News & Events

Chinachem Group and PolyU join hands to foster industry-academic collaboration for the sustainable future of the Greater Bay Area

Chinachem Group (Chinachem) and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen research collaboration among industry, academia and research organisations to drive innovative solutions for sustainable development of the Greater Bay Area (GBA). The partnership leverages the combined strengths and experience of PolyU in interdisciplinary research with that of Chinachem in property and community development. The MoU sets out a framework for both parties to conduct three pilot research projects to explore innovative solutions and technology applications to help achieve the goals of carbon neutrality, an inclusive society and a green economy. Through this industry-academia collaboration, Chinachem and PolyU will develop new technology and systems to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption in a next-generation data centre, explore new types of intergenerational housing for future Hong Kong community settlements in the GBA, and experiment with the use of blockchain technology in promoting green economy. Witnessed by Mr Donald CHOI, Executive Director and CEO of Chinachem Group, Mr Hung-han WONG, Executive Director and COO of Chinachem Group, Dr Lawrence LI Kwok-chang, Deputy Council Chairman of PolyU, and Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, the MoU was signed by Mr Ricky TSANG, Deputy CFO of Chinachem Group, and Prof. Wing-tak WONG, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU. “As a socially responsible developer, we need to harness the full power of technology not only to speed construction and reduce costs, but also to create what we term ‘Places with Heart’,” Mr Donald Choi said. “Joint efforts across industries are essential to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding is a very valuable step forward in regard to fostering business collaboration with academia and research organisations in order to pioneer innovative technological solutions. I feel very excited and energised about the possibilities for breaking new boundaries together, creating positive value for People, Prosperity and the Planet,” he added. Prof. Jin-Guang Teng said, “This industry-academic collaboration will see PolyU and Chinachem working together to create solutions for major sustainability challenges including energy consumption, climate change, an ageing population and the adoption of green behaviour. PolyU will continue to deepen its collaboration with key partners and stakeholders in society to proactively translate research outcomes into real-world solutions to foster more liveable and sustainable communities in Hong Kong, the Nation and the world.” Under the MoU, Chinachem and PolyU will also continue to explore cooperation opportunities in areas including support to start-ups and entrepreneurship, application and commercialisation of new technologies, environmental, social and governance strategy and measurement, and carbon neutrality.

PolyU and OPPO establish Joint Innovation Lab to foster research and innovation on AI-driven computational imaging in the Greater Bay Area

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) signed a cooperation agreement with Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corp., Ltd (OPPO) for the establishment of the “PolyU-OPPO Joint Innovation Lab” (Joint Lab). The laboratory will focus on joint research projects including AI-driven computational imaging and its chipisation, computer vision, immersive multimedia and AR/VR technology. OPPO aims to provide total funding of no less than RMB 10 million to support PolyU research and innovation projects and the establishment and operation of the Joint Lab. PolyU and OPPO will use the Joint Lab as a platform for academic exchange and joint science and engineering research projects, sharing these research outcomes and nurturing highly skilled talents together. The lab will be a leading force in catalysing academia-industry cooperation and innovation technology development in the Greater Bay Area. The cooperation agreement was signed yesterday (22 September) by Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU and Mr Levin LIU, OPPO Vice President and President of OPPO Research Institute during a video conference officiating the launch of the Joint Lab. Prof. ZHANG Lei, Chair Professor of Computer Vision and Image Analysis at the Department of Computing, PolyU, will be the Joint Lab’s director on behalf of the University. Prof. Christopher Chao remarked, “PolyU works with local and international enterprises to promote knowledge transfer and advance economic and social development through the transformation of research outcomes into practical applications. The Joint Lab will leverage the expertise of PolyU’s applied research and the market-leading advantages of OPPO to facilitate innovation and breakthroughs in cutting-edge technologies, the cultivation of talents and the provision of social benefits.” Mr Levin Liu said, “OPPO adheres to the concept of making the best use of science and technology for mankind, and strives to develop innovative technologies and excellent products to bring the best technology experience to users around the world. In our pursuit of innovation, we wish to join hands with those in academia to explore various modes of cooperation for joint research and development as well as talent cultivation. By integrating the insights and experience of our industry with the excellent foundational talent and research capabilities of the University, we will be able to develop an ongoing and win-win industry-university partnership.”

