Thanks to Supporters

Celebration of the First Established Endowed Young Scholar - Tsui Tack Kong Endowed Young Scholar in Civil Engineering

In light of the success of the Endowed Professorship Scheme, PolyU launched the Endowed Young Scholars Scheme to partner with our donors in supporting and nurturing promising early-career academics in the capacity of an Associate or Assistant Professor. By making donation, donor and the scholar will join hands to drive new discoveries and breakthroughs in the research discipline that they mutually value, leading to collaboration between academics and the industries for positive societal impacts. Our first Endowed Young Scholar position was donated and set up by our respected mentor and alumnus – Ir Tsui Tack-kong (Picture 1, middle). Ir Tsui has over 60 years of experience in the construction field. He was the first Joint Chairman of Hong Kong Branch of The Institution of Structural Engineers (UK)/Structural Division of The Hong Kong Institute of Engineers in 1979 and was a Council Member of The Hong Kong Institute of Engineers in the early 1980s. Ir Tsui is a keen supporter of his alma mater and has made contribution on multiple fronts. He is a Founding Member of the PolyU Development Foundation and he is now Senior Advisor to the President on various campus development projects, as well as a member of the Governing Committee of PolyU Foundation. Dr Zhou Chao (Picture 1, right), Assistant Professor of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering has been appointed as Tsui Tack Kong Young Scholar in Civil Engineering after a rigorous selection process undertaken by PolyU’s Academic Selection Committee and Advisory Committee. Dr Zhou’s research interests include fundamental thermo-hydro-mechanical behaviour of saturated and unsaturated soils, theoretical constitutive modelling of soils, energy foundation engineering and pavement engineering. Having published more than 50 SCI (Science Citation Index) papers in leading international journals, he was awarded the Excellent Young Scientists Fund (Hong Kong and Macau) by the Natural Science Foundation of China, and the Bright Spark Lecture Award by the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. An appreciation lunch was held on 29 July 2021 to express our gratitude to Ir Tsui’s generous support and to celebrate the appointment of Dr Zhou. The lunch was hosted by Professor Jin-Guang Teng (Picture 1, left), President of PolyU. Prof. Teng extended his heartfelt appreciation to Ir Tsui for his vote of confidence in the University and hoped the donation would set an example and have positive influence on fellow alumni to give back to their alma mater. Dr Zhou mentioned during his presentation “The Endowed Young Scholars Scheme enables me and my team to engage in more ground-breaking research in the discipline of civil engineering. Such outputs contribute to the improved safety and performance of infrastructures, which are vital to the smooth operation of any modern city.” Ir Tsui was impressed and he said, “I support PolyU in its pursuit to be a leading university which offers world-class research and education, and that implies the importance of nurturing outstanding young scholars like Dr Zhou. Giving them sustainable support and our trust will be the key to success. I hope my contribution can make a remarkable difference to the University and the industry.” We thank Ir Tsui again for his generous support and we look forward to more exciting achievements from Dr Zhou that will be made possible by the Endowed Young Scholars Scheme. Please browse the Scheme website for more information of how this Scheme can bring a powerful impact to the University and society.

PolyU partners with Lee Hysan Foundation to promote teachers’ wellness

PolyU will launch a two-year “Teachers Wellness MED Program” funded through a generous donation from Lee Hysan Foundation, a strategic partner and sponsor of the University, with the provision of a comprehensive wellness programme for 600 secondary school teachers. Heavy teaching and administrative workloads, education reforms, preparation for peer observation or external school reviews, pursuit of further education, and more, have imposed a great burden on teachers that could adversely affect their physical and mental health, and consequently their work performance. On the other hand, appropriate support and help from schools and the government is limited. There is an urgent need to develop a holistic health programme to help improve teachers’ physical and mental wellbeing. As a matter of fact, the challenges and stress that teachers face at different stages of life and career development are varied, resulting in various levels of physical and mental health problems.  A multi-disciplinary team led by Prof. Hector Tsang, Head of PolyU’s Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Chair Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences and Cally Kwong Mei Wan Professor in Psychosocial Health, aims to use a life-span approach to provide holistic and sustainable care to teachers. The Teachers Wellness MED Program (with “MED” standing for “mental health, exercise and diet”) will be tailor-made to meet teachers’ various needs at different life and career development stages. The programme is “holistic” in the sense that it embraces three aspects, namely psychosocial wellness, nutrition, and physical health.  Through a series of lectures and interactive workshops, and individual consultations, teachers will acquire knowledge and self-administered techniques on these three aspects. 

