PolyU capitalises on its expertise in interdisciplinary research and emerging technologies to deliver impactful solutions for societal benefits. The University has kicked off the year with remarkable research achievements, securing HK$91.76 million for 18 projects under the Research Grants Council (RGC)’s Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) and Research Impact Fund (RIF) for the 2024/25 round of funding–the highest amount among UGC-funded universities. 

Notably, PolyU leads its peers in both the number of funded projects and the total funding received from the CRF, setting a promising foundation for the University’s research endeavours in 2025. The success in securing RGC grants demonstrates not only the University’s strength in basic research but also its proven capacity to spearhead innovative projects that drive significant societal impact.

CRF success: Fourteen projects awarded HK$71.36M 

The CRF supports multi-investigator, multi-disciplinary projects in order to encourage more research groups to engage in creative and high-quality cross-disciplinary/cross-institutional projects. PolyU has received funding for 14 projects under the CRF, encompassing Collaborative Research Project Grant, Collaborative Research Equipment Grant, and Young Collaborative Research Grant, totalling approximately HK$71.36 million. 

These projects showcase PolyU’s diverse research strengths across multiple disciplines, transforming human life through advancements in building and construction technologies, environmental sustainability, biochemistry, drug discovery, cancer treatment, sustainable aviation fuel engineering, photonics, artificial intelligence, biomedical engineering, optical technology and visual care.
 

RIF achievements: Four projects securing HK$20.4M

The Research Impact Fund (RIF) encourages academics to harness their research potential to benefit the wider community through impactful and translational research projects. PolyU has obtained  HK$20.4 million from the RIF for four innovative projects focusing on sustainable aviation fuel engineering, cancer immunotherapy, modular integrated 3D-printed concrete construction (MI3DC), and optimal design in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets. 

These achievements underscore PolyU’s research excellence and strong partnerships with government bureaux and industry sectors in translating research outcomes into practical solutions. The impactful projects are led by PolyU researchers, to learn more about the awarded projects and their respective Project Coordinators, please click here.