PolyU and China Southern Power Grid establish the Joint Institute for Green and Secure Power Grid

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and China Southern Power Grid Co., Ltd. (CSG) have signed an agreement to establish the “Joint Institute for Green and Secure Power Grid” (the Joint Institute). Harnessing quality research results and interdisciplinary technologies in the fields of power equipment, green and secure management, smart city and green and safe power supply, the pair shall join efforts to take forward the establishment and development of the country’s new power systems initiative. CSG plans to provide a funding of RMB30 million in the upcoming five years to support PolyU in carrying out a series of fundamental and forward-looking research projects. The new power systems initiative is essential for both transformation and upgrading of the country’s power systems, as well as achieving “carbon emissions peak” and “carbon neutrality”. Building the new type of power systems using new energy with high security, openness and adaptability are crucial to meet the growing demand for clean energy. An interdisciplinary research team consists of members from six departments of the Faculty of Construction and Environment and the Faculty of Engineering of PolyU has already been formed, covering the areas of smart sensing, edge computing, big data, numerical simulation and advanced materials, etc. Collaborating with the experts from CSG, the team will focus on digital twin technology of power equipment, digitalisation of electric power distribution as well as safe and stability technology to facilitate the transformation and upgrading of power grid. The duo will, under the Joint Institute, also actively participate in major provincial and national projects to achieve technological breakthrough and contribute to national energy security. The collaboration agreement was signed by Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU and Mr LI Rui, General Manager of Innovation Management Department of CSG, and witnessed by Prof. XU Kai, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, Mr LIANG Qinru, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province, Mr PENG Wenjun Bryan, Head of Innovation and Technology (Greater Bay Area) at Invest Hong Kong, Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, Mr WANG Hongzhi, General Manager of CSG, and Mr ZHANG Wenfeng, Deputy General Manager of CSG at the ceremony held on 8 September 2022. Prof. Jin-Guang Teng said, “PolyU and CSG have been working together for a long time. The establishment of the Joint Institute shall further deepen the partnership between the two parties. Looking forward, our research team will advance the development of the new power systems and the research of novel green technologies, focusing particularly on new energy and smart city applications. Our efforts will contribute to the realisation of the country’s goals to peak carbon emissions and attain carbon neutrality.” Mr Wang Hongzhi said, “We are joining hands with PolyU to carry out comprehensive cooperation in technology innovation and talent exchange. Together we shall promote the development of new power systems through the Joint Institute. This partnership realises in-depth exchanges among industry, academic and research sectors, which not only supports the innovative development of the energy industry in China, but also provides strong support for building the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area into a national model for high-quality economic, social and technological development.” In addition to joint research projects, the collaboration aims to cultivate interdisciplinary experts of higher calibre to form a research force for building the national new power systems. Prof. Christopher Chao remarked, “PolyU has been actively addressing global challenges, contributing to the development of green technology and providing innovative solutions by leveraging its expertise in different disciplines. The collaboration with CSG will facilitate academic exchange and resource sharing, support our academics to conduct various research activities in a more effective way, as well as nurture research talents for promoting major research projects.” Prof. Du Yaping, Director of the Joint Institute and Professor of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering, PolyU, said, “The Joint Institute will focus on exploring the application of green and safe technologies in the field of power transmission and distribution to solve the issues in the establishment of new power systems, which will greatly promote the innovation and technology development of Hong Kong.”

