Northwestern Polytechnical University Visits the Faculty of Humanities

A delegation from the School of Foreign Studies, Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU) visited the Faculty of Humanities (FH) on 4 March. Prof. Hang Xing, Associate Dean (Global Engagement) of FH warmly welcomed the delegates and presented an overview of FH’s programmes and achievements. Additionally, Prof. Wang Gaozu, Head of the Party Committee at NPU's School of Foreign Studies provided a comprehensive update on NPU's current development. Both parties engaged in meaningful discussions about student exchange initiatives and opportunities for academic and research collaboration.

PolyU and EdUHK Co-Host the 2nd CILME Workshop on Metaverse and AI for the Future of Education

The 2nd Centre for Immersive Learning and Metaverse in Education (CILME) Workshop on Metaverse and Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the Future of Education co-hosted by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), and co-organised by the PolyU-Hangzhou Technology and Innovation Research Institute (HZRI) was successfully held on 21 February 2025. The workshop brought together leading scholars and experts from around the world to discuss the transformative impact of AI and immersive technologies on education. Prof. Wong Kwok-yin, Vice President for Education and Chair Professor of Chemical Technology at PolyU, welcomed the speakers and guests. The workshop featured two keynote speeches delivered by Prof. Sangmin-Michelle Lee from Kyung Hee University, Korea, and Prof. Yew-Soon Ong from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Their talks provided insights into the future of AI-powered education, including the development of digital human teachers that integrate virtual reality (VR) and AI-assisted learning environments. In addition, plenary sessions highlighted cutting-edge research with both theoretical and real-world impacts. Prof. Hu Xiangen (PolyU) and Prof. Henry B.L. Duh (PolyU) explored AI’s roles as instructors in enhancing interactive learning of various subjects like language and design. Prof. Song Yanjie (EdUHK) and Prof. Philip L.H. Yu (EdUHK) examined how VR platforms powered by large language models (LLMs) can improve students’ language skills, communication skills, and general knowledge. At the end of the workshop Prof. Li Ping chaired a highly engaging and dynamic round-table discussion, which sparked lively debates and critical insights, with both in-person and online participants actively contributing their perspectives. Discussions focused on critical topics in the field of technology-enhanced learning, including pedagogical design principles to enhance student engagement, roles of AI in education, applications of AI to augment students’ higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills, and personalised education. The workshop concluded with closing remarks by Prof. Chetwyn Chan (Vice President, Research & Development, EdUHK), who emphasised the importance of interdisciplinary and inter-university collaboration in advancing AI-driven education. As PolyU continues to push the boundaries of educational innovation, CILME will play a key role in fostering knowledge transfer and shaping the future of AI and metaverse applications in education. Click HERE for the press release.

Prof. Ke Sihui Receives ARWA Mid-Career Award

Prof. Ke Sihui, Associate Professor in the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, has been honoured with the ARWA (Association for Reading and Writing in Asia) Mid-Career Award. The Award aims at recognising a researcher who is currently in the middle of their career and who has a distinguished research record in the area of literacy acquisition that is related to Asia in particular or more generally to cross-linguistic/cross-scriptal literacy acquisition. The ARWA, registered as a society in 2016, is for researchers studying literacy development, literacy impairment, or expert linguistic processing via print in Asia.

The 14th Joseph Needham Memorial Lecture Series

The 14th Joseph Needham Memorial Lecture Series, co-hosted by the Joseph Needham Foundation for Science & Civilisation (Hong Kong) and the Faculty of Humanities at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, was successfully held at PolyU on 12 December 2024. Prof. Robin D.S. Yates from McGill University delivered an insightful lecture titled “After Needham’s The Epic of Gunpowder,” highlighting the enduring legacy of Professor Joseph Needham. Prof. Yates began his lecture with an in-depth analysis of the Chinese and Western scholarship on Chinese warfare before and after Needham’s work, demonstrating Needham’s profound contributions to the field. While acknowledging the continuing influence of Needham’s research on gunpowder technology, Professor Yates emphasised the importance of considering the cultural and social contexts from which this technology emerged. With a wealth of new evidence discovered in recent decades, he encouraged young scholars to explore the field of Chinese military history. During the Q&A session, Prof. Yates engaged with the audience on the “Needham Question” and the prospects for Chinese military history.

FH Staff Members Honoured with Long Service Award

A total of 50 colleagues in the Faculty received the Long Service Award 2024 in recognition of their years of service at the University, spanning 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, and five years (listed in alphabetical order): Mr Daniel Barlow(ELC) Mr Richard Brooke(ELC) Prof. Angel Chan(CBS) Miss Chan Ho Yi(ELC) Miss Olivia Chan(CLC) Dr Ken Cheng(CLC) Dr Sally Cheung Ching-yu(CLC) Dr Ching Wai-kin(ELC) Ms Belle Choi(ELC) Miss Cherry Chow(FH) Prof. Chu Hung-lam(CHC) Dr J.H. Gu(CBS) Dr Eric Ho(ELC) Dr Yu-Yin Hsu(CBS) Miss Lynn Huynh(ELC) Ms Kou Fanfei(CBS) Ms Lam Hang Ching(CBS) Dr Lau Kai Yiu(CHC) Dr Paris Lau(CBS) Ms Leung Suk-kwan April(CBS) Prof. Li Ping(FH) Dr Vickie Li(ELC) Ms Li Yuk Yi Vivian(ELC) Dr Phoebe Lin(ENGL) Dr Zhihui Lin(CHC) Mr Jim Lo(ELC) Mr Andy Lui(CBS) Miss Ming Lui(CBS) Prof. Kathy Mak(CHC) Mr Mitchell Mak(ELC) Ms Zoe Mak(ENGL) Mr Donald Man(ENGL) Dr Miao Chuan-jiang(CLC) Dr Janet Ng(CBS) Dr Ng Kam-lung(CLC) Prof. Cindy Ngai(CBS) Ms M. O'Hagan(ELC) Dr Pang Tun(CLC) Mr Vincent Sheung Kwun(ELC) Ms Virginia Shih(CHC) Mr Freeman Tai(ELC) Miss Pauline Tai(FH) Dr Tao Ran(CBS) Miss Karen Tse(CHC) Prof. Brian Tsui(CHC) Ms Daisy Wong(ENGL) Miss Kathy Wong(CBS) Ms Yip Lai Ching(CBS) Dr David Yuen(CLC) Dr Zou Yuxin(CLC) The Faculty would like to thank these staff members for their dedicated and loyal service to the University. The Long Service Award Scheme has been introduced since 1990 to foster a sense of belonging among PolyU staff.

