The PAIR Central Office provides comprehensive administrative support and strategic development programmes for its interdisciplinary research institutes (RIs) and research centres (RCs).
Research Administration
Performing internal management, monitoring and quality assurance to support RIs and RCs in achieving the research and development goals of PAIR and PolyU, while ensuring compliance with related rules and regulations.
These include but are not limited to: drafting, updating and implementing PAIR regulations and guidelines; reviewing submissions from RIs and RCs (e.g., resource requests, research proposals, annual progress reports, summary reports for each three-year operating cycle); managing research funding database of PAIR and its constituent research units; and tracking, measuring and recognising interdisciplinary successes at PAIR (e.g., news about awards and funding, PAIR members named among world’s top 2% most-cited scientists).
Strategic Initiatives for Interdisciplinary Research Development
Planning and implementing new schemes for driving strategic development and interdisciplinary research at PAIR. These include: PAIR Fellowship Scheme, which appoints a select number of renowned scholars from top universities worldwide as PAIR Fellows to contribute to PAIR and its constituent research units; and PAIR Young Fellowship for Research Assistant Professors, which aims to attract outstanding PhD graduates from top academic institutions worldwide to participate in interdisciplinary research at PolyU.
Event Organisation & Management
Hosting PAIR’s signature events including Distinguished Lectures, Seminars, Research Corner, Salons; co-organising large-scale scholarly and public events (e.g., conferences, summits, open days); providing support for events organised by PAIR constituent research units; and coordinating incoming and outgoing visits to encourage interdisciplinary research and collaborations within and outside PolyU.
Human Resources Management
Handling recruitments and appointments for various positions (e.g., research and project personnel, student assistants, administrative staff, scientific officers and other positions) to support the sustainable growth of PAIR and PolyU’s interdisciplinary research.
Coordinating the annual appraisal exercise for administrative staff of RIs and RCs in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Human Resources Office (HRO).
Managing incoming visitors’ enrolment in related immigration facilitation schemes for short-term activities at PolyU.
Marketing & Promotion
Planning, developing, coordinating and executing marketing activities; managing online and offline publicities; supporting the day-to-day marketing and publicity activities of RIs and RCs (e.g., website development, content editing); and acting as a communication bridge between constituent research units and other PolyU units and external parties.
PAIR’s promotion channels include: website, global and mainland social media platforms, publications (e.g., newsletters, annual reports, posters, brochures and leaflets), videos (e.g., research impact video series and corporate videos), mass mailings, event promotions, community and scholarly engagement, as well as press engagement.
These channels enable PAIR to reach the PolyU community (e.g., staff, students, alumni, researchers), peers (e.g., top scientists, academics) and partners (e.g., industrialists, government units, supporters, donors).
Other Supports
Editorial and writing support for documents, research proposals, and wide range of online and offline publicity materials for PAIR Central Office and constituent research units.
Information technology support including: onsite IT support for events; website management; service sourcing and procurement; and liaison with Information Technology Services Office (ITS) and external parties to ensure smooth IT operations at PAIR.
Physical Facilities to Support PolyU’s Interdisciplinary Research
In addition to the research laboratories and platforms at PAIR and its constituent research units, PolyU has a range of physical research facilities to support interdisciplinary research.