PolyU announces the establishment of the School of Fashion and Textiles to nurture innovative, creative fashion talent and seize opportunities in the Greater Bay Area

On the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) announced the official upgrade of the Institute of Textiles and Clothing (ITC) and the establishment of the School of Fashion and Textiles (SFT), the third flagship and independent school within PolyU. The opening ceremony was held at the University’s Jockey Club Innovation Tower last Friday (2 September). The School is an international institution integrating fashion and textile education, and innovative technology research. It will comprehensively enhance the competitive advantage of SFT graduates and Hong Kong’s fashion and textile industry while also aligning it with the market development of the Greater Bay Area. The School’s vision is to lead the fashion industry and create societal impact while offering solutions that leverage the research and innovative excellence of the School. The School is renowned for its world-class teaching and academic achievements. Its academics come from around the world, specialising and leading the way in a variety of academic and research areas including wearable and smart textiles, medical textiles and functional clothing, social fashion design, sustainable fashion, digital fashion marketing, and fashion supply chain management. According to a report by Stanford University in 2021, 13 ITC Scholars are ranked among the world’s top 2% scientists. Furthermore, according to CEOWORLD magazine, SFT was ranked the third in Asia and 43rd in the world of the World’s Best Fashion Schools in 2022. The School has set and reached significant milestones in its pursuit of research excellence for societal impact. Last year, SFT was highly appraised in the Hong Kong University Grants Committee (UGC) “2020 Research Review Exercise”, and its research in the creative arts, performing arts and design was the best among the eight UGC-funded institutions. Officiating guests at the opening ceremony included Mr Sunny TAN, Member of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR – Textiles, and Garment constituency; Dr LAM Tai-fai, Chairman of the PolyU Council; Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, the President of PolyU; and Ms Shirley CHAN, Chairlady of the Advisory Committee of SFT. Prof. Jin-Guang Teng, President of PolyU, said, “It gives me great pleasure to inaugurate the School of Fashion and Textiles as the University’s third flagship and independent school. The new School will push the boundaries of educational and research excellence even further. SFT’s vision is to be a world-leading centre in fashion and textiles education, interdisciplinary research and collaboration, playing a pivotal role in developing Hong Kong into a world-renowned fashion hub.” Ms Shirley Chan, Chairlady of the SFT Advisory Committee, said, “The new School of Fashion and Textiles will have a new emphasis on education, research and industry partnerships. PolyU has been a leading institution for fashion and textile education and research, both in Asia and globally, since 1957. The transformation of ITC to the School of Fashion and Textiles reflects its continuing position as an educational leader for many years to come.” To meet the increasing demand for advanced technology in the fashion and textile industry, SFT has worked closely with the industrial sector both locally and internationally to introduce knowledge transfer and apply innovative and insightful technologies. Significant projects include the Nu-Torque™ singles ring-yarn technology, the personalised posture training system for medical, sports and healthcare applications, and intelligent 3D human-modelling technology. These have had ground-breaking and far-reaching influences within the industry. Facing the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as successfully developing new anti-virus 3D printing materials, anti-virus reusable PU30 masks, and protective clothing, SFT has maintained its close ties with the government, NGOs and disadvantaged groups. SFT has earmarked additional resources to foster academic and technological education and research. Its courses keep pace with the times in order to best meet market requirements for advanced technology, and new subjects including artificial intelligence, digital fashion design, e-commerce and sustainable development are all being added to the School’s programmes. The revamped undergraduate programme - BA (Hons) Scheme in Fashion, and the taught postgraduate programme - MA in Global Fashion Management, are vivid representations of a prestigious, high quality, full spectrum fashion education with the trilogy of design, business and technology to accommodate local, regional and international demand for fashion talent.

PolyU launches the largest interdisciplinary research platform in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area to advance the development of an international innovation hub

