PolyU held a flag-raising ceremony on campus to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on 1 July. Over 800 staff, students and alumni, along with Council and Court members and University senior management attended the ceremony to wish our Nation prosperity and vibrancy, and to show our support for the HKSAR’s new administration in starting a new chapter together with various sectors and with the support of our Nation.

The PolyU InnoTech Open Day was held on campus in July to showcase the University’s latest endeavours in empowering the innovation and technology (I&T) development of Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and beyond. The Open Day, a signature PolyU 85th Anniversary event, was specifically designed for entrepreneurs, industry partners, start-ups, researchers, young talents, secondary school students and parents. The Opening Ceremony was attended by Professor Sun Dong, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, whose speech praised PolyU’s efforts in the I&T area. Dr Lam Tai-fai, Chairman of the PolyU Council, and many PolyU supporters and stakeholders, also attended the event. Other highlights of the day included the inauguration of the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) and an inspiring lecture by Sir Michael Houghton, Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine 2020, delivered via video conferencing.

PolyU Power Up Exercise x 85th Anniversary Theme Song: Created through the joint efforts of various members of the PolyU community, the University's 85th Anniversary theme song reflects PolyU's commitment across the generations to making impactful contributions to society. I hope that you enjoy the video featuring the PolyU Power Up Exercise designed by the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences with the 85th Anniversary theme song as background music, and that you have been practising the exercise with your friends and family.

You are encouraged to participate in the Sing the Theme Song Campaign – simply sing the PolyU theme song or create a theme song music video in any way you like and submit your recorded audio/video online. All participants will receive a souvenir and you may even win a grand prize!

The Art & Culture Series: The Art and Culture Series is one of the highlights of our year-long PolyU 85th Anniversary celebrations and we have enjoyed a number of outstanding campus performances over the past few months. They have included a lunchtime concert by the PolyU Alumni Band featuring seasoned musicians including Eagle Chan, Stephanie Lau, Chiu Ka-yu and Daniel Wong; the Power of Passion concert by the PolyU Orchestra with the PolyU Choir; a Street Dance performance by the Youth Outreach; and a concert by the Federation of PolyU Alumni Associations Chinese Orchestra. I sincerely thank the performers for providing us with memorable experiences.

Please stay tuned for more activities under the PolyU 85th Anniversary Art and Culture Series.

As a celebratory event for PolyU’s 85th Anniversary, the Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award has been enhanced to recognise our distinguished alumni’s diverse accomplishments and contributions. The Award is organised at three levels – Department level, Faculty/School level and University level. Departments and faculties and schools have completed their Award selection process. We would like to extend our warmest congratulations to the recipients of the Department Award and Faculty/School Award. Results for the University Award will be announced in the third quarter of this year. Please stay tuned.

The Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) has launched the FCE Education and Research Fund (FCE Fund) – the first faculty-based platform at PolyU with the aim of soliciting the concerted support of its alumni and the community for the advancement of education and research development in the Faculty. The Fund will be used to support the Faculty’s strategic initiatives, accelerating the discovery of new knowledge and emergence of innovative ideas, nurturing talents, and realising research projects with high societal impact.

Since its inception in 2021, the PolyU Endowed Young Scholars Scheme has successfully established several Endowed Young Scholar positions, including those supported by donations from PolyU alumni. Recently, the Wong Tit Shing Endowed Young Scholar position in Smart Robotics was established, with the support of renowned industrialist and PolyU Outstanding Alumnus Ir Dr Wong Tit-shing, Chairman and Founder of Jetta Company Limited. Ir Dr Zheng Pai, Assistant Professor of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, has been appointed as the Endowed Young Scholar. Dr Zheng is inspired to contribute to achieving symbiotic and proactive human-robot collaboration in order to advance smart manufacturing. We thank Dr Wong and look forward to Dr Zheng’s achievements.

Earlier this year, Xi'an Jiaotong University and PolyU celebrated the 20th anniversary of the joint establishment of the Xi'an Tongli International College. Alumni of the PolyU Tongli Alumni Network and staff of the College recently gathered to wish the College the best. During the event, Mr Xiong Jianlong, President of Xi’an Jiaotong University Science Park Company Limited and Vice President of PolyU Tongli Alumni Network, reviewed the history of the collaboration and recognised the contribution of both universities. Mr Li Yubing, President of PolyU Tongli Alumni Network, emphasised that the alumni network would be committed to maintaining close ties with members and connecting alumni.

Since the launch of the “Passing the Torch” internship sponsorship programme earlier this year, the University has received support from nearly 90 Mainland alumni, raising donations that can support 40 students (HK$3,900 per student) to have their internship in the Mainland. The newly launched programme is jointly organised by the Mainland Development Office and Student Affairs Office, with the aim of providing students valuable opportunities to explore the latest Mainland developments and career prospects. We call upon our alumni to financially support this programme so that more students can have an opportunity to enhance their professional competence and whole-person development in the Mainland.

The recently completed new top floor of the Library was opened in July, an important milestone in the Library’s extension and revitalisation. The new floor incorporates a contemporary and non-traditional approach to library design in order to provide users with a unique library experience, allowing them to enjoy a more relaxing learning environment. Salient aspects of the design include the incorporation of natural light through skylights and roof terraces with plants.

PolyU's Sports Teams once again achieved remarkable results in the 2021-2022 Inter-collegiate Competition organised by the University Sports Federation of Hong Kong, China. Our student athletes snatched 12 championships, seven first runners-up places, two second runners-up places and one third runner-up place in the Competition. Our athletes also claimed the Men’s and Women’s Overall Championships for the fourth consecutive year – a truly exceptional accomplishment. Congratulations!