Media Releases

PolyU pioneers nursing education with first-of-its-kind VR learning system “Virtual Hospital”

Nursing education mainly comprises classroom teaching and clinical practice. Yet, face-to-face teaching and clinical placements at medical institutions have been affected amid the epidemic. With a view to enhancing the training and learning experience of nursing students, a research team led by Dr Justina LIU, Associate Professor of School of Nursing, and Dr Kitty CHAN, Senior Teaching Fellow of the same school, has developed a virtual learning system “Virtual Hospital” which makes use of virtual reality (VR) technology to offer an innovative experiential approach to nursing education. Virtual Hospital is the first-of-its-kind virtual learning system in Hong Kong that simulates the complex and chaotic environment of a real-life hospital ward. With a total of 11 games, the system provides five scenarios, namely “Clinical Practicum Orientation”, “Challenges of Delirium”, “Managing Multitasks”, “Prevention of Errors” and “Potential Heart Attack”. More than 1,200 combinations of randomised situations and multiple choices make it difficult for students to predict the tasks they will be handling, while they are required to provide instant responses to multitasks and make appropriate nursing decisions through assessing a patient’s condition and interpreting their medical information. Dr Kitty Chan said, “Most of the existing VR learning systems are skill and procedure focused, and adopt a single patient management setting. The PolyU-developed Virtual Hospital requires students to handle multiple beds and take care of multiple patients at the same time. Unexpected incidents and clinical pitfalls are generated to test the student’s ability to apply their knowledge and prioritise nursing tasks amid various disruptions within a limited time. Through the VR experiential learning, students can improve the soft skills that are essential for their clinical practice, including situation awareness, flexibility to handle emergencies, as well as decision making and communication skills.” Virtual Hospital allows users’ responses and decisions to be displayed on a TV monitor for group participation, while their communication with the virtual patients can be recorded for review. By answering multiple-choice questions, the student can reflect on the judgements and decisions made. In addition, the game data and the automated assessment function of the system also provide convenience for teachers in tracking students’ progress and evaluating learning outcomes. Since its launch in January this year, Virtual Hospital has benefited over 450 nursing students. Dr Justina Liu said, “Virtual Hospital provides our students with a cooperative case-based learning opportunity. Supplemented with our current practice on patient simulators, I hope that the Virtual Hospital can further help our students master the skills that are required for clinical nursing and most importantly for reducing errors in actual clinical situations.” Dr Liu continued, “We are pleased that the virtual learning system has received positive feedback from students, and we look forward to incorporating interprofessional and interdisciplinary elements in the future, as well as introducing the system to other nursing institutions in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.” Ariel Cheng, a Year-3 student from PolyU School of Nursing, was impressed by the fidelity of the Virtual Hospital in terms of the environmental details. She said the VR learning experience had strengthened her confidence in clinical practice as the system allowed every student to deal with nursing problems on their own, which helps them better prepare for the stressful work situation faced by nurses in the real clinical environment.   ***END***

PolyU launches the Inter-secondary School Green Deck Landscape Design Competition - registration now open!

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has launched the Inter-secondary School Green Deck Landscape Design Competition 2022 to provide a chance for secondary school students to come up with a creative landscape design for the proposed Green Deck over the Cross Harbour Tunnel Toll Plaza in Hung Hom.