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has established the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) – the largest research platform of its kind in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area to foster interdisciplinary research, partnership with world-renowned scholars, and the transfer of technologies to stakeholders. PAIR focuses on research in frontier areas such as artificial intelligence, carbon neutrality, deep space exploration, smart cities, smart energy, and many more. The Academy will make impactful contributions to the development of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area into an international innovation and technology hub. Comprising 16 research institutes and centres with over 400 highly qualified PolyU senior researchers from all over the world, the interdisciplinary research platform is the largest among its peers in the Greater Bay Area. It pools top brains with a wealth of investigative and professional experience to conduct PAIR’s cutting-edge interdisciplinary research programmes. The Academy aspires to offer solutions to unprecedented societal challenges arising from climate change, food safety, an ageing population, disease, energy shortages, etc. It will also aim to promote sustainable development and growth. The PAIR research institutes and centres will furthermore address the opportunities brought about by the emerging technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution that will change how people work and live, such as artificial intelligence, data science, the Internet of Things, and robotics. PAIR’s innovative research projects are supported by PolyU’s world-class laboratories and state-of-the-art facilities, including the State Key Laboratories and the Chinese National Engineering Research Centres (Hong Kong Branches). Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, said the University is committed to developing innovations across disciplines and cultivating impactful solutions to the global challenges of today. He said, “PAIR will also promote and facilitate the establishment of close partnerships with industries and the community, ensuring the real-world significance and impact of its research. Furthermore, the Academy will play an important role in developing and supporting research collaboration activities with counterparts in the Mainland and around the world. PolyU will leverage its leading research and innovation capability and capitalise on the Greater Bay Area’s manufacturing strength to build the region into an international innovation and technology hub.” Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, said the expansion of interdisciplinary research over the past decade has brought about a fundamental change in the basic concepts and practices of a scientific discipline. He added, “New disciplines may also emerge from the extensive research currently being performed by scientists in this interdisciplinary environment. Their research may have a wide-ranging positive impact, expanding knowledge and improving the quality of life.” The Academy is headed by Prof. Qingyan CHEN, Director of PAIR, Global STEM Professor, and Chair Professor of Building Thermal Science in the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering of PolyU. He is Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University, United States, after a distinguished stint of two decades at the prestigious university. He also serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Building and Environment journal since 2008. Prof. Chen said, “Interdisciplinary research can be one of the most productive and inspiring of human pursuits to produce solutions to the profound issues that society is facing. PAIR researchers are expanding knowledge and solving challenging problems through basic and applied interdisciplinary research, integrating disciplines not only from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, but also from business, design, social science, humanities, and management.” The official inauguration of PAIR will be held on 16 July 2022 at the Jockey Club Auditorium on campus and is one of the key events at the PolyU InnoTech Open Day.

PolyU collaborates with C-MER Eye Care to nurture Hong Kong’s young optometrists in the Greater Bay Area

