The first PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) Conference was successfully held this month, gathering some 100 internationally renowned experts as distinguished speakers sharing their knowledge and insights, together with over 2,500 participants from around the world for the four-day conference.

Under the theme of “Research Excellence for Societal Impacts”, the Conference comprised 15 streams which focused on three core areas: advanced technologies and manufacturing, good health and well-being, and smart and sustainable cities. Besides insightful keynote and discussion sessions, the programme also included laboratory visits and presentations of selected research papers.

“This academic conference is specifically dedicated to interdisciplinary research and emerging technologies, which are especially relevant in today's complex world,” said Prof. Jin-Guang Teng, PolyU President.

“Tackling pressing societal issues, such as climate change, an ageing population, poverty, energy shortages and so forth requires game-changing interdisciplinary solutions that transcend the boundaries of individual disciplines,” he said.

At the Conference opening session, Prof. Yan Nieng, Founding President of the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation and a world-leading structural biologist, delivered an insightful presentation on frontier research into proteins that may play a key role in the pharmaceutical development of pain relief solutions.

Prof. Qingqyan Chen, Director of PAIR, said the Conference was a major step towards the closer interinstitutional and cross-sectoral collaboration needed to embrace the challenges ahead.

“I am pleased that the Conference served as a platform for fruitful exchange of cutting-edge research and innovative technologies,” Prof. Chen said.