Prestigious recognitions to outstanding academia of Civil Engineering, Now and Then

The Endowed Professorship Scheme of PolyU is a town and gown partnership between generous donor and academia. Ir Prof. Poon Chi-sun, Head of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) and Chair Professor of Sustainable Construction Materials, was recently appointed as Michael Anson Professor in Civil Engineering under this scheme. Supported by a generous donation from Able Engineering Company Limited (Able Engineering), the Endowed Professorship was named after Prof. Michael Anson, the founding dean of the predecessor of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), as a tribute to his enormous contributions to the Faculty. Guiding the Faculty’s research development in its early days, Prof. Anson had fostered the research culture and encouraged faculty members to pursue research excellence since the 1980s, while developing research proposals and journal papers by academic was not yet a norm at the then Hong Kong Polytechnic. Prof. Anson continues his devotion to research education even after his retirement in 2003 and is currently the Emeritus Professor of FCE. Through this Endowed Professorship, Able Engineering not only hopes Prof. Anson’s inspirational and pioneering spirit can continue to influence every generation of academia, but also that they can continue to build and excel on the strong foundations laid down by Prof. Anson. Ir Prof. Poon Chi-sun, the appointed Endowed Professor, is an expertise and pioneer in the research on valorizing different types of wastes as construction materials. His teaching and research focus on eco-friendly construction materials, concrete technology and waste management. He is a Fellow of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and has been serving actively in various professional and government committees. This is the second Endowed Professorship supported by Able Engineering. Specialising in construction, repair and maintenance works of local public and private building projects, Able Engineering is a firm believer of close collaboration between academia and industry to push forward academic researches with societal impact. PolyU is deeply grateful for the donor’s support and will continue to pursue “partnership for impact”.

PolyU Foundation holds appreciation receptions for its members

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Foundation (PolyU Foundation) held two appreciation receptions on 27 May and 10 June 2021 to express its gratitude to its new and upgraded members in the categories of Honorary Life Chairman, Honorary Life President and Honorary Life Vice President.  The tremendous contributions from members enabled the University to forge ahead with the commitment to pursuing education and research excellence.  Dr Katherine Ngan, Chairman of the PolyU Foundation, expressed her heartfelt thanks to the members for their long-standing support under the pandemic.  She also introduced members the newly launched Endowed Young Scholars Scheme and encouraged for their continued support.  The Scheme supports and nurtures distinguished young scholars at Associate Professor or Assistant Professor level, and is a partnership for excellence between the donor and the University in driving innovations that bring positive and long-term changes to the world. Prof. Jin-Guang Teng, PolyU President, gave members an update on PolyU’s latest developments in education and research.  He was delighted to share the encouraging results of Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2020, in which PolyU received high ratings in various research areas.  He also shared with members one of the main themes of the 85th anniversary celebrations will be “Alumni Homecoming” and encouraged them to actively participate in the celebratory activities. As a token of gratitude, a Certificate of Appreciation and a specially designed souvenir were presented to members by Prof. Teng and Dr Ngan. 

