Media Releases

PolyU develops low-carbon marine self-healing concrete to achieve carbon neutrality with supports from Green Tech Fund

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is committed to advancing green technology to help tackle the pressing need for global sustainability. A team of interdisciplinary experts from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering has developed a low-carbon marine self-healing concrete, which holds promising potential for marine construction materials and coastal engineering applications. Contributing to carbon neutrality, this initiative has received approximately HK$6.03 million from the HKSAR Government’s Green Tech Fund for a duration of 24 months. The project “Marine self-healing concrete with biomineralisation-enhanced construction waste for long-term decarbonisation” is led by Prof. LI Xiangdong, Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment, Chair Professor of Environmental Science and Technology, and Ko Jan Ming Professor in Sustainable Urban Development at PolyU. The team members are Prof. Chi Sun POON, Head of Department, Chair Professor of Sustainable Construction Materials, and Michael Anson Professor in Civil Engineering, Prof. YU Tao and Prof. LENG Zhen, with Dr SUN Xiaohao, Research Assistant Professor as the co-principal investigator. Due to the scarcity of natural aggregate, scientists have been seeking effective alternatives. This project aims to design and develop low-carbon marine self-healing concrete by incorporating biomineralisation-enhanced recycled aggregates made from waste concrete. By employing biomineralisation technology, the marine carbon-capturing bacteria will utilise carbon dioxide (CO2) to accelerate carbonisation and improve the performance of recycled aggregates. This approach helps reduce CO2 emissions and facilitates the recycling of construction waste, offering a broad application in marine construction materials and coastal engineering. In addition, this microbial concrete structure possesses self-healing properties that enhance its durability, providing a significant advantage in achieving long-term decarbonisation and sustainability. Field testing and lifecycle assessments will be conducted to ensure that the new concrete meets the stringent standards of durability and marine ecosystem quality. Anticipated results include comprehensive design guidelines for marine self-healing concrete, optimised mixing techniques, and valuable insights into the influence and environmental performances of low-carbon marine self-healing concrete on marine ecology. Prof. Li said, “Through the innovative use of biomineralisation and recycled aggregates in marine concrete, this project drives progress in the production of marine construction materials and  pioneers new solutions in sustainable construction to accelerate the development of related industries. Our goal is also to address global environmental challenges such as reducing carbon emissions from construction waste, and promoting its recycling to alleviate landfill pressures. This approach conserves land resources and mitigates environmental hazards, making a contribution towards achieving carbon neutrality and the long-term sustainable development of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.” The Green Tech Fund was established in 2020 to provide better and more focused funding support to research and development projects which help Hong Kong decarbonise and enhance environmental protection.   ***END***

PolyU signs MoU with Pok Oi Hospital to provide internship opportunities for students in Nursing, Rehabilitation Sciences and Nutrition and to expand the healthcare talent pool

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PolyU researchers develop breakthrough method for self-stimulated ejection of freezing droplets, unlocking cost-effective applications in de-icing

Water droplets under freezing conditions do not spontaneously detach from surfaces as they do at room temperature due to stronger droplet-surface interaction and lack of an energy transformation pathway. Since accumulated droplets or ice have to be removed manually or with mechanical equipment, which is costly and inefficient, preventing droplet accretion on surfaces is both scientifically intriguing and practically important. Researchers at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have invented a ground-breaking self-powered mechanism of freezing droplet ejection that allows droplets to shoot themselves away, paving the way for cost-efficient and promising technological applications. Published in Nature Chemical Engineering as the cover feature for its last December issue, the research project “Freezing droplet ejection by spring-like elastic pillars” is led by Prof. Zuankai WANG, Associate Vice President (Research and Innovation), Kuok Group Professor in Nature-Inspired Engineering and Chair Professor of the PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Prof. Haimin YAO, Associate Professor of the PolyU Department of Mechanical Engineering. First co-authors include Postdoctoral Fellow Dr Huanhuan ZHANG, PhD student Mr Wei ZHANG, Research Assistant Professor Dr Yuankai JIN, and PhD student Mr Chenyang WU. The discovery of the self-ejection phenomenon in freezing droplets was inspired by a fungus capable of shooting its spores away through osmosis-induced volume expansion. Noting that a similar volume expansion occurs when water droplet is freezing, the research team has replicated the self-shooting mechanism found in the fungi and developed a structured elastic surface (SES) with spring-like pillars and wetting contrast that allows for the spontaneous ejection of freezing water droplets. The SES structure is designed to accelerate the ejection velocity and enlarge the kinetic energy transformation of freezing droplets. When the freezing droplet undergoes volume expansion, it compresses the pillar of SES. The volume expansion work is first converted to and stored as elastic energy in the pillar within tens of seconds, and then to be transformed into the droplet’s kinetic energy rapidly within milliseconds. This thousandfold reduction in timescales leads to sufficient kinetic energy to drive freezing droplet ejection. The simple SES structure, after parameter design, is effective in ejecting freezing droplets without external energy input and even against the forces of wind and gravity. It can be applied to aircraft, wind blades or cable lines to prevent hazards caused by ice accretion. Dr Huanhuan Zhang said, “It is exciting that we, for the first time, introduce a self-powered ice removal concept that will offer a wide range of innovative solutions. We will continuously improve the design of SES, allowing it to be manufactured at various scales and at a low cost to meet societal needs.” Furthermore, the theoretical model developed in the research elucidates the factors determining the successful onset of the freezing droplet ejection phenomenon, with scalable design exhibiting potential practicability in various fields. Prof. Wang envisions, “This nature-inspired research paved the way for numerous impactful applications. We believe that the freezing droplet ejection, as a prototype, could stimulate the development of self-powered concepts and methods for a wide range of purposes such as de-icing, energy harvesting and soft robotic applications.” Specifically, droplet ejection induced by volume expansion enhances understanding of multi-phase freezing dynamics for anti-icing applications. Prof. Yao remarked, “Our research demonstrates a strategy to efficiently harness and utilise the volume expansion work of freezing droplets to generate ballistic motion. This could subsequently expand the application of energy conversion phenomena, and inspire the development of droplet-based energy generators and soft robotic catapults.”   ***END***

