Responsible AI in Language Teaching and Assessment

ELC PD Session - Responsible AI in Language Teaching and Assessment Speaker: Dr Mariano Felice, AI Research Lead, British Council (London, UK) Wednesday 4 November, 17:30-19:00 Room A302 Light refreshments available Sign up In this interactive 90-minute workshop, language teachers and assessment specialists will explore the fundamentals of AI and its practical applications in teaching and assessment. Alongside hands-on activities and guidelines for responsible use, the session will provide a dedicated space for critical discussion and professional exchange on the role of these technologies in higher education. Whether you are a complete beginner or already experimenting with AI, this session aims to offer practical insights to help you navigate AI in your own practice. Speaker Bio Mariano leads the artificial intelligence (AI) strategy for language learning and assessment at the British Council. His role involves researching the application of natural language processing (NLP) to language assessment, providing strategic guidance for the development and adoption of AI solutions, and promoting AI literacy and responsible use of new technologies. With over a decade of experience, Mariano has worked on a wide range of topics, including grammatical error correction, automatic error typing, system evaluation, automated cloze test generation and item difficulty prediction. He has published numerous scientific papers in top-tier NLP conferences and is a regular speaker at international conferences as well as a reviewer for workshops, journals and conferences in his field. Mariano is also a visiting scholar at the universities of Cambridge and Reading.

Writers of PolyU, Get Inspired!

Writers of PolyU, Get Inspired! Want to make your writing more engaging? Join an interactive, small-group workshop—"Heart of Writing: How to Connect with Your Reader"—hosted by Inscribe and led by professional writer Reena Bhojwani (Inspired Muse and Hong Kong Writers Circle). Discover practical techniques to hook and hold your audience’s attention across short stories, opinion pieces, and creative writing. Date & Time: Monday, October 26 | 18:30–20:30 Venue: QR 402 Registration: Link (Seats are limited! Register early!) Note: Collected data will be destroyed after use. See you at the workshop!

English Shines on the Stage

English Shines on the Stage ELC’s Red Brick Rubicon invites you to PolyU Sings, an English singing competition in which talented students showcase their favourite hits. 50 performers applied, 34 videos were submitted, and now—only 14 finalists remain. Who will be crowned PolyU’s top English singer? Join us to cheer, vote, and find out! Details Saturday 24 October 2026 14:00-16:00 Global Student Hub, HKPolyU  

Young Writer's Contest - Passages

The English Language Centre (ELC) and Inscribe invite all current PolyU undergraduates to enter our Young Writer’s Contest - Passages for a chance to win prizes and be published! Categories & Guidelines Submit one piece of your original writing in English (personal or created individually for a course) in one of the following categories: Short Story: Max. 4,000 words Opinion/Feature Article: Max. 1,200 words Poem: Max. 30 lines        Note: AI-generated writing will not be accepted. Theme (optional): If you wish, your writing may interpret the theme of "Passages" in any way that moves you—whether exploring the passage of time (Nostalgia), turning points and life transitions (Crossroads), the rhythm of everyday moments (Lyrics of Life), visions of what lies ahead (Tomorrow’s Echoes), or another creative angle of your choice. You may also select any other theme that inspires you, including topics given in course assignments.   Key Dates Submission Deadline: Friday, November 20, 2026 Winners Announced: Monday, December 7, 2026   How to Submit Send your work as a Word (.docx) attachment to elc.inscribe@polyu.edu.hk. Please include in your email: Full Name and Preferred Name / Nickname Year of Study, Major, Status at PolyU (full-time or exchange), and Student ID Number A brief declaration confirming: You are the original author and have not used AI tools to generate the text; and Whether the piece has been previously published on any third-party platform (if yes, please provide details). Get Published! Winning entries will be judged by members of the ELC faculty and the Hong Kong Writers Circle and may be published in the upcoming issue of Inscribe: The PolyU Undergraduate Journal of Writing. Get Inspired! (Free Pre-Contest Workshop - Optional) Want to sharpen your writing before submitting? Join an interactive workshop—"Heart of Writing: How to Connect with Your Reader"—hosted by Inscribe and led by our community partner and professional writer, Reena Bhojwani (Inspired Muse and Hong Kong Writers Circle): Date & Time: Monday, October 26 | 18:30–20:30 Venue: QR 402 Content: Practical strategies to make your writing more engaging and reader-focused Registration: Link (Seats are limited! Collected data will be destroyed after use.) We look forward to reading your passages!

Join the ELC's English Chat Corner!

Join the ELC's English Chat Corner and practise speaking English with other PolyU students in informal, small-group conversations. No registration is required, and you can join whenever it suits your schedule. At the Chat Corner, you'll meet our student hosts, discuss interesting topics, make new friends, and build confidence using English in real-life situations. 🎥 Watch this short video to learn more: 📍 Location: CILL A305 🕒 Sessions: Monday to Friday 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm 📅 Starting from Week 3  We look forward to seeing you at Chat Corner!