Naming Ceremony of the Cheung Che Man and Kwok Yuen Ho Bamboo Court

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has recently named the Bamboo Court on the PolyU campus after Mr Cheung Che-man and Mrs Cheung Kwok Yuen-ho. A naming ceremony was held on 29 July in appreciation of the generous couple who have kindly offered their support to PolyU. Known for its serenity, abundant sunshine and a welcoming open-air café, the Bamboo Court is a favourite hangout spot for many PolyU teachers, students and visitors. Always endeavouring to give back to society, this selfless couple believes that “Knowledge can change the fate of a person and a nation”. Over the years, they have made contributions in support of various charitable causes, in particular those focusing on nurturing our young people and supporting education. Deeply impressed by PolyU’s achievements, Mr Cheung has not hesitated to offer his support, helping the University to make greater positive impact on the community through its holistic education and advanced research. At the Ceremony, Dr Katherine Ngan, Chairman of PolyU Court, thanked Mr Cheung for his generosity. While sharing Mr Cheung’s belief of “Life affecting life”, she also highlighted the fact that PolyU is the only university in Hong Kong that participates in the Nation’s space exploration missions. PolyU’s research embraces wide-ranging topics from down-to-earth research improving human lives to up-in-space innovations impacting mankind. She believes PolyU will continue to make contributions to the development of Hong Kong, the Nation and the world for the foreseeable future. The naming ceremony was a joyful event celebrating a couple who are an uplifting example of gaining happiness by giving. The kind-hearted Mr Cheung, whom people fondly call Uncle Man, is not only popular among those he has helped in Hong Kong and on the Mainland, but also deeply loved by his family, friends and neighbours.   ***END***

Junior scientists win PolyU space experiment competition Winning team will receive guidance from PolyU Research Centre for Deep Space Explorations experts

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has for some years been actively participating in the Nation’s space programmes, as well as cultivating the interest of local youth in space science through various promotional activities. The University is committed to elevating young people’s enthusiasm for a career in space technology development thus making contributions to the scientific development of Hong Kong, the Nation and the world.

PolyU-led key study on air PM2.5 pollution and health awarded the RGC Theme-based Research Scheme funding

A key research on air fine particulate pollution and health led by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s (PolyU) Prof. Xiang-dong LI, Dean of Faculty of Construction and Environment, has won a HK$44.5 million funding in the Theme-based Research Scheme 2022/23 (Twelfth Round) of the Research Grants Council (RGC). The project, titled “Unravelling the Black Box between Air Pollution and Public Health for Transformative Air Quality Management”, seeks to identify the toxic components and emissions sources that contribute to the acute toxicity of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) which aggravate two index diseases of the pulmonary and cardiovascular system, namely chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and ischemic heart disease. Based on solid evidence yielded, the study will recommend effective, practical and cost-effective approaches to manage air quality and public health in Hong Kong and around the world. Prof. Xiang-dong Li, who is also Chair Professor of Environmental Science and Technology, Ko Jan Ming Professor in Sustainable Urban Development, and Director of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, said, “The completion of the planned project may lead to a revision of the Air Quality Health Index algorithm and the associated 'Health Advice', and a review and updates of the Air Quality Objectives in Hong Kong. The findings will also be conveyed to other national and international bodies to influence future policy formulations on air quality in different parts of the world.” Prof. Li leads a multi-disciplinary team of over a dozen researchers from PolyU and other universities to conduct the study, several of them are advisors for the World Health Organization. The team will organise regular workshops to discuss important health issues associated with PM2.5 with potential stakeholders in expert groups. The research team leverages latest advances in environmental toxicology and molecular epidemiology to overcome the scientific challenge of identifying the toxic components of PM2.5 and their associated sources. Through an existing PM2.5 global monitoring network, the team will select multiple cities that have distinct natural and socioeconomic conditions for the study. The study will also consider different carbon emission reduction scenarios toward the goal of carbon neutrality, and the health benefits resulting from mitigating both air pollution and climate change. Over the longer term, the integrated approaches established in this research could inform future studies on the chronic effect of PM2.5 on health for identifying ways to regulate its long-term effects related to lung cancer and neurodegeneration. Prof. Li’s project is one of eight outstanding research proposals awarded in this latest round of RGC funding totalling HK$306 million.   ***END***

PolyU MA Graduation Fashion Show 2022 “THEN, NOW, META”