PolyU research reconstructs ancient Chinese geographic and ecological environment using AI technologies, awarded Top 10 Innovative Exploratory Projects in Tencent’s Tanyuan Scheme 2024

Innovative digital technology is opening up new possibilities for the preservation and dissemination of traditional knowledge and cultural heritage. Promoting the synergy between technologies and the humanities, a research team at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to distil, represent and visualise geographic and ecological knowledge from ancient Chinese texts. Their approach has helped to overcome the limitations of traditional text studies, while fostering the digitisation of ancient texts to enable more innovative models of knowledge inheritance. The pioneering project - “Knowledge Integration of the Classic of Mountains and Seas: Reconstructing Ancient Ecological and Geographical Knowledge Heritage with Artificial Intelligence” - is led by Prof. HUANG Chu-ren, Chair Professor of Applied Chinese Language Studies of the PolyU Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies. The only winning endeavour from a tertiary institution based in Hong Kong and Macao this year, the project was recognised as one of the “Top 10 Innovative Exploratory Projects” in the Tanyuan Scheme 2024, among 79 submissions from 48 universities and research institutes. The Scheme was initiated by Tencent and various cultural units in the Mainland and guided by the Department of Science, Technology and Education of the National Cultural Heritage Administration. As the first part of the pre-Qin classic text Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shanhaijing), the Classic of Mountains (Shanjing) comprises approximately 20,000 characters of geographic information relating to mountains and rivers, as well as the natural resources therein. It is regarded as China’s earliest attested compendium of geo-ecological information. Existing studies of the text remain within the classical humanities paradigm. This research project has however proposed a knowledge integration approach to present an innovative solution for modernising and transmitting the knowledge content of the Classic of Mountains, with the aim of arousing greater research interest in the field. The research team uses various AI technologies including information extraction, knowledge graphs, graph retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), and large language model (LLM), to analyse, organise, integrate, and present the geographical and ecological knowledge embedded in the text. Their goal is to establish a systematic knowledge platform that can serve as a blueprint for the development of diachronic geo-ecological knowledge systems of ancient China through future studies into other ancient texts and documentation from different dynasties. This will enable research into the geo-ecological changes and variations in China over the past two millennia and provide appropriate environmental information to better understand historical events. As a first step, the team is developing a Q&A platform that consolidates information about the landmarks in Classic of Mountains, together with a digital map that visually illustrates the geographical features described in the text. Rendered demonstration for the digital map of Shanjing Prof. Huang said, “A deep and systematic understanding of ancient geography and ecology provide us with longitudinal information about how our environment has changed. This is also crucial for contemporary ecological governance. The project represents an interdisciplinary effort to integrate digital technology in humanities studies to address the challenges of the fragmentation of ancient literature and the usability of traditional knowledge in today’s evidence-based studies, which will ultimately enhance the transmission, integration and application of historical knowledge in contemporary contexts.” Prof. Huang is the first Chinese permanent member of the International Committee for Computational Linguistics. He has also been recognised as one of the World’s Top 2% Most-cited Scientists 2024 by Stanford University in the field of AI with his long-standing expertise in computational linguistics and digital humanities. His team members include PhD student Ms Ke LIANG and postdoctoral researcher Dr Xuemei TANG from the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies. Dr Qi SU, Associate Professor from the Research Center for Digital Humanities at Peking University, and Dr Jinghang GU, Research Assistant Professor of the PolyU Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies are co-principal investigators.   ***END***  