FH Academics Publish in Nature Human Behaviour

Dr Xu Shaoxiong Brian and Prof. Hu Guangwei from the Department of English and Communication have recently published an article in Nature Human Behaviour, a prestigious multidisciplinary journal of Nature Portfolio that has an impressive impact factor of 22.3. A commentary on China’s pervasive research integrity issues, the article draws attention to three neglected issues underlying China’s retraction crisis: a striking disparity in the numbers of retractions between domestic and international journals, ineffective enforcement of a profusion of research integrity policies, and widespread non-transparency in handling breaches of research integrity. To help combat China’s retraction crisis, the article proposes five actionable initiatives. The article is the latest addition to a growing list of publications by Dr Xu and Prof. Hu since they started their collaborative foray into research integrity and publication ethics in 2017. Source: Xu, S. B., & Hu, G. (2025). Combating China’s retraction crisis. Nature Human Behaviour. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-024-02099-w

Prof. Zhu Xinhua and Team Make Significant Progress in Studies on Employing GenAI to Improve Language Assessment

In recent years, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) technology has developed rapidly, bringing significant changes to the field of language education. Prof. Zhu Xinhua and his team from the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies in the Faculty of Humanities have recently made significant progress in improving language assessment with the support of GenAI, particularly in providing feedback on students’ compositions. These studies have revealed the learning characteristics of students in the GenAI environment, providing empirical evidence for constructing innovative language teaching and assessment approaches. The research findings have been presented at / accepted by multiple prestigious conferences (e.g., AERA) and published in top-tier SSCI journals (e.g., Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education). This is also an important effort by the research team in implementing knowledge transfer (KT). Click HERE to read the full article.

Prof. Siok Wai Ting Awarded RGC Collaborative Research Fund 2024/25

Led by Prof. Siok Wai Ting, Head of the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, the cross-institutional project “Integrating Machine Learning, Behavioral Analysis and Multimodal Neuroimaging Techniques to Investigate the Comorbidity of Specific Learning Disabilities in Hong Kong” has secured HK$4 million from the Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) of the Research Grants Council (RGC) for 2024/25. Collaborators of the project include researchers from HKU and EdUHK. The CRF supports multi-investigator, multi-disciplinary projects in order to encourage more research groups to engage in creative and high-quality cross-disciplinary / cross-institutional projects.

Prof. Zhu Xinhua and Team Develop Multimodal Reading Programme for Primary Students

Prof. Zhu Xinhua, Professor in the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, leads a team to develop a multimodal reading teaching programme and an assessment task set for primary students based on his GRF project. Over 600 primary students in Hong Kong participated in the first round of these innovative activities. In the upcoming year, more than 500 primary students are expected to participate in the second round. In his interview with China Daily, Prof. Zhu noted that multimodal reading can foster personalised learning by providing multiple forms of information presentation to cater the diverse needs of students. He also highlighted significant potential for primary students to develop multimodal reading skills.

PolyU Innovation Reconstructs Geographic and Ecological Knowledge of Ancient Times, Awarded Top 10 Innovative Exploratory Projects in Tencent Tanyuan Scheme 2024

Scientific and technological innovations facilitate the preservation and dissemination of traditional knowledge and culture. Innovations are thus the key to the sustainability of our cultural heritage. A pioneering research project at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) promotes the synergy of scientific technologies and the humanities, applying interdisciplinary approaches to make cultural heritage relevant today. By distilling and formally representing geographic and ecological knowledge from ancient texts, the project aims to overcome the limitations of traditional text studies. It offers novel solutions that allow the digitisation of ancient texts to enable the transmission of knowledge, including visually presenting ancient geographical and ecological information. The project entitled "Knowledge Integration of the Classic of Mountains and Seas: Reconstructing Ancient Ecological and Geographical Knowledge Heritage with Artificial Intelligence" is led by Prof. HUANG Chu-Ren, Chair Professor of Applied Chinese Language Studies of the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies of PolyU. The project has just been awarded one of the "Top 10 Innovative Exploratory Projects" in Tencent’s "Tanyuan Project 2024”. The new “Innovation and Exploration Track” of the Tanyuan Project received a total of 79 submissions from 48 universities and research institutes. The PolyU team led by Prof. HUANG is one of the five shortlisted and the only one awarded from Hong Kong and Macao. The expert jury commended the PolyU project for successfully addressing the limitations of traditional textual research through visualisation and its innovative approach “to build a digital knowledge integration platform and provide a new way of digitisation of classical texts”. Click HERE to read the story in the PolyU Excel x Impact.