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) signed a five-year memorandum of understanding today with C-MER Eye Care Holdings Limited to advance optometry development and eye and vision health in Hong Kong and Mainland China. About 60 students of PolyU’s world-leading School of Optometry will receive up to three weeks of clinical training in C-MER hospitals, clinics and optical centres in Hong Kong and other Greater Bay Area (GBA) cities every year; while researchers and specialists from the School and C-MER will collaborate on scientific studies about myopia management and ageing eyes – the main eye health challenges shared by Hong Kong and the Nation. The signing ceremony was held on PolyU’s campus, where Professor David SHUM, Dean of Faculty of Health and Social Sciences of PolyU, and Dr Dennis LAM, President and CEO of C-MER Eye Care Holdings Limited, signed the document regarding the collaboration. The signing was witnessed by Professor Wing-tak WONG, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU; Professor Chi-ho TO, Chair Professor of Experimental Optometry and Head of School of Optometry of PolyU; and the senior management of C-MER Eye Care. Professor Wong said, “C-MER Eye Care is an outstanding institution, both in terms of its massive teams of professional ophthalmologists and optometrists, as well as its well-established eyecare clinics across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Beijing and Shanghai. PolyU is delighted to further strengthen its strategic collaboration with C-MER in advancing the research and talent development of optometry, particularly in terms of accelerating the field’s development in the Greater Bay Area.” Dr Lam said, “Through our C-MER eye hospital and clinic network in the GBA, we are very pleased to provide the PolyU students not only with clinical trainings, but also opportunities to know more about GBA. Such first-hand experience about the GBA and the human network established will be very beneficial to those who choose to develop their careers in future in the GBA.” The School of Optometry has been proactively collaborating with local ophthalmologists and counterparts around the world to provide students with hands-on experience, equipping them with the skills they need for their future careers. Professor To said, “The support from C-MER will enhance the School’s optometric education, helping to take the local optometric profession to the next level.” He added that clinical training cooperation with C-MER clinics in Hong Kong has started since August, benefiting 38 final year optometry students so far. The clinical training offered by C-MER in the GBA covers attachment programs to ophthalmologists on diagnosing and treating eye diseases, including medication and surgical treatment. Trainees will benefit from the rapid development of the optometry profession in the Mainland. The collaboration also brings together the complementary strengths of the School’s world-leading research capability (with its research impact ranking first in Asia according to Clinical and Experimental Optometry), and C-MER’s vast network of some twenty ophthalmic clinics and hospitals in the GBA, Beijing, Shanghai, etc., making it the only Hong Kong medical service provider that has sizeable operations in the Mainland. PolyU’s School of Optometry The School of Optometry of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is the only institution in Hong Kong that offers a bachelor’s honours degree programme in optometry leading to a professional qualification as an optometrist in Hong Kong. Optometrists are primary healthcare professionals who promote ocular health and vision through diagnosis and provision of suitable treatment options. The School’s undergraduate degree programme is regarded as one of the best globally. As a top-ranking optometry department in the world for research excellence, the School strives to undertake research-based teaching of the highest academic standards and to contribute to the promotion and delivery of high-quality vision and eye care in Hong Kong and elsewhere. C-MER Eye Care Holdings Limited C-MER Eye Care Holdings Limited is the largest HK medical service provider in the Mainland China. It is also one of the largest eye care groups in HK and the only group that has a sizable operation in the Mainland. Apart from ophthalmology, C-MER is now expanding their service scopes to dentistry and other specialities. Their goal is to facilitate the integration of HK’s medical service through their growing network in the Mainland, so as to become a good platform which provides affordable and high quality medical services to people in the GBA and beyond.

