Foreword

Welcome to the 2018/19 Sustainability Report of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) – Sustainability • Leading the Change!

In today’s world, communities and individuals face constant challenges in the social, environmental, or economic context. Being a pioneer in advanced research and education, PolyU embraces rising expectations from our stakeholders to discover new knowledge, pushes the frontiers of ground-breaking research, and shapes the next generation, bringing impactful changes to lives for a sustainable and prosperous future.

PolyU published a new strategic plan in 2018, setting up high-level management and governance objectives to guide our development for the following six years (2019/20-2024/25), after conducting extensive consultations with students, colleagues, alumni as well as Council and Court members. Meanwhile, the academic year 2018/19 served as a transitional period, in which preparatory work for key strategic initiatives are launched to cover domains relating to quality learning, research excellence, knowledge transfer, reaching out, and campus sustainability. During the reporting year, we continue to inspire creative programs for the University community to foster an environmentally and socially responsible culture, conduct research and development for the betterment of the industry and society, and build up social values through our educational programs and stakeholder engagement.

With state-of-the-art facilities on a green campus, PolyU is building a sustainable and healthy environment to meet the requirements of our cutting-edge teaching and research activities. Our campus is an excellent platform to adopt concepts of sustainability and to test our innovative technologies that will help to create a greener world. We have been upgrading existing facilities and mapping new solutions to strengthen waste management, reduce energy and emissions, apply renewable energy, as well as minimize the consumption of water and other natural resources. In addition to the existing campus sustainability policies and guidelines, we introduced green event practices and requirements in May 2019, providing an opportunity to educate campus event organizers and participants about the benefits of green events and the need for a new, responsible attitude.

Understanding the importance of behavioral changes to environmental stewardship, the University designed creative campaigns to empower our students and staff while motivating them to learn with fun. The PolyU GreenCoin project, launched in April 2019, is the first among local tertiary institutions and a trend-setting example. By performing green actions such as supporting clean plastic recycling and bring-your-own food containers, students and staff can earn virtual coins via a mobile application, which can be accumulated for redeeming e-coupons or other incentives. This project, coupled with other ongoing campaigns, successfully aroused the interests and awareness of plastic waste reduction among the University community. To instill an environmentally-friendly mindset and highlight the importance of adopting green practices in office operations among our staff, the University commenced a new phase of the Green PolyU Awards – Green Office Programme in the year. This Programme offered a full spectrum of training opportunities and a ceremony in June 2019 to recognize the contribution of all departments and offices.

PolyU has a long history in leading innovative researches and finding solutions to the needs of Hong Kong’s environment, social, and economic development. Backed by a record-high level of research fundings with a total value of HK$ 2,941 million, our researches demonstrated significant progress and impactful results in the reporting year. For instance, our new non-corrosive materials for marine structures and self-cleaning infrared-insulation nano-coating of glass result in tremendous environmental benefits. On the social side, smart and robotic technologies were applied to enable stroke patients to conduct flexible rehabilitation training even outside clinics, whereas to support the elderly to communicate better and live more independently. We partner with other renowned universities and industry players to further extend the impact of our research results and effect positive change. During the year, through knowledge transfer, consultancy projects, and joint programs, we stepped forward for the sustainable development of the industry and beyond. By integrating artificial intelligence, big data, and deep learning technologies, our WiseEye system could automatically detect common fabric defects with an accuracy of up to 90%. A smart warehouse management system showcased the potential of integrating the advanced Industry 4.0 technologies to achieve unmanned logistic centers.

Our education emphasizes on fulfilling social responsibility and supporting sustainable development. Over the years, the University has developed diverse educational and social programs to not only offer young generations with unique opportunities to apply their learned skills but also reach out to help communities in need across different continents. Our Service-Learning integrates meaningful community service with academic study, and our students have made a real difference in people’s lives through various Service-Learning projects around the globe with their professional knowledge and skills.

We know it is critical to align all key stakeholders within and outside of the University to drive our sustainability priorities forward. PolyU stays closely connected with them along with our endeavor towards sustainability through a range of communication and engagement activities. The University continued to take the lead in the University Social Responsibility Network and co-hosted a summit in December 2018. We welcome and are ready to work together with stakeholders from the government, community, and other education institutions, and share ideas on investing our sustainability efforts, and those efforts affect society as a whole and the global environment.

We thank our students, staff, alumni, institution and industry partners, and many other stakeholders, for their valuable contribution and support to the University’s sustainable development. Together, we are confident in leveraging our education and research excellence with strong environmental and social responsibility to lead the change for a better world.

Ir Professor Alexander Wai Ping-kong
Former Deputy President and Provost
Immediate Past Chairman of Campus Sustainability Committee