The School of Fashion & Textiles (formerly the Institute of Textiles and Clothing) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) held its dynamic MA Graduation Fashion Show 2022 last Thursday (28 July 2022) at The Mills. More than 200 guests were in attendance, including representatives from the fashion industry and media. The theme of this year's show, “Then, Now, Meta”, is a metaphor for the collective, yet diverse journey that students have embarked on through their work. Of the 17 graduating students from the Master of Arts (MA) in Fashion and Textile Design who showcased an exploration of the past, studying and mastering the learnings of yesterday through their fashion collections. Some had reacted to our current times and questioned the reality of today. Whilst others encountered the future and contemplated the boundless opportunities of tomorrow. In addition to ingenuity in design, students put great effort into creating their own materials. For example, students produced unique fabric finishes using natural plant dying techniques, and established new approaches to embroidery and embellishment using epoxy resins. Furthermore, digital technologies such as three-dimensional design software CLO3D and Blender were widely adopted, in order to minimize the material consumed in the production process and improve the sustainability of the designs. Opening the Show was student Lin Ruo-ming, Lyn, alumni of the Zhujiang College of South China Agricultural University. Her collection was inspired by her observations of Hong Kong people drying their garments in public areas. She felt that this metaphorically reflected the “Pajama Culture” of Shanghai where pajamas, which are ordinarily used to sleep in, are worn as everyday dress. Both the role of public spaces and pajamas have been reconfigured. Her menswear collection included beautifully patterned silk shirts which directly referenced pajamas. In addition, there were some strong denim pieces, particularly a pair of shorts that looked like a fusion of two garments. Lyn wanted to create a sense of "harmonized regional confusion" with each outfit. Another highlight of the evening was a sustainable collection created by Wang Zi-yi, Sylvia alumni of Zhejiang Sci-tech University. Her collection was fully patterned using the digital software, CLO3D to reduce the amount of material used in the development of her collection. Sylvia has a strong background in textiles and developed all her own sustainable fabrics, including in particular organic silks that had been naturally dyed using plants and vegetables. Conceptually, her collection explores the relationship between architecture and nature. Each garment appeared as a robust structure, the textile surface of which looked like it had been naturally eroded by the environment. Closing the show was alumni of from Dalian Art College, Bao Yi-fan, Evan. Evan’s collection was inspired by his surroundings and how he connects with people and objects emotionally. He used a journal to document his state of mind and surroundings, and then visualize them through his design. Evan patterned his collection using CLO3D, and digitally simulated the throwing of clothes onto the floor and over a chair. His collection had a young, rebellious feeling, with its own chaotic harmony. Developing his own textiles, a particularly interesting feature of the collection was how he bleached and dyed denim and jersey pieces using a wig covered in hair bleach and blue hair dye. Mr Ryan Scott HOULTON, the programme leader, hopes that talented and ambitious young designers can fully demonstrate their creative potential through this practical one-year course. He remarked, “This programme aims to nurture future industry mavericks, who are innovative and free-thinking. We also equip them with comprehensive skillsets. I look forward to seeing our graduates shine in the field, and become a new driving force and potential disrupters in the global fashion industry.” About MA in Fashion & Textile Design PolyU’s MA in Fashion and Textile Design is one of the most innovative design programmes in the Asia-Pacific region. This taught master programme runs for one year and is committed to nurturing new and emerging fashion talents for Hong Kong and beyond. The works of the graduates highlighted their unique skills and their vision of fashion and the industry they will venture into. Close collaborations with internationally renowned brands such as Spanish footwear brand Camper and international eyewear company Bbase have been established for various projects. In the new academic year, students will start working on a sustainable eyewear collaboration with Bbase, and embark on a new and exciting project for Advance Denim.   ***END***

PolyU and CMA sign MoU to give impetus to the city’s advanced manufacturing industry and promote the brand image of “Made in Hong Kong”

