Faculty of Humanities (FH) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is among the youngest humanities faculties in Hong Kong. Dedicated to creating synergies among language, communication, history, culture, and technology in education and research, the Faculty focuses on the discovery and application of knowledge. The Faculty is a leading tertiary education provider in Greater China and Asia in the fields of language sciences, language technologies, Chinese-English bilingual studies and translation, intercultural communication, and cultural and historical studies of China. The Faculty is also exceling in areas such as speech therapy, language neuroscience and healthcare communication. We place emphasis on interdisciplinary research through collaborations with scholars around the world.
PolyU’s Arts and Humanities is ranked 17th in Asia1. The subject of Linguistics – the discipline in which a large number of FH staff members are engaged, is ranked 73rd in the world2. Our research not only contributes to knowledge discovery, but also knowledge transfer to impact our community and the society at large. For example, we examine the relationship among language, ageing and cognitive decline, with the aim of detecting early signs of neurodegeneration so as to design methods of effective intervention; we develop child-robot interaction systems to promote language and communication skills in children who are at risk for autism; we investigate approaches to reduce communication hurdles between patients and doctors; we examine the impact of cognitive and language problems on employment, social relationships, family role and leisure activities in people with Long COVID; we look into how Chinese traditional thoughts influence Hong Kong society nowadays, and we examine a variety of urban landscapes in Hong Kong through co-production of films which increases the understanding of urban history and culture in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland.
Our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes aim to equip students with the knowledge and practical application abilities essential in a wide range of professions. Situated in the culturally stimulating urban context of Hong Kong, the Faculty offers the study of Chinese, English, and other Asian and European languages and the training of multilingual and intercultural communication competency. We also offer Chinese history and culture programmes covering multiple areas of enquiry. Our programmes are designed to meet the needs of the knowledge-based and technology-intensive society, preparing students for their careers in the Greater China region and beyond and empowering them to make a meaningful contribution to the global community.
Recently, the Faculty has established the Yuen Ren Chao Prize in Language Sciences (Chao Prize). The Prize further reinforce our commitment to upholding the PolyU motto, “To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind”, contributing to knowledge discovery, knowledge transfer, and societal impact.
The Faculty has more than 200 academic and teaching staff from around the world. We are dedicated to world-class excellence in cutting-edge research by building upon our interdisciplinary strengths and synergies.
For information about the research areas of the Faculty, please visit the Faculty’s website or contact Prof. Ping Li at ping2.li@polyu.edu.hk.
1 According to Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings 2023 (by Broad Subject Area and Region).
2 According to Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings by Subject 2023.
