News

e-Bulletin Issue 186

FCE subjects ranked 1st in Hong Kong: Civil & Structural Engineering and Environmental Sciences secure top spots in QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026

FCE is pleased to report its distinguished standings in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject 2026. This year, FCE has made significant local gains, with two subjects ascending to the top spot in Hong Kong. Notably, Civil & Structural Engineering ranked an impressive 18th worldwide and climbed to 1st in Hong Kong, up from 2nd locally last year. Environmental Sciences also maintained its premier standing, securing the 1st place locally and 34th worldwide. Additionally, FCE’s performance in Architecture & Built Environment remains globally competitive, ranking 21st worldwide and 2nd in Hong Kong. These results underscore FCE’s commitment to research excellence and its vital contribution to Hong Kong’s status as a global hub for higher education. Moving forward, FCE remains committed to advancing sustainable infrastructure and interdisciplinary research to address global challenges.

FCE students awarded for academic, leadership, and research distinction

Outstanding Student Award of FCE 2025/26 The Faculty is pleased to announce that Ms Nar Hmue Khin KYIN of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), who is a BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering (Smart Mobility) student with a Secondary Major in AIDA, has been awarded the Outstanding Student Award of FCE 2025/26. Ms Kyin has been conferred this honour for her outstanding academic merits, complemented by her strong leadership abilities, exemplary personal qualities and conduct, active engagement in extra-curricular activities and community services, and a broad global outlook. Besides the faculty-level award, the Outstanding Student Award was also granted to exemplary students at the departmental level.  Outstanding Student Award of Faculty Ms Nar Hmue Khin KYIN Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Outstanding Student Award of Department Mr Jiefu LI Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering Mr Yin Yui PANG Department of Building and Real Estate Ms Mingzhen LIU Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics   Presidential Student Leadership Award of FCE 2025/26 The Faculty is pleased to share that Mr Pak Yin Hugo CHEUNG, a BSc (Hons) Surveying student of the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE), has been honoured with the Presidential Student Leadership Award of FCE 2025/26 in recognition of his extraordinary leadership qualities, skills, and contributions to society and the world. In addition to the faculty-level award, this distinction is also conferred upon students who have demonstrated remarkable leadership achievements at the departmental level.  Presidential Student Leadership Award of Faculty Mr Pak Yin Hugo CHEUNG  Department of Building and Real Estate Presidential Student Leadership Award of Department Ms Jingxuan XIE  Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering Mr Chun Hung CHAN  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Ms Mingzhen LIU  Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics Congratulations to all award recipients, who received their honours from Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President, at the presentation ceremony held on 19 March 2026.  

FCE academics secure research funding for environmental initiatives

FCE is committed to environmental stewardship and advancing solutions that protect Hong Kong’s natural and built environments. The Faculty is proud to report that five FCE academics received funding support from the first-round funding exercise of the 2025/26 Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF), totalling over HK$3.2 million. The projects cover research on diverse issues, including greenhouse gas monitoring, low-carbon construction materials, wastewater treatment, electric vehicle infrastructure, and air quality assessment. This accomplishment underscores the Faculty's dedication to academic development and practical contribution to environmental protection and nature conservation in Hong Kong.   Environment and Conservation Fund 2025/26 Project Principal Investigator Amount Awarded (HK$)  Dual-phase VOC Reduction of Waste Tyre Modified Low-carbon High-performance Asphalt Pavements through Reactive Extrusion Prof. Zhen LENG​Professor​Dept of Civil and Environmental Engineering  $1,316,000 EVChargeMap: An Integrated Geospatial Database of Public and Private EV Chargers in Hong Kong Prof. Wei MA​Associate Professor​Dept of Civil and Environmental Engineering  $500,000 Reconfiguring Saline Wastewater Treatment to Remove Phosphorus and Nitrogen via Innovative Pathways Prof. Tao LIU​Assistant Professor​Dept of Civil and Environmental Engineering  $500,000 AI-powered Sky Scans: Revolutionising Hong Kong’s Greenhouse Gas Monitoring with GNSS-RO Prof. Joseph AWANGE​Professor​Dept of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics  $348,000 Unravelling City-wide Vertical Aerosol and Particulate Matter, a Remote Sensing Study in Hong Kong Prof. Charles WONG​Professor​Dept of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics $600,000

Chinese New Year Greetings from the Dean of Faculty

Dear Colleagues, Students, and Friends of FCE As we gallop into 2026, I extend my heartfelt wishes for a joyful, healthy, and prosperous Chinese New Year to you and your families! May this year bring you the energy, courage, and determination of the horse, inspiring you to seize new growth opportunities and embrace changes with confidence and optimism. The past year has seen our Faculty continue to strengthen our education and research capabilities. We launched the new Bachelor’s Degree Scheme in Construction and Environment, offering more flexible educational pathways, and introduced the new Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Architectural Studies, advancing architectural education and innovation. We also spearheaded the establishment of new research platforms, harnessing cross-disciplinary expertise to address climate resilience. To further unite the FCE community, we rolled out a new Tiered Recognition Programme for contributions to the FCE Fund and established the FCE Smart and Resilient Visionaries Network. The Year of the Horse is a time for bold actions and forward momentum. I am confident that we will continue to thrive by embracing new opportunities. I wish you a dynamic and successful Year of the Horse! Prof. Xiang-dong LI Dean, Faculty of Construction and Environment