PolyU-nurtured startups shine at CES 2025 winning two CES Innovation Awards

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has made a remarkable impact at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025, held from 7 to 10 January in Las Vegas, US, showcasing ten PolyU startups and their groundbreaking innovations in healthcare, smart cities, artificial intelligence, and Internet of things (IoT) sensing. As part of Hong Kong’s largest-ever delegation at the event and the City’s only university representative, PolyU’s participation manifested its commitment to translating cutting-edge research into impactful social solutions. Supported and nurtured by PolyVentures, PolyU’s signature start-up ecosystem, these outstanding PolyU startups are at the forefront of technological innovation and societal impact. The Show provided an international platform for them to connect and interact with global business leaders, industry experts and investors, seeking collaboration opportunities and promoting international business development. This year, two innovations from PolyU startups received CES 2025 Innovation Awards in the Accessibility and AgeTech category. The award-winning Mobile Ankle-foot Exoneuromusculoskeleton, a multimodal robot for ankle-foot rehabilitation designed for stroke patients, has been developed by a research team led by Dr Xiaoling HU, Associate Professor of PolyU Department of Biomedical Engineering and Co-founder of PolyU startup Thecon Technology (HK) Limited. This pioneering device aids stroke patients in improving motor function and walking ability. Another winning project “Seekr”, a compact wearable device for elderly and visually impaired individuals was developed by PolyU startup Vidi Labs Limited. It provides real-time, intuitive services for elderly, acting as their loyal companion and helping them achieve independence in life. This marks the second consecutive year that PolyU has won the awards at CES, underscoring the University’s leadership in innovative healthcare solutions. Prof. Christopher CHAO, PolyU Vice President (Research and Innovation) remarked, “PolyU is committed to empowering its startups by connecting them with global innovation stakeholders and research institutions through participation in international exhibitions and competitions. These platforms not only facilitate valuable networking opportunities, but also accelerate the startups’ growth and broaden their international horizons. I am glad to see our startups shine on the CES stage, impressing global visitors with their innovations and their determination to changing the world for the benefit of mankind.” Organised by the Consumer Technology Association, CES is recognised as the largest and most influential consumer electronics technology exhibition in the world, attracting over 4,500 global exhibitors. It aims to demonstrate the integration of cutting-edge electronic technology with modern living. The PolyU startups participating at CES 2025 are listed below. To learn more about their innovations and inventions, please refer to the Appendix. Featured Product PolyU Start-up Principal Investigator(s) Mobile Ankle-foot Exoneuromusculoskeleton (CES 2025 Innovation Award) Thecon Technology (HK) Limited Dr Xiaoling HU Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering, PolyU; Co-founder, Thecon Technology (HK) Limited Seekr (CES 2025 Innovation Award) Vidi Labs Limited Mr Turzo BOSE Director, Vidi Labs Limited Stretchable and Washable Textile-based Devices Easenory Technology Limited Dr Yingsi WU Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, PolyU; Founder and Director of Easenory Technology Limited GOOD Vision/Wellsees: Portable Corneal Topographer     GOOD Vision Technologies Co., Limited Prof. Chea-su KEE Head and Professor, School of Optometry, PolyU; Deputy Director of CEVR; Co-founder, GOOD Vision Technologies Co., Limited/Wellsees Technologies Co., Ltd. Integrated Eye Tracking System   Guardian Glow Limited Prof. Tommy Minchen WEI Professor, Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering; Director of the Colour Imaging and Metaverse Research Centre, PolyU; Vice President of Technology, Guardian Glow Limited IMU+ Collection Immune Materials Limited Prof. Chris Kwan-yu LO Professor, Department of Logistics and Maritime Studies, PolyU; Co-founder, Immune Materials Limited Prof. Chi-wai KAN Professor, School of Fashion and Textiles, PolyU; Co-founder, Immune Materials Limited LungRT Pro: Advanced Radiotherapy Support System InsightRT Limited Prof. Jing CAI Head and Professor, Department of Health Technology and Informatics, PolyU; Technical advisor, InsightRT Limited allcareAI Smart Anti-Infection Mobile Dry Toilet PREN Limited Mr Phil WOO PolyU alumnus from the Faculty of Humanities; Co-founder, PREN Limited IoT-based Sensing System for Construction-induced Vibration SHAKE Limited Dr Qiuhan MENG Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, PolyU; Director, SHAKE Limited im-Studio Vizzle Limited Mr Ingo LAU Chief Executive Officer, Vizzle Limited   ***END***