To further deepen their collaboration, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and The Chinese Manufacturers’ Association of Hong Kong (CMA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) today. Integrating the strengths of the academy and industry, the MoU not only aims to cultivate more innovation and technology (I&T) talents for the need of Hong Kong in the future, but also to drive the application of the results of PolyU’s research on various industries, so as to facilitate the knowledge transfer and industrialisation, make contribution to the development of I&T and advanced manufacturing of the city, and promote the brand image of “Made in Hong Kong”. CMA has been committed to offering its tremendous support to PolyU and driving education development. Back in 2014, it had donated HK$30 million to the University to support programmes that facilitate students’ all-round development. To show our appreciation, PolyU has named its CD Wing Academic Building as “CMA Building” in grateful recognition of the association’s support and contributions to the University over the years. It was mentioned in the Government’s Policy Address that the National 14th Five-Year Plan indicated clear support for Hong Kong’s development into an international I&T hub. I&T will play a decisive role in the city’s future development. To complement the development of the country, PolyU has recently established the largest interdisciplinary research platform in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area – the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) to further foster interdisciplinary research and advance the development of an international innovation hub. PolyU will organise seminars with CMA through PAIR on a regular basis to explore the development and opportunities of different industries and listen to their views. Leveraging on PolyU’s research results in various scientific technology areas, the two parties shall facilitate the transformation of traditional manufacturing industry, give impetus to the development of Hong Kong’s advanced manufacturing, and complement the country’s intense implementation of the strategy of “manufacturing-strong nation” with licensed patents and advanced technologies. In particular, PAIR will drive the development of advanced manufacturing industries and strategic emerging industries, such as biotechnology, new energy, new materials, high-end equipment and new energy vehicles, with the help of innovative technologies. Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU said, “Backed by our extensive experience in research on numerous advanced areas and the phenomenal results, PolyU has been striving to advance Hong Kong’s I&T development. CMA, on the other hand, devotes itself to enhancing the brand of “Made in Hong Kong” and driving the development of re-industrialisation. In addition, we attach great importance to the exchange and cooperation with the industrial and commercial sectors in hopes of creating values for the industries and the society with our innovation and research results. Stepping up the cooperation of the two parties is set to further drive innovation and technology in Hong Kong, promote the development of advanced manufacturing industry and strategic emerging industries, and speed up the process of developing the city into an international I&T hub.” Dr Allen SHI, President of CMA, stated that the MoU reflects that industry and academia are determined to accelerate the development of re-industrialisation and I&T. He said, “I&T is not only a key to Hong Kong's economic growth, but also a weapon for transforming and upgrading in manufacturing. Hong Kong has an excellent foundation in R&D and manufacturing; however, technology commercialisation is ineffective. CMA has great business networks while PolyU has outstanding scientific achievements. Through increased interaction between us, we are looking forward to jointly creating a more vibrant ecosystem, advancing the city’s technological development and bringing more positive impacts to various industries.” Through the regular sharing activities held by PolyU and CMA, the University’s scientific research technology and the PolyU-nurtured start-ups have been thoroughly introduced to the members of CMA. In addition to supporting technology transfer and expansion to more areas, these knowledge exchange activities have also opened up the collaboration among PolyU’s research teams and start-ups, on the one hand, and CMA and its members in other areas. Further, EightOSix Technology Company Limited, a start-up founded by Professor ZHENG Zijian of PolyU School of Fashion and Textiles, will join efforts with CMA+ Pilot Manufacturing Support Center of CMA Testing to apply the flexible Textile Lithium Battery developed by Prof. Zheng on construction work clothes so as to broaden the application of wearable electronics. Since its establishment, PolyU has been working closely with the commercial and industrial sectors in Hong Kong. In particular, we have made a stellar reputation in the manufacturing industry with our numerous contributions. By leveraging on CMA’s advantages, it strives to encourage corporates to invest in research and development in Hong Kong, advance in translation and commercialisation of PolyU’s research results, and develop manufacturing with high added value. To combine I&T with industry, it will definitely drive the development of advanced manufacturing in Hong Kong, promote the brand image of “Made in Hong Kong”, and make significant contributions to the establishment of the international I&T hub.   *** END ***