PolyU signs MoU with three strategic partners in support of “GBA PolyVentures 2025”

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today signed memoranda of understanding (MoU) with three strategic partners to further propel the “GBA PolyVentures 2025” blueprint laid down by the University to leverage PolyU’s experience in innovation and entrepreneurship education to provide the necessary support for nurturing deep tech ventures and accelerating their growth. The collaboration also aims to translate research excellence into societal impact to contribute to the development of innovation and technology in the Greater Bay Area (GBA). The MoU were signed between PolyU and its strategic partners, namely Everbright Limited, StartupHK Fund and Hai Robotics. In his welcoming remarks at the signing ceremony, Dr Lawrence Li Kwok-chang, PolyU’s Deputy Council Chairman, said, “The signing of the MoU between PolyU and its strategic partners echoes with the needs of our Nation and leverages the strengths of PolyU and other parties in working together for the development of innovation and technology in the GBA. Hai Robotics, one of our strategic partners today, was nurtured under PolyU’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and has recently become a unicorn.” Hai Robotics is a start-up that provides autonomous case-handling robotic systems. It was founded in 2016 by 2012 graduate Mr Richie Chen and 2014 graduate Mr Bing Fang of PolyU’s Department of Electronic and Information Engineering. The start-up witnessed rapid growth by making use of the manufacturing advantages of the GBA and benefitting from the enormous opportunities of the Mainland China market. Hai Robotics announced last week that it has completed two rounds of financing garnering US$200 million in total, and its valuation has exceeded US$1 billion. The Secretary for Innovation and Technology of the HKSAR Government, Mr Alfred Sit, commended the GBA PolyVentures 2025. He said that the National 14th Five-year Plan indicates clear support for Hong Kong’s development into an international I&T hub and integration into the overall development of the country. The deepening collaboration with the Mainland, active participation in the development of the GBA and the integration into the nation’s development are pivotal to the future innovation and technology development in Hong Kong. The HKSAR Government has all along attached great importance to university-industry-research collaboration. It is hoped that the synergies generated can enhance the innovation power in Hong Kong, drive the innovation and technology development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and contribute to national innovation and achieve high-quality technological self-reliance. PolyU’s President, Professor Jin-Guang Teng, said, “In order to further promote the development of research and entrepreneurship in the GBA and to nurture future research talents to address the market needs, PolyU continues to collaborate closely with industry partners through ‘GBA PolyVentures 2025’, providing comprehensive support for start-ups in different stages from education and incubation, to accelerating and strengthening their development. The goal is to distil more than 300 seed stage innovation start-ups into at least 20 deep tech ventures each year and to nurture 25 impactful scale-ups in the GBA in the next few years through collaboration with strategic partners and various supporting initiatives.” According to the MoU, PolyU and Hai Robotics will explore establishing a joint innovation centre to promote PolyU’s education in innovation and entrepreneurship, nurture talents in “New Engineering”, and conduct applied research in robotics-related topics. PolyU and Everbright Limited will invest resources to help start-ups develop through collaboration between technology and industry, provide support to promising research projects, and roll out an internship programme for nurturing innovation talents. PolyU and StartupHK Fund will co-invest in PolyU’s start-ups and help them enter the GBA market as well as launch initiatives to strengthen entrepreneurship education. PolyU is also committed to providing high-quality education that keeps pace with the times and meets societal needs. The University will implement departmental scheme-based admissions from the 2022/23 academic year onwards, introducing two new elements of “Artificial Intelligence and Data Analysis” and “Innovation and Entrepreneurship”. In addition, PolyU established the College of Undergraduate Researchers and Innovators and Residential College to encourage undergraduate students to conduct scientific research under the guidance of PolyU’s professors. These initiatives are all designed to inspire students’ scientific curiosity and enhance their innovation capabilities. PolyU places high importance on nurturing technology ventures. PolyU recently signed an MoU with the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) to kick off pre-incubation at university through the PolyU Micro Fund Scheme 2.0, which provides six months of entrepreneurship training to help entrepreneurial projects enter HKSTP’s start-up incubation programme directly. In addition, PolyU has launched two key programmes that leverage on the unique advantages of the technology and innovation ecosystem in the GBA. The first is PolyU’s GBA Startup Postdoc Programme targeted at PhD graduates who are determined to start their own businesses. Under dual academic and industrial mentorship, participants can simultaneously continue with their research and start their own business for commercialisation of their research outputs. Since the launch of the programme over a year ago, six PhD students have won nine awards in total. Six start-ups have been established to receive post-incubation support; some of them have even received angel investment. PolyU will extend the programme to both Shenzhen and Hong Kong to attract more technology and innovation talents to develop in the GBA. The second key programme is the GBA Maker Programme for hardware start-ups. PolyU makes full use of its unique advantages and facilities in manufacturing engineering, such as PolyU’s Industrial Centre, to combine Hong Kong's edge in innovation technology and the manufacturing capabilities of the GBA to nurture top-notch hardware start-ups. Through “GBA PolyVentures 2025”, PolyU aims to systematically accelerate the growth of start-ups through education and incubation and ultimately contribute to the development of innovation and technology in the GBA by deepening the collaboration with strategic partners and leveraging their resources, experience and network, with the support of PolyU’s new “Entrepreneurship Investment Fund”.

HKSTP and PolyU Sign MoU to Advance GBA Entrepreneurship and Nurture Next Generation I&T Talent and Innovators

Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) today signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) to form a joint GBA-focused entrepreneurship programme, which aims to nurture young R&D talent into Hong Kong’s next generation of leading tech entrepreneurs and innovators. Under this partnership, PolyU and HKSTP will work closely to facilitate entrepreneurship education in the university and offer full-strength support to students and graduates to accelerate their growth at the startup ideation and incubation stages. The joint pre-incubation programme will integrate HKSTP’s ideation and pre-incubation framework with PolyU’s expertise in entrepreneurship education and knowledge transfer. This partnership will adopt HKSTP’s unique franchise model approach to apply its pre-incubation methodology to enable multiple partner programmes designed specifically to develop successful entrepreneurs. The HKSTP-PolyU programme is the first of such partnerships and combines co-nurturing of innovative ideas and with entrepreneurial training, coaching and mentorship to maximise the conversion of research into viable commercial success. PolyU also launched the GBA Maker Express programme – a combination of the PolyU Maker Fund scheme with the HKSTP iDM-Square hardware acceleration platform to help Hong Kong hardware innovators turn their creative ideas into market-ready products. This will spur Hong Kong’s reindustrialisation mission and accelerate local hardware startups in their product development from ideas to production, while leveraging the manufacturing capabilities of Shenzhen and other GBA cities. HKSTP will also collaborate closely with PolyU to deepen and grow the support for PhD graduates in PolyU’s GBA Startup PostDoc programme to pursue entrepreneurship while continuing translational research. This will also facilitate research commercialisation through startups who are sponsored or supported by corporates. Albert Wong, CEO at HKSTP said: “HKSTP’s partnership with PolyU is a signal of our commitment to turning Hong Kong’s world-class academic and R&D talent into future generations of pioneering entrepreneurs and innovators to fuel a new era of economic growth. With our proven ideation framework for startups, we will work closely with our partners to provide the critical guidance to unlock greatness from our young talent and accelerate the process of realising research potential into real business game-changers.” “PolyU is strongly committed to supporting entrepreneurship and knowledge transfer in order to maximise the impact of our research on Hong Kong, the Nation and the world. From next year onwards, we will embed the elements of “Innovation and Entrepreneurship” into all undergraduate programmes. We also have established various schemes, including funding, to support academic- and student-led start-ups that aim to commercialise PolyU’s technologies for the benefit of society. By integrating PolyU’s entrepreneurship initiatives with HKSTP’s vibrant innovation and technology ecosystem, the collaboration of the two parties will greatly empower young talent in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area to translate their research ideas into pioneering real-world solutions that deliver positive societal impact,” said Professor Jin-Guang Teng, President of PolyU. HKSTP is embarking on a broad sweeping strategy of deep partnerships with sector leaders to specifically target early-stage entrepreneurs and leverage the strengths of a combined network of industry and academic partners. PolyU has been supporting Innovation & Technology (I&T) talents in the GBA through various funding schemes such as PolyU Micro Fund Schemes since 2011 and the PolyU Maker Fund Programme launched in 2021, which is tailor-made for Hong Kong’s young makers and hardware developers to realise their ideas through the support of the Youth Development Fund (YDF). PolyU has also established a number of other programmes including the Lean Launchpad Programme, the Experiential Learning for Innovation and Technology Entrepreneurship programme and lab-to-market validation programme for nurturing I&T talents during incubation.

PolyU Maker Fund to help young people embrace hardware start-up opportunities in the Greater Bay Area

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is delighted to obtain support from the Home Affairs Bureau (HAB) of the HKSAR Government through the Youth Development Fund (YDF) Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The funding will enhance PolyU’s capability to foster the next generation of young entrepreneurs. In particular, the University plans to harness the funding to establish the “PolyU Maker Fund Programme 2021” (the “Programme”), as a “We Venture” Project funded by YDF. Tailored for young Hong Kong people, the Programme will facilitate the product development of local hardware start-ups by providing funding and training support, as well as by leveraging the manufacturing capabilities of Greater Bay Area (GBA) cities such as Shenzhen and Dongguan, so as to help them meet the challenges in their prototype development and manufacturing scale-up. The Programme will also draw upon PolyU’s expertise, resources, industry links and alumni networks, and will furthermore benefit from PolyU’s close ties with partners like Shenzhen University, Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries. “With an aim of fostering PolyU’s research and innovation and translating them into impactful applications, the University has been supporting academic-led and student-led entrepreneurship through different funding, education and incubation programmes under PolyU’s entrepreneurship support system,” said Dr Miranda Lou, Executive Vice President of PolyU. “Thanks to HAB’s support, the Programme reinforces our commitment to cultivating the entrepreneurial spirit of the younger generation. Combining the innovation power of young Hong Kong people with the production capacity and market potential of mainland GBA cities, the initiative would generate exciting opportunities for hardware start-ups for the benefit of industry and society.” Hardware development normally requires significant resources and capabilities, such as high starting capital, large manufacturing space and enabling facilities. It also involves a long iterative process to turn an idea into a marketable product. Hence, local infant-to-early hardware start-ups usually face many difficulties on their road to success. The Programme, which focuses on hardware start-ups, will help them address these challenges. It is scheduled to launch in April 2021. Application details will be announced in due course. The YDF is under the administration of the Youth Development Commission (YDC) of the HAB. It aims at supporting youth entrepreneurship and youth development activities through collaboration with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including working with NGOs in the form of a matching fund to help young people start their own business. The YDC rolled out the Funding Scheme for Experiential Programmes at Innovation and Entrepreneurial Bases in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Funding Scheme for Youth Entrepreneurship in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in 2019. The schemes aim at subsidising Hong Kong NGOs to provide start-up assistance and incubation services that befit the needs of young people who are about to start their businesses in Hong Kong and Mainland cities of the GBA, including helping them settle in entrepreneurial bases and further helping them meet their initial capital needs.