18 PolyU research projects awarded RGC Collaborative Research Fund and Research Impact Fund, highlighting leadership in impactful interdisciplinary innovations

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is committed to advancing impactful research through its robust interdisciplinary collaborations, pioneering innovative solutions that benefit the world. In the latest 2024/25 grants from the Research Grants Council (RGC), 18 PolyU projects have received approximately HK$91.76 million in funding from the Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) and Research Impact Fund (RIF), the highest amount among the UGC-funded universities. PolyU also outperformed its counterparts in both the number of funded projects and total CRF funding received. To uphold its motto “To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind,” PolyU researchers have transformed novel research outcomes into practical solutions that address global challenges. The funded research projects showcase PolyU’s diverse research capabilities across various fields that impact every aspect of human life, including innovative 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. Prof. Christopher CHAO, PolyU Vice President (Research and Innovation) said, “PolyU leads the way in fostering a robust culture of knowledge transfer and real-world applications, leveraging its academic expertise, dedicated researchers, state-of-the-art facilities, and interdisciplinary collaborations. These achievements not only demonstrate PolyU’s research excellence but also highlight its strong partnerships with government bureaux and industry sectors to promote translation of research outcomes into practical solutions. The successes in securing RGC funds further illustrate PolyU’s strength in basic research and its capacity to lead innovative projects with significant societal impact, delivering valuable benefits.” PolyU has received funding for 14 projects from CRF, totaling approximately HK$71.36 million. Among these, eight projects are supported by the Collaborative Research Project Grant with a total grant value of about HK$44.4 million. Three projects under the Collaborative Research Equipment Grant have obtained a total grant value of about HK$15.62 million. Three projects from the Young Collaborative Research Grant have collectively been awarded about HK$11.34 million to support early-stage academic staff member on their research. The successful projects are listed below.   Project Title Project Coordinator Collaborative Research Project Grant Unraveling the Mechanisms of Targeted Therapy Resistance as a Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Prof. LEE Kin-wah Terence Associate Head and Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (in collaboration with HKU) Data Storage with Proteins Prof. YAO Zhongping Associate Head and Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (in collaboration with CUHK and HKUST) Integrating Machine Learning, Behavioral Analysis and Multimodal Neuroimaging Techniques to Investigate the Comorbidity of Specific Learning Disabilities in Hong Kong Prof. SIOK Wai Ting Head and Professor, Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies (in collaboration with HKU and EdUHK) Seeing like Dragonflies: Optical-fiber-based Artificial Compound Eyes for 3D Vision Prof. ZHANG Xuming Associate Head and Professor, Department of Applied Physics (in collaboration with HKU) Next-generation AI-XR Empowered Surgical Planning and Intraoperative Guidance System via Effective Fusion of Empirical Knowledge, Human Interaction, and Machine Inference Prof. QIN Jing Harry Professor, School of Nursing (in collaboration with CUHK and HKU) Optimising Spinal Curvature Corrective Outcomes in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: An Investigation into Spinal Flexibility, Biomechanical Behavior and Predictive Modeling Prof. YIP Yiu-wan Joanne Associate Dean (Industrial Partnership) and Professor, School of Fashion and Textiles (in collaboration with CUHK and HKU) Ultrahigh-resolution Optical Vector Analysis for Broadband Photonic Devices Prof. YU Changyuan Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (in collaboration with CityU and CUHK) Advancing Compound Hazard Resilience and Adaptation for Urban Building Community in a Changing Climate Dr DONG You Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (in collaboration with CityU, HKUST and HKU) Collaborative Research Equipment Grant A Multifunctional Time-space-energy-helicity Resolved Transient Absorption Microscopy Imaging System for Advanced Materials and Devices Research Dr LI Mingjie Assistant Professor, Department of Applied Physics (in collaboration with CityU, CUHK, HKUST, HKU) State-of-the-art Dynamic Nuclear Polarisation Enhanced Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy Prof. YUNG Ka Fu Associate Dean, Faculty of Science; and Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (in collaboration with CityU, HKBU, CUHK, HKUST, HKU and EdUHK) Development of a Colorimetric and Photometric Characterisation Platform for Binocular VR/AR Headsets Prof. WEI Minchen Tommy Professor, Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (in collaboration with CityU and HKUST) Young Collaborative Research Grant Organic/two-dimensional Materials Heterostructure based Memristor Array for Flexible Retinomorphic System Dr HAN Suting Associate Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (in collaboration with CityU and HKU) Design of Ultrastrong, Ductile, and Thermally Stable Nanocrystalline Dual-phase Alloys via Coherent Nano-honeycomb Architectures Dr JIAO Zengbao Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering (in collaboration with CityU and HKUST) AI-empowered Wind Field Simulation for Sustainable Urban Microclimate Design Dr YOU Ruoyu Assistant Professor, Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (in collaboration with HKU) In addition, four PolyU projects have secured around HK$20.4 million in funding from RIF. These impactful projects cover a wide spectrum of research areas, including 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. The projects are listed below.   Project Title Project Coordinator Project Details WASTES to WINGS – Constructing a High-throughput Sustainable Aviation Fuel Research Platform to Facilitate Zero Carbon Air Travel in Hong Kong Dr Shao-Yuan LEU Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering In promoting net-zero-carbon air travel in the future, this project aims to establish the first and foremost platform for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) study in Asia. It focuses on the production, testing and validation of key SAF precursors from various organic waste biomass in Hong Kong. The team will collaborate with the Environmental Protection Department, Sinopec and Cathay Pacific to advance the research outcomes. Targeting Autophagy to Potentiate Cancer Immunotherapy – a Novel Combination Strategy Prof. ZHAO Yanxiang Associate Head and Professor, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients face limited therapeutic options, with targeted therapeutics showing limited survival benefits. This project aims to develop antibody-autotide-conjugates that tether the patented autotides to immune checkpoint inhibitors such as the anti-PD-L1 antibody, enhancing the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy for HCC. Development of Modular Integrated 3D-printed Concrete Construction (MI3DC) Prof. POON Chi-sun Chair Professor and Head, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering The construction industry is moving toward digitalisation and automation, with 3D concreate printing emerging as an innovative construction solution. This project seeks to develop MI3DC technology for structural elements, integrating a 3D-printed permanent framework with conventionally cast concrete. Creating Delightful Experience in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Headset through Optimal Optical Design Prof. WEI Minchen Tommy Professor, Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering To enhance the VR and AR experience for users with diverse visual conditions, this project aims to create an advanced lens design for delightful experiences. An interdisciplinary team of experts in optometry, ophthalmology, display technology and optics will develop new methods for designing prescription lens inserts tailored for VR/AR headsets. Established by RGC, the CRF supports multi-investigator, multi-disciplinary projects to encourage research groups to engage in creative and high-quality cross-disciplinary/cross-institutional projects. Meanwhile, the RIF encourages academics to harness the potential of their research to deliver benefits to the wider community, spurring impactful and translational research projects. ***END***

