OTHER ISSUES

RECENT FOCUS

PolyU hosts the International Summit on the Use of AI in Learning and Teaching Languages and Other Subjects (AIinLT Summit) from 4 to 7 July 2025. Organised by the PolyU Department of English and Communication, in collaboration with the Education Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research (SCOLAR), and Hong Kong Education City (EdCity), the AIinLT Summit brings together leading scholars, educators and researchers from around the world to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising education.Click HERE for details.

The "2025 Third Tsinghua University-Hong Kong Polytechnic University- University of Macau Tripartite Exchange Programme" successfully concluded on 28 June 2025 at the University of Macau after five days of activities. Centered around the theme "China and the World: Society, History, and Culture", this event brought together 123 professors and students from the three institutions to explore the contemporary value and dissemination pathways of Chinese traditional culture through in-depth academic discussions and hands-on cultural practices. Click HERE for details.

On 31 July 2025, PolyU signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Foreign Affairs University (CFAU) to launch a joint talent development programme. Leveraging PolyU’s leading expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) and CFAU’s strength in diplomat training, the collaboration will adopt a “1+1” joint training model, launching postgraduate programmes in “Generative Artificial Intelligence and the Humanities” and “Artificial Intelligence and Global Governance.” Click HERE for details.

The Faculty of Humanities of PolyU and the International Business College of South China Normal University (SCNU) signed a MoU to strengthen academic collaboration. The partnership will focus on dual postgraduate programmes and talent development in AI innovation and communication. Click HERE for details.

PolyU is pleased to announce that the nominations for Yuen Ren Chao Prize in Language Science (Chao Prize) 2026 are now open and will be accepted until 31 October 2025. This biennial international award, now in its second edition, honours scholars and researchers worldwide who have made distinguished contributions to the field of language science. Click HERE for details.

Selected papers from the International Symposium on Language Sciences (ISLS): Interdisciplinary Research and the Legacy of Yuen Ren Chao, organised by the Faculty in May 2024, have been published in two international journal special issues. The special issue titled “Chinese Language Education and Assessment” appears in the Journal of Chinese Language Education (華文學刊). It features papers focusing on Chinese language education and assessment from the panel chaired by Prof. Zhu Xinhua(CBS).

Another panel from the Symposium contributed to a special issue in the journal Language and Intercultural Communication, entitled “Interculturality, Linguistic Diversity and Social Inclusion: Current Issues and Future Challenges,” co-edited by Prof. Nate Ming Curran and Prof. Hans Ladegaard from ENGL.

Faculty Dean Prof. Li Ping, Sin Wai Kin Foundation Professor in Humanities and Technology and Associate Director of the PolyU-Hangzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute, visited Beijing Oriental Electronics (BOE) Technology Group Co., Ltd. on 31 July. Prof. Li was received by the Vice President of BOE and CEO of BOE Varitronix Limited, who introduced the company’s development journey in the field of semiconductor displays. Discussions focused on the application of display innovations in digital cultural tourism and heritage revitalisation.

On 1 August, Prof. Li visited BOE Art Cloud Technology Co., Ltd., where Chairman Yao Xiangjun showcased glasses-free 3D applications in art presentation and immersive environments. The visit deepened mutual understanding on integrating display technologies with cultural experiences and laid a foundation for future collaboration.

ACHIEVEMENTS

The Faculty has reached another significant milestone this year, with 25 projects successfully funded under the General Research Fund (GRF) and the Early Career Scheme (ECS). This record-breaking achievement reflects the Faculty’s continued commitment to research excellence and innovation.

The 21 GRF-funded projects span across our Departments, with ten from CBS, five from CHC, and six from ENGL. In addition, four ECS projects have been awarded—three from CBS and one from CHC.

FH members have received a total of $16M in GRF and ECS this year, along with $4M funded through the Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) also under RGC.

Joyce Jiayi Chen and Cora Zhu Wenxi, students in the BA(Hons) in English and Applied Linguistics (BAEAL) programme, have been selected as Millennium Fellows in the Class of 2025.

The Millennium Fellowship, co-run by the United Nations Academic Impact and the Millennium Campus Network, is a semester-long leadership development programme that convenes, challenges, and celebrates bold student leadership advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on campus and in communities.

Joyce and Cora were selected from over 60,000 applicants across 7,500+ campuses worldwide, joining a cohort of 4,000+ Fellows from 290+ institutions globally. Click HERE for details.

Kristen Leung, a first-year student in the BA (Hons) in English and Applied Linguistics programme, has been named one of the 25 awardees of the Innovation and Technology Scholarship 2025.

Kristen is working to create a metaverse-based gaming world designed to help children learn through play. Inspired by the challenges faced by children growing up during the pandemic—particularly in communication—her project aims to foster problem-solving, creative thinking, and teamwork through interactive, AI-generated scenarios. Click HERE for details.

A CBS PhD student, Hui Ka Yee Ruby, won the First Runner-up in Chinese-English translation and a Merit award in English-Chinese translation in the Open Category of the 50th Hong Kong Youth Translation Competition, held in June 2025.

The competition, widely regarded as the most prestigious translation contest in Hong Kong, was jointly organised by the Hong Kong Youth Cultural and Arts Competitions and the Society of Chinese Accountants and Auditors, co-organised by the Hong Kong Translation Society, and supported by Standing Committee on Language Education and Research. Click HERE for details.

Congratulations to Ms Peng Yingying, a PhD student from the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies (CBS) supervised by Faculty Dean Prof. Li Ping, for her outstanding performance at the PolyU Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition held on 2 July 2025.

Representing the Faculty of Humanities—after winning the Faculty-level 3MT Competition—Yingying earned the Second Runner-Up at the university level. Her presentation topic was "To Chat with Your (AI) Teacher or Not? It Only Takes Minutes to Spark Learning". Click HERE for details.

EVENTS

• (12 September 2025) Distinguished Lectures in Humanities: Virtual Language Learning – What Do We Know and Where Do We Go from Here (to be given by Prof. Johan MÅRTENSSON, Associate Professor and Researcher, Lund University Humanities Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University)
• (3 October 2025) PolyU Chinese Culture Festival - Mid-Autumn Festival Gala
• (15-17 November 2025) 9th International Conference on Multicultural Discourses