OTHER ISSUES

RECENT FOCUS

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) proudly presented the 2026 Yuen Ren Chao Prize in Language Science at a presentation ceremony held on 8 May. Prof. Brian Macwhinney, Theresa Heinz Professor of Cognitive Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University and Prof. Charles B. Chang, Fellow of the Psychonomic Society were bestowed with the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Early Career Contribution Award respectively for their remarkable achievements in and outstanding contributions to the field of language science. Click HERE to read more.

PolyU Faculty of Humanities, in collaboration with the Department of English and Communication and the Department of Language Science and Technology, successfully organised the International Symposium on Language Science (ISLS) 2026: Interdisciplinary Research and the Legacy of Yuen Ren Chao on 8 and 9 May 2026. The Symposium attracted over 140 participants from 11 countries and regions, including Australia, Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Nigeria, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This remarkable international turnout is a testament to the Symposium's global significance and the universal appeal of language science. Click HERE to read more.

The JUPAS Admissions Q&A 2026 on-campus sessions were successfully concluded on 9 May. This event provided a valuable opportunity for students and parents to explore undergraduate programmes offered by the Faculty of Humanities through our programme seminars and consultation sessions. They also engaged with academic staff and student ambassadors to gain deeper insights into the unique features of our Departments, programme details, as well as the learning experience. Learn more about PolyU's JUPAS programmes: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/study/ug/admissions/jupas

Prof. Zhu Xinhua, Professor in the Department of Language Science and Technology, was invited as an expert advisor for the multimodal reading activities in the 2026 National Reading Week – “Reading Across Horizons Shared Reading Session cum Joint Primary and Secondary School 30-minute Read” event organised by the Education Bureau (EDB) on 23 April 2026. The event engaged over 1,100 students and teachers onsite and 30,000 participants online across Hong Kong, and set a new world record related to Multimodal Reading Activity. Click HERE to read more.

ACHIEVEMENTS

The Faculty of Humanities has attained notable results in the US News and World Report’s 2026-2027 Best Global Universities for Arts and Humanities. Arts and Humanities at PolyU is now ranked 23rd globally and 3rd in Asia. This remarkable achievement places the Faculty among the world’s elite institutions, recognised for its excellence in education, high-impact research, and meaningful contributions to society. Click HERE to read more.

Prof. Huang Chu-Ren, Chair Professor of Applied Chinese Language Studies, has been conferred the tile of Emeritus Professor (Applied Chinese Language Studies), with effect from 1 July 2026, upon his retirement from the University.

Prof. Li Shaofeng, Professor in the Department of English and Communication and Programme Leader of the Faculty’s Doctor of Applied Language Sciences programme, received the Distinguished Scholar Award from the International Association for the Psychology of Language Learning (IAPLL) at its biennial conference held at Shantou University in the Chinese Mainland. This award honors scholars who have made outstanding contributions to the field of the psychology of language learning and teaching. Click HERE to read more.

Prof. Sun Xin, Assistant Professor in the Department of Language Science and Technology, has won the PolyU Young Innovative Researcher Award (YIRA) 2026.

Prof. Sun is one of the six awardees among the 60 submissions across all schools and faculties. Her winning research project is titled “Brain Basis of Dyslexia in Chinese-English Bilinguals: Phonological and Morphological Assessments Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.” Click HERE to read more.

The Faculty hosted its 4th Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition on 16 June 2026, showcasing the research prowess of our PhD students. The event challenged participants to present their complex research projects in just three minutes, emphasising clarity, conciseness, and effective communication. The winners are as follows:

Champion: SHEK Tsz Ching Phoebe (LST)
First Runner-up: TAN Kexin (ENGL)
Second Runner-up: WANG Yijun (ENGL)

Click HERE to read more.

EVENTS

• (6-10 July 2026) The 4th Tsinghua University, PolyU, the University of Macau and Shanxi University quartet exchange programme
• (7 July 2026) Seminar | Quasi-experimental research and individual differences: Overview of key issues
• (10-13 August 2026) International Symposium on Language Ecology and Sustainability cum the 11th National Symposium on Ecolinguistics