PolyU collaborates with international experts to study urban air pollution, revealing disparities in pollution exposure and advocating for targeted mitigation measures

To foster a sustainable public health environment, a research team from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering has collaborated with experts from international universities, utilising big mobility data and advanced sensor technology to study urban air pollution. Their study has highlighted the significance of daily travel patterns, and race and ethnicity in assessing differences in residents’ exposure to air pollution, offering new insights for authorities worldwide when developing air pollution mitigation measures. The findings have been published in the international journal Nature Cities. Dr An WANG, Assistant Professor of the PolyU Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, collaborated with scientists from the Senseable City Lab of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brown University in the USA, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and University College Cork in Ireland, to measure air pollution exposure across different areas and ethnic groups in the Bronx, New York City. The Bronx, known for its dense population and ethnic diversity, faces severe long-standing air pollution issues and has the worst air quality among the New York City boroughs with asthma cases 2.5 times higher than in other boroughs. The health effects of air pollution depend on the concentrations of air pollutants and the duration of exposure. The study tracked three months of daily mobility data from over 500,000 mobile device users, utilising 500 million anonymous location records from the Bronx. The team also installed solar-powered, Internet-of-Things-enabled environmental sensing platforms on government service vehicles, which travelled over one-third of major roads in the Bronx, measuring the concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air and successfully collecting 600,000 valid data. Based on these mobility and air pollution data, the team trained an empirical model for air quality prediction to extrapolate the air quality levels across the region and differences in pollution exposure among Bronx residents. The study revealed that the southeast Bronx, where expressways and industries meet most intensively, has the highest levels of particulate matter, indicating the impact of land use and infrastructure planning on air pollution. Unlike previous studies, the team’s analysis considered both air pollutant concentrations and people’s mobility patterns in places like restaurants, schools, and malls to more comprehensively assess their exposure to air pollution. The results showed that citizens who work long hours or live on highly polluted streets have higher exposure to PM2.5. Among these, people from Hispanic-majority and low-income neighbourhoods were the most severely and disproportionately exposed to the pollution. The greatest differences in exposure by ethnic groups were found in Hispanic-majority communities. The results highlighted that race and ethnicity are much stronger indicators of air pollution exposure disparity than income. The team suggested developing more granular mitigation plans to target high-exposure individuals from socially disadvantaged groups, alongside general air quality improvement efforts. Dr An Wang said, “Our long-term goal is to utilise composite environmental sensing technologies to address urban environmental problems such as vehicle emissions, noise pollution, urban heat island effects and lack of greenery. The findings of this study can be applied to public health research in dense urban environments like Hong Kong. By quantifying air pollution exposure, we can develop cost-effective strategies for targeted emission control, health impact assessment, clean air action and urban design, helping Hong Kong and other cities worldwide to achieve the vision of ‘One Health’.” Looking ahead, Dr Wang will expand the research by developing new data sources and sensing technologies. This will broaden its scope to include a wider range of air pollutants, lay the groundwork for more precise toxicity analyses, advance future air quality research, and provide innovative solutions to urban environmental challenges. ***END***