Three PolyU Outstanding Scholars Awarded RGC Senior Research Fellow 2022/23

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has been awarded three of the ten grants under the Research Grants Council's (RGC) Senior Research Fellow Scheme (SRFS) 2022/23, another testament to PolyU scholars’ accomplishments and research excellence. The successful PolyU scholars are Prof. SUN Defeng, Chair Professor of Applied Optimization and Operations Research and Head of the Department of Applied Mathematics; Prof. LI Gang, Sir Sze-yuen Chung Endowed Professor in Renewable Energy in the Department of Electronic and Information Engineering; and Prof. CHAN Ko-ling Edward, Professor of the Department of Applied Social Sciences. Their research in the areas of applied mathematics, material sciences, and social work and public health has been awarded a total of HKD 23 million SRFS funding. The RGC’s Senior Research Fellow Scheme aims to provide sustained support to exceptionally outstanding researchers at UGC-funded universities in Hong Kong, with a view to facilitating their dedication to research and development and to helping universities attract and retain research talent. The Scheme provides ten grants to scholars from any academic disciplines in each round of the annual exercise. Nominees are assessed based on various criteria that include leadership quality and vision in the chosen area of research, the merit of the research proposal and the support provided by the university. Prof. Christopher CHAO, Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, congratulated all awardees and said, “After a rigorous assessment process, our three researchers were recognized for their research capabilities, contributions and the potential impact of their proposed research projects. We are proud of their outstanding research. This achievement also recognizes the efforts of the PolyU research teams in promoting and conducting multifaceted research.” Details of the awardees and their research projects: Prof. Sun Defeng, Chair Professor of Applied Optimization and Operations Research, and Head of the Department of Applied Mathematics Research Project: “Nonlinear Conic Programming: Theory, Algorithms and Software” Nonlinear conic programming (NLCOP) lies at the core of optimisation research which involves the design of efficient algorithms to solve mathematical problems of optimisation under constraints. This project will focus on NLCOP problems when the constraint set is C2-cone reducible. Prof. Sun’s team will design non-smooth Newton-type algorithms and augmented Lagrangian methods for solving NLCOP problems. They will also develop an efficient optimisation solver for addressing a class of virtual instances of NLCOP issues. Furthermore, researchers will investigate reinforcement machine learning techniques to solve NLCOP problems faster. The success of this project will contribute to a broad range of important applications including the sixth-generation wireless communication technology (6G), investment portfolio management, financial risk management, supply chain management, production planning and automatic driving. Prof. Li Gang, Sir Sze-yuen Chung Endowed Professor in Renewable Energy in the Department of Electronic and Information Engineering Research Project: “Printable Organic Solar Cells: Materials and Device Investigations towards Applications” Organic solar cell (OSC) is an emerging photovoltaic (PV) technology with distinct advantages in many areas, such as flexible/portable PV, building integrated PV and transparent power applications. Aiming at accelerating the OSC technology, this project proposed systematic materials and device structure investigation of new photoactive materials, stable transport materials, innovative ternary OSC active layer engineering, a novel approach for transparent OSC and printing technology. The project will significantly push forward OSC technology in terms of high efficiency, operation stability, compatibility with unique applications and being printing friendly. The proposed research represents a new frontier for OSC technology, which integrates chemistry, physics and material science to generate new perspectives in science and come up with solutions to challenging issues in renewable energy. Prof. Chan Ko-ling Edward, Professor of Department of Applied Social Sciences Research Project: “Family Polyvictimization and Social Policy Responses in East Asian Societies” Prof. Edward Chan is the first to examine family poly-victimization (FPV), which refers to the co-occurrence of at least three types of family violence, including intimate partner violence, child abuse and elder abuse. He has developed innovative methodologies and digital assessment tools to measure FPV accurately. This project will be conducted in five East Asian cities, namely Hong Kong, Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul and Taipei. With cross-culture data from East Asian families, this project will examine the effects of traditional East Asian cultural practices and develop clinical protocols and policies in response to FPV. Findings will shed light on the application of early detection mechanisms for FPV by adopting a family-oriented approach and using the family as the basic unit of service. It will also facilitate the development of integrated prevention and multi-disciplinary collaboration in East Asian contexts. The improvements in social policy and service delivery approach aim to bring very significant social impact and benefits to families victimised by FPV and to East Asian cities as a whole.   ***END***

