. If you are interested to join in 2021, please continue to browse our website to learn more about the PolyU’s mobility programmems.

PolyU Intimate Fashion Show 2020

Creativity knows no bounds. Graduating students displayed their fashion talent on the runway! Twelve gifted graduating students of the Institute of Textiles and Clothing majoring in Intimate Apparel and Activewear showcased their collections of six outfits at the PolyU Intimate Fashion Show. Students have overcome numerous challenges in completing their collections during school closure due to COVID-19, a testimony to their passion for fashion design.

Office Restructured and Renamed as Global Engagement Office (GEO)

The International Affairs Office (IAO) has been restructured earlier of the year and renamed as the Global Engagement Office (GEO) from 1 July 2020. Moving forward, GEO will be responsible for steering and coordinating the global engagement activities of the University’s operations and serve as the one-stop liaison unit of the University for the fostering of international collaboration in various aspects. In particular, we will be responsible for all global engagement activities of undergraduate programmes, including non-local undergraduate student recruitment and student mobility programmes and activities in Chinese Mainland.

PolyU is Ranked 6th in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) 2021 Top 50 Under 50 Rankings

PolyU moved up two places to 6th in the recently released Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) 2021 Top 50 Under 50 Rankings, which ranks the world’s top 50 universities established within the last 50 years. The universities were ranked based on their performance in research, teaching, employability and internationalisation.

Chinese Mainland JEE Student Recruitment Series

To promote diversity among our student body, we are excited to recruit Chinese mainland JEE students. For the last two months, we have relied heavily on digital media, such as online talks and social media sites such as Weibo and WeChat, to reach out to counsellors, students and students’ parents.   Parent consultation session for Chinese mainland JEE Students香港理工大学招生讲堂 理大副校在线为你答疑 On 20 June 2020, a parent consultation session was hosted for students’ parents. Professor Ben Young (Vice President of Student and International Affairs), Professor S. L. Ho (Associate Vice President of Academic Support), Professor Esmond Mok (Dean of Students) and Mr Eric Lo (Interim Director of Global Engagement) met with parents online. During this webinar, the speakers introduced the distinctive vision and uniqueness of PolyU and the essence of what makes PolyU different from other universities. The presenters discussed topics such as student development programmes and activities, offshore learning opportunities, admissions requirements, school fees, scholarships and other benefits of being a student at PolyU. This gave parents a chance to meet academic staff, discuss how the school operates and gain clarity on the University’s admissions procedures, student opportunities and other relevant topics. Three-day PolyU online information seminar 香港理工大学2020年本科线上说明会 Before the Parent Consultation Session in late June, an online information seminar series, held over three consecutive Saturdays (香港理工大学2020年本科线上说明会), was organised for Chinese mainland JEE students seeking university entry in 2020 or beyond. The sessions were held on 23 and 30 May and 6 June 2020. Professor Haitian Lu (Director of Chinese mainland Affairs) was invited to inform JEE students of the latest situation in Hong Kong and provide a better understanding of PolyU. General and special features of PolyU were also discussed, including rankings, scholarships, programme offerings, curriculums, an array of learning opportunities for students, graduate prospects and admissions requirements and procedures. The GEO will be glad to receive any further questions or concerns that students may have.  Speak with an advisor, please contact us at jee.study@polyu.edu.hk

International Student Recruitment for Intake 2020/21

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the GEO team has had to adapt to new methods of reaching out and public engagement as various levels of travel bans and social distancing measures are imposed across countries and regions. The team has organised online meetings with different formats and sizes, such as sample lectures, admissions talks, conversion sessions, virtual fairs and booths and digital meetings. Students from Bangladesh, the Chinese mainland, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Korea and many other countries and regions have been benefited from the various online sessions. The team is grateful to have received support from academics such as Dr Steve Boles and Dr Lawrence Cheung from the Faculty of Engineering and Professor Benny Leong and Mr Stefan Sonntag from the School of Design. Student attachés have also joined many of the virtual meetings to share their own experiences of PolyU with prospective students.   Signature event: PolyU Virtual Open House on 16-18 June 2020 GEO has teamed up with 8 faculties and schools as well as a number of current students and organised a total of 10 online information sessions during June. One of the reasons for hosting the information sessions is because school counsellors shared that they would like to learn more about the university as a whole as well as programme details. In addition, many students also shared a collective sense of interest in programme uniqueness, including programme approach, career prospect, internship opportunities and admissions requirements. While on-campus visit could hardly be carried out during epidemic of COVID-19 around the world, moving online would be an alternative. These online information sessions provided a summary of the broad range of degrees and subjects for undergraduate. The GEO team outlined the benefits of and requirements for enrolling in courses at PolyU. The team also talked about the latest updates on COVID-19 infection situation of Hong Kong and measures that PolyU taken during the pandemic. During a student sharing session, a number of international students shared useful tips with prospective students based on their own experiences. The attendees seized the opportunity to ask important and specific questions during a Q&A session. The students also shared their feedback on the online meeting process, which will be used to improve content preparation and video and audio quality to enhance online interactions between students, parents and academics in the near future. Click here to watch the series now. 

Fighting COVID-19: Innovative Responses from USRN Member Institutions

The COVID-19 pandemic has crippled even the most advanced healthcare systems, and continues to pose an immense challenge to governments and the public. However, the crisis has also shed light on the positive impact of unity, strength and a sense of community as the world rallies in response. In all corners of the world, universities, colleges and other academic communities have willingly and openly joined the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. From conducting vital research to designing and producing personal protective equipment, providing access to relevant information and offering their facilities to those in self-isolation, these institutions have lent their rich resources to support efforts to address the needs arising from the effects of the crisis. To offer some insight into how universities can contribute to this battle against the pandemic, a featured website has been developed, placing a spotlight on eight member universities from the University Social Responsibility Network and the valuable contributions that they have made to their communities and beyond in addressing COVID-19. Read more.