PolyU holds 2025 New Year’s Day flag-raising ceremony and University Gallery opening ceremony

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) held a flag-raising ceremony on campus this morning to welcome the New Year. PolyU Council Chairman Dr LAM Tai-fai, President Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, Deputy Council Chairman Dr Daniel YIP Chung-yin, University Court Chairman Dr Katherine NGAN, Treasurer of the University Mr Arthur LEE Kin, Honorary Court Chairman Dr Roy CHUNG Chi-ping, President Emeritus Prof. the Honourable POON Chung-kwong, together with Council and Court members, University senior management, outstanding alumni, members of the PolyU Foundation, distinguished guests, and over 500 staff, students and alumni attended the ceremony, wishing Hong Kong and the Nation prosperity and stability. The ceremony was performed by the PolyU Student Flag-Raising Team. Dr Lam Tai-fai said, “PolyU has excelled in education, research, knowledge transfer, and innovation and entrepreneurship over the past year, yielding remarkable results in various world-recognised rankings. As we step into the new year, the University welcomes new Council members. We will continue to foster a spirit of unity and progress among PolyU members and take the University to new heights. The University will also remain committed to supporting the HKSAR Government in embracing new opportunities and opening new horizons for our city, and contributing to the advancement of Hong Kong and the Nation.” Prof. Jin-Guang Teng remarked, “From a humble technical institution in Wan Chai to a top 100 university in the world, PolyU boasts a remarkable history spanning over 80 years. The exhibits in the University Gallery evoke wonderful memories for alumni and provide visitors with an opportunity to delve deeper into PolyU’s history and development and its significant achievements in teaching, research and knowledge transfer.” University Gallery presents the tremendous achievements of PolyU Preceded by the flag-raising ceremony, the opening ceremony of the University Gallery was held, with Dr Lam Tai-fai, Prof. Jin-Guang Teng, Dr Daniel Yip, Dr Katherine Ngan, Mr Arthur Lee, Dr Roy Chung, Prof. the Honourable Poon Chung-kwong, PolyU Deputy President and Provost Prof. Wing-tak WONG and Executive Vice President Dr Miranda LOU officiating at the ribbon cutting. Located on the podium of PolyU’s campus, the University Gallery is adjacent to the Pao Yue-kong Library and the University Square. Through engaging profiles and exhibits, the Gallery illustrates how the University has evolved from the Government Trade School in the 1930s to an innovative world-class university ranked among the global top 100, showcasing over eight decades of PolyU’s rich history and impact on society. The University Gallery welcomes visitors to explore its different exhibition zones, discover the PolyU’s unique features, and uncover remarkable stories that define its legacy. It highlights the University’s endeavours over the years in offering quality education and nurturing future leaders to meet the needs of social and economic development, while also sharing stories of distinguished PolyU researchers who are devoted to translating their research outcomes into innovative solutions to address global challenges, thereby benefiting Hong Kong, the Nation, and the world. The distinctive cement block wall at the entrance of the University Gallery reflects PolyU’s visual identity, characterised by its signature red brick architecture throughout the campus. The hollow design of the cement blocks allows glimpses of the red bricks behind, symbolising the University’s significant role in Hong Kong’s industrial development. These hollow cement blocks are made of PolyU-developed sustainable cement, highlighting the University’s leadership in innovative technology for environmental sustainability.   ***END***  

PolyU teams shine in QS Reimagine Education Awards 2024, winning one Gold, two Silvers and the Global Education Award

