About PolyU

About PolyU

With over 80 years of rich history, PolyU was first established as the Government Trade School in Wan Chai in 1937. It became the Hong Kong Technical College in 1947, then Hong Kong Polytechnic from 1972 to 1993, and eventually developed into the present government-funded tertiary institution in 1994.

On the strength of dedicated efforts from all stakeholders, PolyU keeps reaching new heights in research and education over the past eight decades. Milestones and significant progress have been made continuously to enhance institutional competitiveness and talent development.

PolyU operates 26 academic units under six faculties, namely, Applied Science and Textiles, Business, Construction and Environment, Engineering, Health and Social Sciences, and Humanities. PolyU also has two schools – the School of Design and the School of Hotel and Tourism Management – and two centres. The University offers a variety of taught and research programmes at Doctorate, Master’s degree, Bachelor’s degree and Higher Diploma levels, with over 170 taught programmes offered in 2018/19.

Making impacts on many research frontiers, PolyU remains one of the world-leading universities. PolyU’s stellar performance in innovative research has been instrumental in advancing technologies, healthcare and sustainable development. Applying ourselves continually to this end, PolyU’s annual research funding increased from HK$2,186 million in 2017/18 to HK$2,941 million in 2018/19, supporting about 3,035 research projects.

As at the end of October 2019, 25,827 students were enrolled in both full-time and part-time academic programmes leading to PolyU awards, including Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Philosophy, Professional Doctorate, taught Master’s degrees, Bachelor’s degrees, Higher Diplomas and other sub-degrees. 9,261 students graduated from our academic programmes in 2019, bringing the total of graduates as at 2019 to approximately 364,000. PolyU employed 5,340 full-time staff during the review period, maintaining a relatively stable body of full-time staff.

University Profile 2018/19

	Staff Headcount	Headcount of PolyU Student Enrolment	Headcount of CPCE Student EnrolmentNote 1
Full Time	5,340	20,462	12,075
Part Time	929	5,365	1,826
Total	6,269	25,827	13,901

Note 1: PolyU established the College of Professional and Continuing Education (CPCE) to oversee the operation of two self-financed education units – Hong Kong Community College (HKCC) and the School of Professional Education and Executive Development (SPEED).

Boasting excellent resources and facilities, including extensive library collections, research facilities and research centres, the University supports quality learning, teaching, and research for the ever-growing student community. In addition to effective educational and research support, PolyU also prioritizes the health and well-being of students and staff by offering catering, health services, an environmentally-friendly campus, leisure and sports facilities, and welfare support. Through providing world-class professionally-oriented education to the next generation, the University does not only focus on equipping students with professional knowledge and skills, but also dedicates to nurturing a strong sense of social responsibility, aiming to create positive impacts on sustainability both locally and globally.

Participation in Educational and Professional Networks

PolyU continues to play an active role in educational and professional networks around the world through sharing our values and knowledge in sustainable development with other universities, research institutes, and professional bodies. To promote initiatives in the Greater Bay Area and along the Belt and Road, PolyU collaborates with numerous international institutions and enterprises to establish cross-professional platforms to underpin efforts.