PolyU E-Formula Racing Team holds appreciation event for sponsors

The PolyU E-Formula Racing Team, established in 2015, is the first formula racing team formed by Hong Kong university students. With the generous support from the community, the team was able to enhance innovative technology and represented Hong Kong to compete in the Formula Student Electric China (FSEC) since 2017. An appreciation event was held on 7 May to recognise sponsors for their contribution to this meaningful project. The event was attended by Ms Titania Ho, representative of Dr Laurence Hou, Ir Lee Kam-hung Arthur, Chairman & CEO of Kolinker Industrial Equipments Limited, and Mr Howard Chao, Vice-Chairman of Young Executives’ Committee, The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce. The Team was also grateful to receiving the generous support from Principal Sponsor - HKI China Land Limited, as well as other sponsors, such as Ngai Hing Hong Plastics Materials (Hong Kong) Limited, Yuzhou Group and Kwoon Chung Bus Holdings Company Limited. 2021 Season team captain Kevin Lam shared their experience in 2019 Formula Student Electric China (FSEC) competition and showcased the new race car which was assembled in January 2021. Ir Prof. H.C. Man, Dean of PolyU Faculty of Engineering, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the sponsors for their ardent support to student development and their mentorship by providing valuable advice on driving techniques to the Team. The sponsors encouraged the Team to further demonstrate creativity and apply professional knowledge to realise their dreams, bringing positive changes to the society. In 2019, the Team attended 2019 FSEC competition from 18 to 23 Nov 2019 at the Zhuhai Airshow Center, China. The Team ranked 31 out of the 54 participating teams in terms of overall results, which was a step ahead compared to 2018 season and the best percentage among the three straight seasons. They have achieved passing all scrutineering checks, finished competing 2 dynamic events and ranked 7th in the Business Presentation Event.

China Candlelight Educational Fund supports students’ experiential learning in Mainland China

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) strives to nurture students to become future-ready global citizens and tomorrow’s leaders. To cultivate their global perspective and enrich their learning experience, the University is dedicated to offering students with diversified offshore learning opportunities.  PolyU received a generous donation from China Candlelight Educational Fund to support financially needy students participating in various experiential learning activities, including internship, Service-Learning, exchange, study tour and more, in Mainland China.  PolyU expresses our gratitude to the Fund for their support that enables students with financial needs to have the opportunity to broaden their exposure, contributing to their personal development.  China Candlelight Educational Fund has made great contributions to the promotion of cultural exchanges for Hong Kong and mainland students, and provision of education for young people in the poverty-stricken mountainous regions of China for the past twenty years.

Lee Hysan Foundation partners with PolyU to tackle elder abuse and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

Lee Hysan Foundation, a strategic partner and sponsor of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), has generously supported the University’s initiatives to tackle elder abuse and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, namely “Collaborative Efforts to Intervene and Prevent Elder Abuse” project and “Healthy Spine” project respectively. The “Collaborative Efforts to Intervene and Prevent Elder Abuse” project will create the first evidence-based protocol for detecting, intervening and preventing elder abuse and aims to raise community awareness of the issue in the long run. The project will be spearheaded by the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, with expert input from its five disciplines of Applied Social Sciences, Nursing, Optometry, Rehabilitation Sciences, and Health Technology and Informatics. It will also collaborate with external partners, including six NGOs and two medical professional bodies. PolyU’s project team will develop a set of screening tools, a practice manual and training procedures to better handle and manage cases of elder abuse. The abuse assessment service will initially be made available to 1,500 elderly people, with 400 at-risk and confirmed abuse cases also receiving a follow-up service from the project. In addition, the team will run a training and awareness programme to equip 2,000 elderly people and their caregivers, as well as 600 professionals and students, with the knowledge to detect elder abuse. The “Healthy Spine Project” involves the development and community application of non-surgical treatment for adolescents aged between 10 and 15 years old with mild to moderate adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), an abnormal curvature of the spine that appears in late childhood or adolescence and is the third most common health problem among students in Hong Kong. Early intervention is crucial to prevent further deterioration of the spine, however, existing interventions impose restrictions on patients’ mobility. A multi-disciplinary team led by Dr Joanne Yip, Associate Professor of PolyU’s Institute of Textiles and Clothing and Associate Dean of the Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles, collaborated with researchers from the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong to develop products offering more effective treatment for AIS. The project will provide AIS screening for 4,500 students and early non-surgical intervention for 110 students with mild to moderate AIS, using three different medical garments recently developed in Hong Kong. The garments are designed to be functional and wearable, combining advanced textile and garment technologies with the innovative use of sensors to treat patients. A pre-clinical trial of the garments will be conducted in the community, after which they will be commercialised to provide a more viable way for AIS sufferers to treat their condition.