Hong Kong Sustaintech Foundation provides a donation to PolyU to establish Endowed Professorship in Accounting and Finance

Sustainable development is a topic of great importance to society today. Over the years, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has focused on interdisciplinary research in order to provide innovative solutions to societal challenges. Founded by several eco-conscious and tech-savvy corporations, Hong Kong Sustaintech Foundation (the Foundation) recognises the opportunities for promoting sustainable development within the discipline of Accounting and Finance. The Foundation has therefore made a generous donation to establish an Endowed Professorship in Accounting and Finance in order to support PolyU’s ongoing contributions in the area of sustainable development. Prof. LU Haitian, Professor of the School of Accounting and Finance, has been appointed as the Endowed Professor. To express its sincere gratitude for the Foundation’s generous support, PolyU held an appreciation lunch on 13 July, hosted by PolyU President, Prof. Jin-Guang TENG who expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the Foundation for its trust and support. He remarked that the establishment of the Professorship was a great example of the collaborative efforts made by the University and industry, and that PolyU would further leverage its interdisciplinary research strengths for the advancement of sustainable finance. With the aim of encouraging ground-breaking research related to sustainable technologies and corporate strategies on environment, social and governance (ESG) criteria, the Foundation acknowledges PolyU’s research contributions in sustainable development. Mr Adrian WANG, Chairman of the Foundation, said, “The Foundation is honoured to establish an Endowed Professorship and will work with PolyU to create a win-win situation for industry and the environment.” Prof. Lu’s scholarly achievements span law, finance, accounting and other disciplines. He was one of the founding members of the Center for Economic Sustainability and Entrepreneurial Finance of the Faculty of Business at PolyU, which has become an international knowledge hub for cutting-edge research in green finance and Fintech. “The Endowed Professorship will advance my pursuit of innovative financial solutions for our society’s most salient sustainability challenges, especially in the ESG field,” said Prof. Lu. With the support of donors, the Endowed Professorship Scheme recognises the achievements of distinguished researchers in their specialist disciplines and enables the Endowed Professors to explore and advance cutting-edge research projects for the betterment of mankind. We hope that like-minded philanthropists will also witness the powerful impact of the Endowed Professorship Scheme in the appointment of the professorship. Please browse the Scheme website for more information.   *** END ***

PolyU shines in ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2022 - 13 subjects rank in global top 50, 11 subjects rank No.1 in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has attained encouraging results in the Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (GRAS) 2022 compiled by ShanghaiRanking, with 13 subjects ranked in the global top 50, up from eight last year. PolyU continued to rank No.1 globally in hospitality & tourism management – the only Hong Kong institution that topped globally among GRAS subject rankings. Eleven PolyU subjects also ranked first in the city. They are hospitality & tourism management, civil engineering, management, transportation science & technology, nursing, instruments science & technology, mechanical engineering, remote sensing, aerospace engineering, business administration and sociology. The GRAS comprises rankings of universities in 54 subjects across natural sciences, engineering, life sciences, medical sciences and social sciences. The ranking makes reference to research output, research influence, international collaboration, research quality and international academic awards to measure 5,000 universities’ performance in the relevant subjects. More than 1,800 universities across 96 countries and regions are eventually listed in the rankings. These encouraging results in the latest GRAS followed last month’s release of the Third-party University Ranking Indexes 2022, in which PolyU ranked No.10 in China. PolyU will make reference to the ranking information and other forms of assessment to identify areas for improvement, in order to capitalise on our strengths and expertise to scale new heights in the future.   ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2022 13 Subjects PolyU rank in global top 50 Subject Global ranking Hong Kong ranking Hospitality & Tourism Management 1 1 Civil Engineering 4 1 Management 4 1 Transportation Science & Technology 5 1 Nursing 21 1 Instruments Science & Technology 25 1 Mechanical Engineering 25 1 Remote Sensing 37 1 Automation & Control 41 3 Aerospace Engineering 44 1 Business Administration 44 1 Computer Science & Engineering 44 3 Environmental Science & Engineering 50 2 *** END ***