Taking LEI1101? Improve Your Speaking with AI at CILL

Taking AI as a Tool for Language Learning (LEI 1101 / LEI 1102)? Need to use AI tools to improve your speaking? Visit CILL (Room A305) and try our premium accounts of Yoodli and Talkpal. ELC premium accounts for Yoodli and Talkpal can be found on the MoCoWs in the open area of CILL, as well as in the SAP and WAP rooms when they are not being used for teaching. These accounts provide unlimited access, so you can practise and experiment as much as you like. Create your speaking log and learning plan with ease using the tools in CILL. Yoodli and Talkpal are also great for international language test practice, including IELTS, helping you build confidence and improve your spoken responses. 📍 Location: CILL, Room A305 🕘 Opening hours: Monday - Friday, 09:30–18:30 Drop by and make the most of AI‑supported speaking practice in CILL!

Celebrating Global Impact: ELC Hosts Service-Learning Photo Exhibit at CILL

This September, the English Language Centre (ELC) invites all PolyU students and staff to visit the "Snapshots of ELC Service" Photo Exhibit and Competition, hosted in the Centre for Independent Language Learning (CILL, Room A305) from 2-25 September 2026. This interactive exhibit celebrates the dedication, creativity, and real-world impact of PolyU students enrolled in ELC service-learning subjects across local communities and international destinations. Visitors can explore powerful imagery captured during student service projects and vote for their favorite photographs. Service Areas & Global Destinations The photos on display showcase field activities, workshops, and storytelling initiatives undertaken across two flagship ELC service-learning courses: 1. Educational Empowerment through Language Teaching Subject Focus (ELC2S02): Serving the Community through Teaching English Where We Serve: Hong Kong: Local primary schools and community centers. Chinese Mainland: Rural school outreach in Dabu, Guangdong. Regional & Overseas: Elementary and youth workshops in Taiwan, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Service Impact: Student teams co-create tailored English teaching kits, lesson plans, and interactive speaking activities. Working directly with local and non-local school children, PolyU tutors help boost learners' English fluency, confidence, and pronunciation. More Information 2. Digital Advocacy for Small Charities Subject Focus (ELC2S03): Persuasive Digital Storytelling: Small Charities Big Impacts Where We Serve: Chinese Mainland: Tengchong (Yunnan, China). Overseas & Non-Local: Community NGO partnerships in Phnom Penh (Cambodia) and Tanzania. Regional Partners: Historical and active collaborations across Taiwan and Hong Kong. Service Impact: Students collaborate directly with small non-governmental organizations to highlight non-profit missions, ranging from early childhood education and youth shelter care to cultural arts preservation. Student teams conduct field interviews, craft persuasive narratives, and edit short-form documentary films to help these organizations raise international awareness and fundraising support. More information Cast Your Vote & Win Prizes All PolyU students and staff are encouraged to stop by CILL, appreciate the students' visual stories, and cast a vote using the pull-up poster QR codes inside the center: Student Voting: Scan the designated student QR code on-site. Staff Voting: Scan the designated staff QR code on-site. Every voter will be entered into a Lucky Draw for a chance to win prizes. Voting closes on September 26, with winners announced at the end of the month. Come support our student volunteers, discover their journeys across Asia and Africa, and make your vote count!  

Paths Less Trodden: Discover Inscribe Issue 11

We’re pleased to share the latest issue of Inscribe, PolyU’s Journal of Undergraduate Writing.  Issue 11 is a curation of feature articles, short stories, and visual art that emerged over the last academic year. The theme of traveling along paths less trodden winds its way through this edition. Student creators travel to new locales - both physical and emotional - gaining personal insights into the complex faces of humanity. Along the way, these young writers and artists encounter love, adversity, and profound opportunity.  Visit Inscribe's new website to join them on the journey: Read Issue 11 

2026 PolyU 3MT Final Results

Huge congratulations to the four winners of the 2026 PolyU 3MT Competition! Their performances this year were truly outstanding and have set a new benchmark for the University’s 3MT competition. Our Champion is YANG Shihui, Yvette (CEE) [Download photo]. Congratulations also to SHEK Tsz Ching, Phoebe (LST) [Download photo], our First Runner-up, and LEE Pui Kei, Peggy (FSN) [Download photo], our Second Runner-up. The People’s Choice Award goes to ZHU Lin (EEE) [Download photo]. Congratulations once again to all our winners and to all 10 finalists [Download photo]. You should be incredibly proud of yourselves — we certainly are!

Rubicon Podcast - PolyU Dating - Love without Borders

We’re pleased to share a new episode from Rubicon, the ELC’s student-led podcast, exploring the realities of modern dating through honest, student-driven discussion. Featuring candid testimonials alongside practical insights, the video unpacks everything from defining your “ideal type” to navigating rejection, mixed signals, and everyday dilemmas. It also looks at first impressions, highlighting what matters, from presentation to authenticity, before guiding viewers through key green flags to seek out and red flags to avoid. Whether you’re new to dating or simply reflecting on your experiences, this episode offers thoughtful, relatable advice grounded in real student perspectives. Watch the podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKg6UegMVKw