PolyU wins funding from HKJC Charities Trust to help families develop resilience

Disagreements arising from social unrest and anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated economic downturn have made families in Hong Kong more vulnerable to stress. To help families be more resilient, a multidisciplinary team led by Dr Janet Leung Tsin-yee, Associate Professor of PolyU’s Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS), and Professor Daniel T. L. Shek, PolyU’s Interim Vice-President (Research and Innovation) and Chair Professor of Applied Social Sciences and Li & Fung Professor in Service Leadership Education at APSS, will collaborate with several NGOs to run a three-year project funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. The Trust has generously allocated HK$38.825 million for the whole project, of which HK$18.9 million has been awarded to PolyU. The pioneering project aims to promote coping strategies among families to help them overcome external challenges. It will also share positive family belief systems, and work to improve mutual understanding and support among family members, so that families are better able to protect each other from threats and vulnerabilities. PolyU will contribute to the design and implementation of online educational programmes and family activities for the project, and work with the participating NGOs to develop community-based intervention programmes. The University will also design and implement capacity-building workshops for social workers, teachers, psychologists and health professionals, and conduct a needs assessment study and evaluation research.

PolyU sets up the first university-based occupational therapy clinic on campus

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has established a new on-campus rehabilitation centre that focuses on the provision of occupational therapy (OT) services, thanks to a generous donation from Mr Tam Wing Fan and his family. It is the first-ever OT clinic in Hong Kong operated by a university. The Tam Wing Fan Rehabilitation Service Centre (Occupational Therapy), named after its donor Mr Tam Wing Fan, a distinguished Hong Kong architect and philanthropist who generously supported education, research and community service, is the second rehabilitation centre operating on the PolyU campus. With state-of-the-art equipment, veteran academic researchers and experienced occupational therapists, this new Centre provides comprehensive OT services for people of all age groups, including treatments for musculoskeletal, neurological and mental health dysfunctions. In view of the ageing population and the rising needs for primary healthcare services in the community, the Centre will become a service point for the public, with an emphasis on elderly care and offering treatments for common neurological diseases, elderly falls and fractures, and mental health conditions.

PolyU joins hands with ACCA Charitable Foundation Limited to combat COVID-19 pandemic

Collaborating with ACCA Charitable Foundation Limited (ACCA), The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) donated 5,000 face shields to 16 non-governmental organisations (NGOs), providing extra protection to frontline social workers and healthcare workers under the COVID-19 pandemic.  Designed by PolyU, the face shields provide full-face coverage and help protect the wearers from the spread of droplet-transmitted diseases.  An appreciation ceremony was held on 27 August to recognise ACCA for their contribution to this meaningful project. Over the past few months, COVID-19 has been affecting everyone’s lives globally.  Since then, PolyU has been proactively helping the community to overcome difficulties by applying our professional expertise.  One of the many initiatives includes the development of two new reusable face shields, namely “General Use Face Shield” and “Extra Protection Face Shield”,  which provide enhanced protection for the public in their daily lives and working environment thus minimising the risks of virus transmission in the community.  Frontline social workers and healthcare workers are frequently in close contact with high risk clients and environment, such as nursing procedures, bathing, feeding, cleaning public areas or toilet, etc.  Besides, mentally challenged children may touch their face with their hands unintentionally.  The reusable face shields help to lessen the need of protective gear amongst frontline medical professional.  One of the beneficiaries, the Association of Parents of the Severely Mentally Handicapped, appreciated the generosity of ACCA and PolyU.  Ms Renee Lai Pui Mei, Chairman of the association said, “It has been a huge challenge for our children to wear surgical masks.  The shields prove to be an effective means for protecting our children from the pandemic.” PolyU cares about the community, and ACCA shares the same vision and care for the needy frontline workers. Mr Kenneth Wong, Chairman of ACCA Hong Kong, found this initiative meaningful.  He said, “We are glad to be part of this meaningful project, supporting the frontline welfare workers who need extra protection at work.  ACCA’s commitment is not limited to the accountancy profession, but to the wider community. During this tough period of time, let’s work together to fight the virus.” The 5,000 face shields allow the NGOs’ frontline workers to have extra protection while working.  This would not have been possible without ACCA’s support.  PolyU is very glad to join hands with our supporter, ACCA, to combat this unprecedented pandemic.