Bachelor’s Degree Scheme in Construction and Environment welcomes first cohort

The Bachelor’s Degree Scheme in Construction and Environment (BDSCE), newly launched in the 2025/26 academic year, is set to welcome its first cohort in September 2025. This innovative scheme is designed to provide students with a flexible educational pathway, empowering them to align their academic pursuits with their personal interests and career aspirations.

To support students in making a smooth transition to university life, an engaging orientation session was held on 25 August 2025. This comprehensive session offered students an overview of the Common Year One curriculum, which lays a solid foundation across multiple disciplines in construction and environmental studies. The session also introduced students to the nine specialised Majors available for selection at the end of their first year, helping them make informed decisions about their academic paths. These Majors include:

• BEng (Hons) in Building Sciences and Engineering
• BSc (Hons) in Architectural Studies
• BSc (Hons) in Building Engineering and Management
• BSc (Hons) in Surveying
• BEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering
• BEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering (Smart Mobility) with a Secondary Major in AIDA
• BEng (Hons) in Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Development
• BSc (Hons) in Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics
• BSc (Hons) in Urban Informatics and Smart Cities

During the orientation, students had the opportunity to connect with their peers and meet the BDSCE Team, including the Scheme Leader and their Academic Advisors, who are committed to supporting students throughout their academic journey.

This interaction fostered a sense of community among the inaugural cohort and prepared them for an exciting and rewarding university experience.

PolyU team led by BRE undergraduates wins Gold Award in
Chun Wo Innovation Student Awards 2024

On 29 July 2025, a PolyU team, led by undergraduate students from the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE) and joined by a student from the Department of Computing (COMP), was awarded the Gold Award of the Chun Wo Innovation Student Awards 2024, in recognition of their engineering talent and innovation.

The competition, themed "Engineers: Overcoming World’s Challenges", challenged participants to propose innovative engineering solutions addressing climate action, sustainable cities and communities, and innovative architecture and infrastructure. The winning project “Renewable Material Coagulant” utilised industrial by-products to develop a low-carbon solidifying agent, serving as a sustainable alternative to traditional cement for ground stabilisation. The solution achieved over 80% reduction in carbon emissions and presents a promising approach for green construction and land rehabilitation.

Apart from the BRE-led team, other PolyU students participated and received awards as members of cross-institutional teams.

Established in 2018, this biennial competition aims to inspire young innovators to develop creative engineering solutions that strengthen urban connectivity and promote sustainable city development.

*Team leader

SHKP-Kwoks’ Foundation x PolyU Building Homes with Heart Scholarship Programme 2024/25

For the 2024/25 academic year, twelve outstanding FCE students received scholarships from the SHKP-Kwoks’ Foundation x PolyU Building Homes with Heart Scholarship Programme. Each awardee received up to HK$40,000 to support their academic journey.

The presentation ceremony, held on 6 August 2025, was graced by Mr Thomas KWOK, Director of the SHKP-Kwoks’ Foundation, and Ms Amy KWOK, Executive Director of the SHKP-Kwoks’ Foundation, who presented the scholarships to the recipients. Also in attendance were Mr Adam KWOK and Mr Robert CHAN, both Executive Directors of SHKP, as well as PolyU representatives, including Prof. Ben YOUNG, Vice President (Student and Global Affairs); Prof. Horace MUI, Interim Dean of Students; and Prof. Linda XIAO, Associate Dean (Partnership) of Faculty.

During the ceremony, Mr Thomas KWOK said SHKP was delighted to continue its partnership with PolyU to nurture young talent and foster the next generation of industry professionals. Mr Robert CHAN, who is also a PolyU alumnus, encouraged the scholarship recipients to equip themselves for future challenges, while Prof. Ben YOUNG highlighted the shared commitment of SHKP and PolyU to supporting and developing young talent.

The scholarship programme is a joint initiative launched in the 2022/23 academic year by the SHKP-Kwoks’ Foundation and PolyU. It aims to support outstanding PolyU students—particularly those facing financial challenges—in their pursuit of studies in construction, real estate, or engineering-related disciplines.

Click here to view the awardee list.

FCE undergraduate students receive HSBC Scholarships 2024/25

The Faculty is delighted to share that three FCE students were awarded HSBC scholarships for the year 2024/25, as part of a total of 24 awardees from PolyU. Since launching its first scholarship scheme in 1965, HSBC has consistently supported high-achieving students in their professional development while fostering meaningful community engagement through various flagship scholarship initiatives. The following FCE awardees have been recognised under the HSBC Hong Kong Scholarship for their outstanding academic achievements and dedicated community service:

Scholarship scheme Awardee HSBC Hong Kong Scholarship Mr Lok Kwan CHAN BEng (Hons) in Building Services Engineering Dept of Building Environment and Energy Engineering Mr Shun Kit YAU BSc (Hons) in Surveying Dept of Building and Real Estate Mr Kam Kin CHEN BSc (Hons) Scheme in Spatial Data Science and Smart Cities Dept of Land Surveying and Geo-informatics

FCE Awards for Outstanding PhD Theses 2024/25

The FCE Awards for Outstanding PhD Theses were established to recognise exceptional research outputs by FCE PhD students. This year, three students were honoured for their exemplary academic performance, impressive publication records, substantial research contributions, and outstanding presentation skills.