FCE Magazine - Issue 25

International Symposium cum Inauguration of State Key Laboratory of Climate Resilience for Coastal Cities marks major step for resilient city development

Recognising the critical importance of climate resilience, FCE was pleased to serve as one of the supporting units of the inauguration of the State Key Laboratory of Climate Resilience for Coastal Cities (SKL-CRCC), jointly established by PolyU and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). The inauguration took place on 4 December 2025 at Hotel ICON. Accredited by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) in August 2025, SKL-CRCC represents a major recognition of PolyU’s leadership in climate resilience research and leverages the combined strengths of both universities. The event was officiated by Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President; Prof. Nancy IP, HKUST President; Prof. Wing-tak WONG, PolyU Deputy President and Provost; Prof. Qingrui YUE, Chairman of the Academic Committee of SKL-CRCC; and SKL-CRCC Directors, Prof. Xiang-dong LI (PolyU) and Prof. Charles NG (HKUST). A two-day international symposium was held concurrently to commemorate this milestone. Around 30 keynote speakers from leading universities across the globe shared insights on topics ranging from marine heatwaves and earthquakes to urban water management and artificial intelligence applications. The vibrant academic exchange underscored the laboratory’s commitment to fostering international cross-disciplinary innovation, positioning Hong Kong as a global hub for climate resilience research.

31st Congregation of FCE

Congratulations to the over 1,500 FCE graduates of 2025! This year, four separate FCE sessions of the 31st Congregation were held on 19 and 20 November 2025 at the Jockey Club Auditorium on the PolyU campus. Presiding over the ceremonies, Prof. Xiang-dong LI, Dean of Faculty, urged graduates to embrace vision, innovation, and resilience as they chart new horizons in this transformative era. He inspired the class of 2025 to embody the PolyU motto and lead lives of purpose and fulfilment, while nurturing a sense of responsibility towards Hong Kong, the Nation, and the world. Each of the four departments invited a guest of honour to share insights from the respective professional fields, express confidence in the capabilities of the FCE graduates, and convey positive expectations for their future contributions. These respected leaders offered words of encouragement, guidance, and wisdom, motivating graduates to strive for excellence and to make meaningful contributions after graduation.   Departmental session Guest of Honour Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering Mr Terence LAM, JP Principal Assistant Secretary (Works) 5 Development Bureau, the Government of the HKSAR Department of Building and Real Estate Ar. Prof. Donald CHOI, BBS, JP Managing Director Urban Renewal Authority Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Ir Ricky LAU, JP Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) Development Bureau, the Government of the HKSAR Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics Mr Yue Chun CHAN Head of Spatial Data Office Development Bureau, the Government of the HKSAR

FCE academics among world’s most influential in Building & Construction and Civil Engineering

According to the latest “Updated science-wide author databases of standardised citation indicators” compiled by Stanford University, PolyU leads the world in the number of Top 2% Most-cited Scientists in the sub-fields of Building and Construction, making FCE the institution with the largest representation of top scholars in the field. FCE also boasts the highest number of Top 2% Civil Engineering scholars in Hong Kong. Notably, three FCE academics rank among the global top ten in their respective fields: Prof. C.S. POON, Distinguished Research Professor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE); Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President and Chair Professor of Structural Engineering of CEE; and Prof. Qihao WENG, Chair Professor of Geomatics and Artificial Intelligence of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI), while eight academics are ranked within the global top 50. The remarkable concentration of world-class scholars reflects FCE’s significant research impact and influence in teaching. 

State Key Laboratory of Climate Resilience for Coastal Cities to enhance resilience construction and disaster mitigation for coastal cities

The State Key Laboratory of Climate Resilience for Coastal Cities (SKL-CRCC), jointly established by PolyU as the leading party and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) as the collaborative party, was formally presented with its plaque by Mr Hejun YIN, Minister of Science and Technology, at the plaque presentation ceremony held on 25 August 2025. Co-directed by Prof. Xiang-dong LI, Dean of Faculty, and Prof. Charles NG, Vice-President for Institutional Advancement of HKUST, the SKL-CRCC aims to address the urgent need for foundational, strategic, and forward-looking research on climate change and urban resilience. Its mission is to support the effective implementation of national strategies and regional policies in response to the compound challenges posed by climate change. The SKL-CRCC will serve as a vital platform for collaboration with leading universities and research institutions both in Mainland China and internationally. It will bring together top-notch research talents from around the world, foster cross-regional and cross-disciplinary scientific and technological innovation, and contribute to positioning Hong Kong as a hub for global expertise. Through these efforts, the laboratory seeks to advance the sustainable development of Hong Kong, the Nation, and the world. Being accredited with the status of SKL by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) represents a major recognition of FCE’s research strengths and impact. The other PolyU SKL being accredited at the ceremony was the SKL of Ultra-precision Machining Technology. The plaque presentation ceremony was also attended by Mr Ji ZHOU, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Mr John LEE, Chief Executive of HKSAR, Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President, and members of the PolyU senior management team.