The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is pleased to announce that the Yuen Ren Chao Prize in Language Science (Chao Prize) 2026 will be open for nominations from 1 August 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.
Initiated and hosted by the PolyU Faculty of Humanities, the Chao Prize is named after the late Professor Yuen Ren Chao, who is widely regarded as the father of modern Chinese language studies, with his legacy as a distinguished linguist, poet, composer, translator and educator. Two awards are presented in each cycle: the Lifetime Achievement Award, which honours long-term, internationally recognised contributions to the field, and the Early Career Contribution Award, which celebrates outstanding work by scholars or researchers aged 45 or below. The Prize also includes cash awards of US$100,000 and US$50,000, respectively.
Placing significant emphasis on demonstrated leadership and impact on language science, the selection of award recipients is based solely on merit, regardless of background or affiliation.
Prof. Li Ping, Dean of the PolyU Faculty of Humanities, remarked, “The Chao Prize not only celebrates excellence, but also fosters interdisciplinary dialogue, serving as a catalyst for global scholarly exchange and innovation in language science and calling the international academic and research community to engage, to reflect and to aspire. It reaffirms the Faculty’s commitment to advancing language science research with real-world impact, and embodies PolyU’s dedication to the pursuit of knowledge and its application for the benefit of mankind.” He expressed appreciation to the Prize’s patron, the iRead Foundation, for its generous support and shared vision in promoting language research.
Ms Li Wen, iRead Foundation Founder and Executive Board Chair, added, “Language development is fundamental to how children learn, grow and connect with the world. At iRead, we are dedicated to promoting child literacy and improving the quality of children’s reading. We are proud to support the Chao Prize, which recognises scholars whose research not only advances our understanding of language, but also contributes to lasting impact in education and society.”
The nomination timeline and the latest details regarding the 2026 Chao Prize are available on its official website. For enquiries, please contact chao.prize@polyu.edu.hk.
Initiated and hosted by the PolyU Faculty of Humanities, the Chao Prize is named after the late Professor Yuen Ren Chao, who is widely regarded as the father of modern Chinese language studies, with his legacy as a distinguished linguist, poet, composer, translator and educator. Two awards are presented in each cycle: the Lifetime Achievement Award, which honours long-term, internationally recognised contributions to the field, and the Early Career Contribution Award, which celebrates outstanding work by scholars or researchers aged 45 or below. The Prize also includes cash awards of US$100,000 and US$50,000, respectively.
Placing significant emphasis on demonstrated leadership and impact on language science, the selection of award recipients is based solely on merit, regardless of background or affiliation.
Prof. Li Ping, Dean of the PolyU Faculty of Humanities, remarked, “The Chao Prize not only celebrates excellence, but also fosters interdisciplinary dialogue, serving as a catalyst for global scholarly exchange and innovation in language science and calling the international academic and research community to engage, to reflect and to aspire. It reaffirms the Faculty’s commitment to advancing language science research with real-world impact, and embodies PolyU’s dedication to the pursuit of knowledge and its application for the benefit of mankind.” He expressed appreciation to the Prize’s patron, the iRead Foundation, for its generous support and shared vision in promoting language research.
Ms Li Wen, iRead Foundation Founder and Executive Board Chair, added, “Language development is fundamental to how children learn, grow and connect with the world. At iRead, we are dedicated to promoting child literacy and improving the quality of children’s reading. We are proud to support the Chao Prize, which recognises scholars whose research not only advances our understanding of language, but also contributes to lasting impact in education and society.”
The nomination timeline and the latest details regarding the 2026 Chao Prize are available on its official website. For enquiries, please contact chao.prize@polyu.edu.hk.
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