The selection of awardees was conducted through a rigorous evaluation process. An “excellent” rating from the Board of Examiners served as a prerequisite for consideration, after which the respective Departmental Research Committees shortlisted the most distinguished candidates. These finalists then delivered their oral presentations to the Working Group of the Faculty Research Committee, which selected the final awardees.

By recognising these high-calibre theses, the Faculty reaffirms its commitment to fostering professional excellence, cultivating a vibrant research community, and advancing innovative research.

CEE Postdoctoral Fellows secure funding from leading German research institutions

Apart from nurturing young research talent at FCE, the Faculty actively encourages them to broaden their academic horizons through international collaborations and to enrich their research experience at leading overseas institutions. The Faculty is pleased to learn that two Postdoctoral Fellows of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) have recently secured funding from prestigious research organisations in Germany to support their projects.

Dr Lu ZHU has been awarded the 2025 Humboldt Research Fellowship Programme for Postdocs for his project “Novel Ultrahigh-temperature High-Entropy Ceramic Coatings”. This fellowship will sponsor him to collaborate with Prof. Bronislava GORR at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology for a period of two years.

Dr Zifeng HUANG, a previous recipient of the 2021 Humboldt Research Fellowship Programme for Postdocs, has been funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation). As Principal Investigator of the project “A probability density functional framework for the probabilistic response and reliability analysis of dynamical structural systems subjected to random environmental loads”, Dr Huang will collaborate with Prof. Ioannis KOUGIOUMTZOGLOU of Columbia University and Prof. Athanasios PANTELOUS of Monash University.

The Faculty is delighted to witness international recognition of its young researchers and encourages all young FCE members to continue striving for research excellence on the global stage.

Contestants of FCE Build a Smart City Competition 2025 impress judges with creative solutions

After dedicating about seven weeks to developing their projects, the contestants of the FCE Build a Smart City Competition 2025 presented their innovative solutions to the judging panels on 22 August 2025.

Each team showcased their projects in distinctive and innovative styles, demonstrating not only their grasp of Smart City concepts but also their creativity, vision for a sustainable Hong Kong, teamwork, and presentation skills.

The judging panels, comprising FCE academics alongside distinguished alumni or industry partners, assessed the projects based on innovation, feasibility, relevance, impact, and overall presentation.

The results of the competition will be announced at the award presentation ceremony scheduled for 27 September 2025. We warmly welcome you to join us in celebrating the remarkable talents of these aspiring young innovators!

FCE provides immersive faculty attachment for secondary school students in PolyU Summer Institute 2025

The PolyU Summer Institute 2025 was successfully held from 21 to 25 July 2025, offering secondary school students an immersive five-day residential camp that provided a glimpse into university life. During the faculty attachment sessions on the second and fourth days, 48 participants took part in day-long tours organised by FCE, exploring state-of-the-art facilities and conducting hands-on laboratory experiments. These activities deepened their understanding of the construction and environment industries.

On the third day, 30 participants visited Arup’s Hong Kong office, gaining valuable insights into potential career opportunities. Throughout the event, FCE showcased its interactive and innovative teaching methods across its internationally renowned disciplines, highlighting the diverse career pathways available within the fields.

FCE hosts students from United Arab Emirates as part of initiative to diversify international student body

FCE welcomed a group of high school students from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 28 July 2025 as part of the Faculty’s ongoing effort to attract a diverse international student body.

Accompanied by staff from the Department of Education and Knowledge in Abu Dhabi, the students were visiting universities in Hong Kong to explore academic opportunities. During their time at FCE, Prof. Charles WONG, Associate Dean (Teaching and Global Engagement) of Faculty, introduced them to the undergraduate programmes offered by FCE. The visitors then participated in a laboratory demonstration session, gaining firsthand experience of FCE’s learning environment.

FCE has been striving to expand its international student community to achieve a diverse academic atmosphere.

FCE enhances visibility among Malaysian high school students through recruitment trip

From 31 July to 2 August 2025, FCE participated in a recruitment trip to Malaysia, coordinated by the Global Engagement Office (GEO). The itinerary included visits to high schools in Kuala Lumpur and Klang. Prof. Tanya TAN, Assistant Professor of the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE), represented FCE and engaged with participants by introducing the Faculty’s academic programmes and curricula, while addressing prospective students’ enquiries in detail. This event successfully enhanced FCE’s visibility among over 400 participating Malaysian high school students, inspiring them to consider PolyU and FCE as their preferred choice for higher education. The trip also underscored FCE’s commitment to fostering international student engagement.

New academic staff

Prof. Ye GUO joined the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) as an Associate Professor in August 2025. He holds Bachelor’s and PhD degrees from Tsinghua University, and he previously served as an Associate Professor at Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute from 2021 to 2025. Prof. Guo’s research focuses on the building-grid energy ecosystem. Prof. Guo received IEEE PES General Meeting Best Paper Awards in 2019, 2020, and 2021; notably, in 2019, he was honoured with both a Best Paper Award and the Best-of-the-Best Paper Award for two separate papers. As a Senior Member in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), he served as a co-chair of the IEEE Power and Energy Society (PES) Task Force on State Estimation for Integrated Energy Systems. Prof. Guo also serves as an Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Energy Markets, Policy and Regulation as well as a Subject Editor for CSEE Journal of Power and Energy Systems.