PolyU collaborates with Macau University of Science and Technology to advance diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia

COVID-19 is taking its toll on the world, affecting more than 200 countries and regions. In the face of a surge in cases, rapid diagnosis and identification of high-risk patients for early intervention is crucial for controlling the pandemic. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is committed to the fight against COVID-19 and has been collaborating with various partners in the prevention and control of the disease.  PolyU today announced the launch of a new AI system jointly developed with the Macau University of Science and Technology (M.U.S.T.) in conjunction with other Chinese institutions, to assist in the rapid diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia. This research was published in the prestigious international journal Cell, in a paper entitled “Clinically Applicable AI System for Accurate Diagnosis, Quantitative Measurements, and Prognosis of COVID-19 Pneumonia Using Computed Tomography” (link). The novel AI-assisted diagnostic system, based on computed tomography (CT) chest imaging, can efficiently distinguish COVID-19 pneumonia from other viral pneumonia, and predict the severity level in 20 seconds, with an accuracy of up to 90% or above. It assists radiologists and physicians in performing a quick diagnosis, especially when the health system is overloaded. According to Professor Kang ZHANG of the Faculty of Medicine of M.U.S.T. – the first author of the research paper, the research team used a large CT database of 3,777 patients to train and test the AI system to differentiate novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP) from other common pneumonia and normal controls. This system is able to provide accurate clinical prognosis that can aid clinicians when considering appropriate early clinical management and appropriate resource allocation. It has been developed to assist global clinicians in combating COVID-19. Dr Johnson LAU, Adjunct Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology of PolyU, explained that the AI team uses deep learning, semantic segmentation and multiple neural network architectures to create an accurate AI diagnostic system comprising texture analysis, quantitative measurements and diagnosis classification. In addition, based on the international standard for related research on lung lesions, lung, liver damage and relevant clinical indicators, they have also developed a comprehensive rating system to project the emergence of pneumonia severe lesions accurately for the follow-up treatment.The scientists from PolyU and M.U.S.T. have also collaborated on other projects, including the seroconversion study in SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) patients in China, which helped pave the way for further diagnostic and therapeutic development to treat SARS-CoV-2. The study “Seroprevalence of immunoglobulin M and G antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in China” was also recently published in another prestigious scientific journal Nature Medicine (link).“Leveraging PolyU’s strengths and our collaborations with different research partners, we are able to contribute to the well-being of humankind. During the outbreak, we have developed a rapid automated diagnostic system to detect COVID-19 and have conducted various scientific experiments related to the pandemic,” said Professor Alexander WAI, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU. “Since the establishment of the biotechnology and translational medicine international collaborative platform in 2018, PolyU has been working closely with M.U.S.T. and other partners from the United States and the Greater Bay Area for high-impact research. Our long-term cooperation has paved the way for us to respond quickly, and to use our expertise to develop this new AI system for the diagnosis and prognosis of COVID-19.”Professor Manson FOK, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of M.U.S.T., remarked that this AI system had been implemented in many hospitals in different countries. M.U.S.T. is collaborating with several prominent universities including Baylor University, University of Buffalo and Stanford University to serve the US populations. He believed this application could soon be adopted in Hong Kong, more regions of Mainland China and worldwide. COVID-19 is a new and highly contagious virus with over 7 million people infected (as of June 10). Researchers from PolyU and M.U.S.T. with their supportive partners will continue their efforts in COVID-19 research to use scientific technologies to combat this pandemic through prevention, diagnosis, treatment and control.