Message from LST

The Department of Language Science and Technology (LST), established in 1988 and formerly known as the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, is an academic unit within the Faculty of Humanities dedicated to the scientific study of language in all its facets. Our work spans from investigating the biological and cognitive foundations of language to its societal function in multilingual environments and its transformation through technology. The Department pursues interdisciplinary research that integrates core domains of linguistics with computational methods such as artificial intelligence and big data analytics, seeking to generate outcomes with applications in communication, education and healthcare. Alongside research activities, the Department engages in translating scholarly insights into practical contexts, offering clinical services, educational outreach and technology development that serve local and international communities. The Department houses several specialised units, including the Speech Therapy Unit, the Research Centre for Language, Cognition and Neuroscience, and the Centre for Translation Studies, which serve as vital hubs for both research and practical application.

The Department offers a comprehensive range of academic programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Undergraduate studies include honours degrees in disciplines such as speech therapy, artificial intelligence and language technology, psycholinguistics and neuroscience, and technology-enhanced bilingual business communication and translation. At the postgraduate level, we provide master’s and doctoral degrees, along with taught postgraduate programmes in specialised fields including bilingual corporate communication, Chinese linguistics, Chinese language and literature, teaching Chinese as a foreign language, and translation and interpreting. The portfolio is further enhanced by professional programmes in speech therapy and a pioneering master’s degree in generative AI and humanities.

The Department's activities are structured around three interconnected thematic pillars. The first, Language, Cognition and Neuroscience, examines the biological and cognitive underpinnings of language through advanced experimental techniques such as brain imaging and electrophysiology. Research within this pillar addresses domains including psycholinguistics, cognitive neuroscience, and speech and language pathology, often incorporating AI-assisted tools for diagnosis and clinical intervention.

The second pillar, Applied Linguistics and Multilingual Communication, addresses real-world challenges in multilingual and cross-cultural contexts. It develops evidence-informed solutions for translation and interpretation, bilingual and corporate communication, and language education and policy, alongside technology-enhanced pedagogy.

The third pillar, Language Technology and Computational Innovations, develops next-generation tools and applications that leverage computational power. This work supports the advancement of language science and addresses challenges in areas such as computational linguistics, natural language processing, AI-driven language modelling, speech technologies, and immersive systems like virtual and augmented reality.

Through the integration of these three pillars, the Department advances both the scientific understanding of human language and the development of technologies with meaningful societal applications. LST is emerging as a forward-looking centre for interdisciplinary research and education, equipping future professionals and scholars to navigate and actively shape the evolving landscape of language-related challenges and opportunities in a rapidly changing world.

Mission

To offer high-quality academic programmes
that produce professionally trained graduates equipped with transnational vision, creativity and advanced communication skills in multilingual and multicultural work settings;

To conduct applied research
that contributes to the study of Chinese in a bilingual context as well as bilingualism in a Chinese context, incorporating modern perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches that span both humanities-related and scientific disciplines; and

To provide professional services to the community
relevant to the needs of Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland and beyond by engaging in consultancy projects and other forms of community service to people in need.