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) strives to advance teaching and learning innovations and to develop cutting-edge educational technologies for delivering rich and impactful learning experience to students. With their innovative teaching and learning projects, three PolyU teams won a Gold Award, two Silver Awards and one of the two overall awards, the Global Education Award, at the QS Reimagine Education Awards 2024 respectively. This represents an exceptional PolyU performance, particularly as the first Hong Kong institution to receive the overall award. Led by Dr Wai-chi Rodney CHU, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Applied Social Sciences, the interdisciplinary team garnered both the Gold Award in the Smart Omnichannel Campus category and the Global Education Award. The winning project “Engage, Empower, Excel: PolyU’s Smart Campus Innovation” leverages the synergy between various educational technology solutions to adapt to the learning habits of the new-generation tech-savvy students. The project features the development of a generative AI chatbot, Virtual Assistant TIMS (VAT), which learns from course materials and teachers’ teaching styles. Operating through instant messaging platforms, VAT responds to student inquiries anytime and anywhere through text, voice and video messages. Its Dialogue Podcast System utilises advanced natural language processing technology to transform challenging academic content into engaging conversational podcasts to improve students’ learning efficiency. There is also the Artificial Intelligence Review Assessment System (AIReAS) that offers immediate feedback and feedforward on assignments, enabling students to engage in cycles of continuous improvement that align with their progress. The platform is moving towards mobile learning management system integration and personalised learning path planning. Dr Shara LEE, Associate Professor of the Department of Health Technology and Informatics and her team won the Silver Award in the Nurturing Values and Ethics category with the project “HEROCARE: Empowering Compassionate Healthcare and Medical Education for Future Professionals”. Integrating experiential learning with clinical service, the project helps minimise the physical and emotional stress of paediatric cancer patients while preparing healthcare students to deliver compassionate, patient-centred care. Utilising PolyU’s HiVE, the first large-scale X-Reality hybrid classroom in Hong Kong, the team has engaged students to design and lead a personalised preparation workshop for each patient by bringing into the virtual classroom their favourite cartoon characters or incorporating interactive games and storytelling through AI and immersive technologies. The project has set new standards for sustainable, empathetic training by providing future healthcare professionals with opportunities to interact and communicate with patients and carers. Through this experience, students can develop critical empathy, ethical decision-making skills and learn how to best support and care for patients and carers. Titled “Habitat Green: A Hong Kong-African Collaboration in Sustainability Education and Action”, the project led by Dr Grace NGAI, Head of the Service-Learning and Leadership Office and Associate Professor of the Department of Computing, seized a Silver Award in the Sustainability Education Action category. The project seeks to promote experiential, community-focused learning and create platforms for teachers and students to collaborate on sustainability initiatives. As one of PolyU’s largest and most impactful Service-Learning programmes, the project takes students to developing countries in Africa to collaborate with young counterparts in providing services to local impoverished communities. These services include installing home solar power systems, offering health assessments, conducting workshops in tailoring and fashion, and more. Based on the establishment of mutually empowering partnerships between universities and communities, the project integrates educational objectives with addressing community needs to improve local residents’ quality of life and enhance their capacity and potential, while also providing valuable opportunities for students to gain a deeper understanding of sustainable development issues and to develop intercultural sensitivity. This in turn fosters responsible global citizenship and encourages educational institutions to demonstrate a greater commitment to social responsibility and sustainable development. The Reimagine Education Awards are a global contest co-organised by Quacquarelli Symonds, compiler of the QS World University Rankings, and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Known as the Oscars in the education sector, the Awards aim to reward institutions of higher education that have created and implemented outstanding new approaches to teaching and learning. This year saw more than 1,300 applications from all over the world. PolyU had a total of eight teams shortlisted in different categories, affirming the University’s continuing efforts to foster innovation in education.   ***END***

Eight publicly funded universities co-organise Hong Kong Partners Week to promote “Study in Hong Kong”

