Prof. Xiaoli Ding appointed Interim Dean of Faculty

The Faculty is pleased to announce the appointment of Prof. Xiaoli DING, Chair Professor of Geomatics of the Department of Land Surveying and Geospatial Science (LSGS), as Interim Dean of Faculty, effective 1 October 2026.

Prof. Ding received his Doctor of Philosophy degree from The University of Sydney. He has been with PolyU since 1996, currently serving as the Director of Research Institute for Land and Space.

A distinguished academic in the field of geomatics, he is a Fellow of The Hong Kong Institution of Engineering Surveyors, Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (UK), Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and International Association of Geodesy, as well as Vice President of the Engineering Surveying Society of the Chinese Society for Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography.

Prof. Ding will succeed Prof. Xiang-dong LI in leading FCE’s strategic development. On his appointment, Prof. Ding expressed his commitment to working closely with FCE’s key stakeholders, including but not limited to staff members, students, alumni, academic and industry partners, and various PolyU units, to sustain the Faculty’s pursuit of excellence in education and impactful research.

Prof. Ding also expressed his sincere appreciation to Prof. Li—who has been appointed by the University as Vice President (Research)—for his leadership and guidance over the past years: “Under Prof. Li’s stewardship, FCE has made significant strides in academic excellence, interdisciplinary research, talent recruitment and retention, and global engagement, further solidifying FCE’s reputation as a world-leading faculty in construction and environmental disciplines. I wish him continued success in his new role.”

Please join us in welcoming Prof. Ding as Interim Dean and extending our full support to him as he takes the helm of the Faculty.

FCE welcomes 2026/27 cohort with comprehensive orientation sessions

To kick off the 2026/27 academic year, the Faculty and its five constituent departments organised a comprehensive series of orientation sessions throughout mid-to-late August 2026. Designed for both undergraduate and taught postgraduate students, these sessions served as one-stop information hubs to facilitate a seamless transition into university life and provide essential academic and administrative guidance.

On 26 August 2026, the Faculty hosted a dedicated orientation session for the Bachelor's Degree Scheme in Construction and Environment (BDSCE). The orientation session detailed the scheme’s flexible educational pathways and highlighted its Common Year One curriculum, which will provide a solid, multidisciplinary foundation across construction and environmental fields.

Each of FCE’s five departments conducted their respective departmental orientation sessions from 17 to 28 August 2026. These sessions featured programme-specific overviews, consultative meetings with Programme Leaders and Academic Advisors, experience sharing by current students, and guided tours of departmental laboratories and facilities.

To ensure students are fully aware of available institutional support, representatives from central administrative units—such as the College of Undergraduate Studies (CUS), the Global Engagement Office (GEO), and the Student Affairs Office (SAO)—were invited to brief students on General University Requirements, global exchange opportunities, and student development services.

The 2026 orientation sessions provided incoming students with a well-rounded introduction to academic expectations, global learning pathways, and comprehensive pastoral care. FCE warmly welcomes all new students and looks forward to supporting them throughout their academic journeys at PolyU.

FCE immediate past Dean joins strategic meeting with University of Reading delegation to deepen global engagement

On 10 September 2026, Prof. Xiang-dong LI, the immediate past Dean of Faculty, joined PolyU representatives in a meeting and luncheon with a delegation from the University of Reading (UoR), led by their Vice-Chancellor Prof. Robert VAN DE NOORT.

The meeting explored opportunities for strategic collaboration across several key areas, particularly joint research programmes in sustainability, climate-related disciplines, and business. Discussions also encompassed joint engagement at international forums, alongside initiatives to expand student mobility and dual-degree opportunities between the two institutions.

The visit marked a further step in strengthening ties between the two universities.

FCE Chair Professor elected Fellow of Royal Society of Canada

Prof. Charles XU, Chair Professor of Advanced Biorefinery from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (Academy of Science), the country’s premier council of distinguished scholars. Among the academics inducted globally this year, Prof. Xu is one of only three scholars in Hong Kong to receive this prestigious recognition.

Prof. Xu is recognised for his pioneering contributions to transformative biorefinery technologies. His research focuses on both molecular-level and system-level transformation of biomass and renewable carbon resources into energy, fuels, chemicals and materials. His innovative work has generated significant impact across multiple sectors, including the agricultural, forestry, and chemical industries.

The conferment of this prestigious academician title highlights the international impact of Prof. Xu’s research and reinforces FCE’s international research profile.

J.M. Ko Award recognises two global young pioneers in structural engineering

On 20 August 2026, the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) hosted the J.M. Ko Award Ceremony and International Symposium on Advances in Structural Engineering, celebrating early-career research excellence on an international stage.

Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President, and Prof. Songye ZHU, Head of CEE, officiated at the opening session, preceding the formal presentation of accolades to Prof. Jamie PADGETT of Rice University and Prof. Dimitrios LIGNOS of École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). Highlighting the day's academic exchange, the two laureates delivered distinguished lectures, accompanied by research insights from six internationally renowned experts. The event provided a dynamic platform for cross-institutional collaboration, underscoring FCE’s role in advancing structural engineering research worldwide.

Established in 2023, the J.M. Ko Award is named in honour of Prof. Jan-ming KO, PolyU’s first Chair Professor of Structural Engineering and current Emeritus Professor (Structural Engineering). The award recognises outstanding young researchers whose contributions have advanced the science and technology of structural engineering.

FCE and CSHK forge strategic partnership in research and talent development

On 24 September 2026, a signing ceremony was held on the PolyU campus to formalise a strategic partnership between FCE and China State Construction Engineering (Hong Kong) Limited (CSHK). This collaboration marks a major milestone in advancing innovative research and nurturing the next generation of engineering professionals.

Central to this collaboration is the establishment of a PolyU–CSHK joint laboratory, which will focus on high-impact research areas, such as low-carbon building materials, Modular Integrated Construction (MiC), and digital construction management.

To champion talent cultivation, CSHK has pledged to establish the “CSHK PolyU Engineering Scholarship” to nurture and support outstanding undergraduate students across five FCE programmes. In addition, CSHK will provide internships and professional development opportunities to enrich students’ practical industry experience.

By combining FCE’s research capabilities with CSHK’s industry leadership, this alliance will accelerate technological translation and drive sustainable transformation across the construction sector in Hong Kong and beyond.

FCE academics demonstrate research excellence with broad funding success

The Faculty is pleased to share that our academic staff and researchers have secured substantial competitive research grants across various funding schemes, including schemes funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), the Government of the HKSAR, and the public sector.

Welcome new staff

The Department of Architecture (ARCH) welcomed a new Assistant Professor, Prof. Yinrui XIE, in mid-September 2026. Prof. Xie obtained his Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree (with Distinction) in architecture from Tsinghua University, and completed his PhD at the University of Melbourne. Before joining PolyU, he held academic appointments in the United Kingdom and Australia.

Prof. Xie’s research focuses on architectural exchanges between China and the wider world, the built environments of Chinese diasporic communities, exhibition architecture, and artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted approaches to architectural history using computational methods for visual analysis.

His research accomplishments include authoring the monograph Design as Communication: An Architectural History of Christian Universities in China (Routledge, 2025) and publishing in leading journals such as Architectural History and The Journal of Architecture. Prof. Xie has secured research funding from the British Academy as Principal Investigator for a project on Chinese temples in Britain. He is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK) and a member of the Society of Architectural Historians.