Building on the success of last year’s “Hong Kong Partners Week”, eight UGC-funded universities, recently welcomed representatives from 58 overseas university partners to promote the “Study in Hong Kong” brand and strengthen bonds with overseas universities. The programme signifies the joint efforts of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK), Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), Lingnan University (LU), The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), and The University of Hong Kong (HKU) to echo with the government’s vision of developing Hong Kong into an international education hub. This year’s programme welcomed 58 overseas university partners, a significant increase from last year’s 38. The diverse collaboration spans a wide range of countries including Australia, Austria, Canada, Czechia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, the UK, and the US. Prof. James TANG, Secretary-General of the University Grants Committee, warmly welcomed the universities’ global partners. He highlighted that Hong Kong has world-class research and student facilities, along with unique strengths and opportunities that make it an attractive study destination for international exchange students. Prof. Tang remarked, “Our shared vision of fostering international collaboration and enriching student experiences has brought us together. With all that Hong Kong has to offer, students from your institutions not only find quality education and friendships with peers from around the globe, but also broaden their horizons to experience rich and diverse cultures.” The “Hong Kong Partners Week”, held from 8 to14 December 2024, featured a lineup of industry leaders sharing insights on Hong Kong’s latest developments. The programme kicked off with a talk by Ms Karen WANG, Managing Director, Head of Growth, Greater Bay Area (GBA) of The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC), who presented Hong Kong’s development with its strategic positioning within the GBA. Ms Kristy CHENG, Head of Human Resources, Hong Kong, Human Resources Asia-Pacific, HSBC, captivated the audience by discussing the diverse career opportunities available for international students in Hong Kong, along with valuable perspectives on future skills in demand. Mr Bernard CHAN, Vice Chairman of the Board of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and Chairman of M+ Museum, then shared insights on Hong Kong’s growth opportunities in art and culture.  Ms Karen Wang, Managing Director, Head of Growth, Greater Bay Area, The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) Ms Kristy Cheng, Head of Human Resources, Hong Kong, Human Resources Asia-Pacific, The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) The Hong Kong universities’ senior management and faculty introduced the delegates to the universities’ facilities including: PolyU’s Industrial Centre and Jockey Club Innovation Tower; CityUHK’s brand-new Lee Shau Kee Student Residence Village in Ma On Shan; HKBU’s Jockey Club Campus of Creativity, Visualisation Research Centre, Dorothy Shen Wong News Studio, ArtsTech Student Projects Exhibition, and School of Chinese Medicine; LU’s new School of Data Science Building,  football pitch and other sports facilities, student hostels and the Art Gallery; CUHK’s Wu Yee Sun College and the School of Chinese Medicine; EdUHK’s The Arthur Samy Language Learning Centre, Mong Man Wai Library and the EdUHK Jockey Club Primary School; HKUST’s Cheng Kar-Shun Robotics Institute and the seaside student halls and facilities; HKU’s Main Building, Jockey Club Student Village IV and Tam Wing Fan Innovation Wing; Participants also had the opportunity to tour around Hong Kong, visiting sites such as Tai Kwun, Central, Yim Tin Tsai, Sai Kung town centre, the Hong Kong Palace Museum and the West Kowloon Cultural District. These visits allowed them to explore the city’s rich history, cultural heritage conservation, as well as development in art and culture. Universities in Hong Kong have strong and extensive student exchange programmes which provide overseas learning opportunities for Hong Kong students. It also brings in international exchange students to study in Hong Kong, which significantly contributes to campus internationalisation. Through fostering close ties with overseas university partners, universities in Hong Kong continue to promote higher education in the city, reinforcing the exchange of students, and helping Hong Kong to develop into an international higher education hub. The list of participating university partners is as follows: Australia: Charles Darwin University Curtin University Griffith University The University of Newcastle Austria: MCI The Entrepreneurial School Canada: University of Victoria Mount Royal University University of Montreal Croatia: Zagreb School of Economics and Management Czechia: Masaryk University University of Hradec Králové France: IESEG School of Management TBS Education Université Catholique de Lille Germany: EBS University for Business and Law, Germany Hochschule Heilbronn Konstanz University of Applied Sciences Leuphana University Lueneburg RWTH Aachen University University of Bayreuth University of Mannheim University of Regensburg Ireland: Trinity College Dublin Italy: University of Bologna Latvia: University of Latvia Lithuania: Vilnius University New Zealand: Auckland University of Technology Norway: NHH Norwegian School of Economics Poland: University of Warsaw Russia: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University Spain: CUNEF University Sweden: Chalmers University of Technology KTH Royal Institute of Technology Linköping University Linnaeus University Switzerland: Zurich University of Teacher Education Türkiye: Sabanci University UK: Cardiff University City St George's, University of London Manchester Metropolitan University Queen Mary University of London Swansea University The University of Bath The University of Edinburgh The University of Sheffield University of Glasgow University of Reading University of St Andrews USA: Lehigh University Michigan State University San Francisco State University Stony Brook University Temple University Tulane University University of California Berkeley University of North Carolina at Greensboro University of San Francisco West Virginia University University partners visited City University of Hong Kong University partners visited Hong Kong Baptist University University partners visited Lingnan University University partners visited The Chinese University of Hong Kong University partners visited The Education University of Hong Kong University partners visited The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology University partners visited The University of Hong Kong University partners visited Yim Tin Tsai University partners visited Yim Tin Tsai University partners visited the Hong Kong Palace Museum