News and Events

THE Asia Universities Summit 2025

On 24 April, Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU and the IPAO team, were invited to participate in the Times Higher Education Asia Universities Summit 2025 at Macau University of Science and Technology. Themed “Asia's rise: A transformative journey in science, technology and innovation,” the Summit brought together over 650 academic and industry leaders to discuss the role of higher education institutions in fostering a strong research culture across the region. During the “Leadership panel: Leading collaboration for brighter futures,” Prof. TENG, alongside other senior leaders from prominent institutions, discussed the importance of cross-border and interdisciplinary collaboration in shaping the global scientific landscape. Prof. TENG further underscored PolyU’s commitment to forging robust partnerships with international collaborators to drive transformative progress on a global stage.

Briefing Session on the QS Reimagine Education Awards 2025

On 25 March 2025, the Educational Development Centre (EDC) and the Institutional Planning and Analytics Office (IPAO) jointly organised a briefing session titled "QS Reimagine Education Awards (2025): Kick-start Your Application."    Colleagues from EDC provided valuable insights into the application procedure, techniques for selecting the most suitable application category and pathway, and the funding schemes available. Meanwhile, colleagues from IPAO shared details regarding application timeline, submission procedures and relevant details. 

Seven PolyU subjects rank in the global top 30 in QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025; Nursing climbs to highest place in a decade

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has excelled in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject 2025, with seven subjects, across the disciplines of business, construction and environment, design, health, and hotel and tourism management, being placed in the global top 30. This reflects the international recognition PolyU has received for its academic and research achievements in multiple fields. PolyU ranked in the global top 30 for its subjects in Hospitality & Leisure Management (11th), Nursing (16th), Architecture & Built Environment (17th), Civil & Structural Engineering (17th), Art & Design (22nd), Marketing (22nd) and Environmental Sciences (27th). Among them, most notably, Nursing has climbed to its highest ranking in a decade, while Environmental Sciences came first in Hong Kong for the first time. Meanwhile, Hospitality & Leisure Management and Art & Design held onto first place among local universities.

PolyU achieves impressive results in Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2025, with five subjects ranking in global top 100

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has demonstrated encouraging performance in the newly released Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings by Subject 2025. The University has five subjects ranked among the top 100 globally, with Business & Economics and Engineering being placed in the top 50, highlighting its excellence in teaching and research, as well as its competitiveness in the global higher education landscape. Among the highest ranked PolyU subjects are Business & Economics (37th), Engineering (41st), Social Sciences (68th), Computer Science (74th) and, entering the global top 100 for the first time, Physical Sciences (97th). Other PolyU disciplines, including Arts & Humanities, Medical & Health and Life Sciences, were also listed in the Rankings, reaffirming the University’s endeavour to continue making breakthroughs in various academic fields.

Innovative education pedagogies garner the Global Education Award and major awards in QS Reimagine Education Awards

PolyU strives to advance teaching and learning innovations and to develop cutting-edge educational technologies for delivering rich, high-quality learning experience to students. With their innovative teaching and learning projects, three PolyU teams won a Gold Award, two Silver Awards and one of the two overall awards, namely the Global Education Award, at the QS Reimagine Awards 2024. This represents an exceptional PolyU performance, particularly as it is the first Hong Kong institution to receive the overall award.   Interdisciplinary smart solution wins Gold Award and Global Education Award The interdisciplinary team led by Dr Rodney Chu, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Applied Social Sciences, developed a solution leveraging the synergy between various educational technology solutions to adapt to the learning habits of the new generation of tech-savvy students.

Sixteen PolyU academics recognised amongst world’s most highly cited researchers

Sixteen* scholars from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have been recognised in the list of“Highly Cited Researchers 2024” by Clarivate Analytics. Their inclusion is a testament to the University’s research and academic excellence, dedicated to making broad positive societal impact. This annual list recognises researchers for significant impact in their respective research fields. Each researcher selected has authored multiple highly-cited papers that have ranked in the top 1% by citations for their fields and publication year in the Web of Science over the past 11 years. This year, a total of 6,636 researchers from 59 countries and regions from a diverse range of fields have been named as Highly Cited Researchers.

PolyU and Times Higher Education co-host THE Global AI Forum, exploring the challenges and opportunities for higher education

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Times Higher Education (THE) co-hosted the THE Global AI Forum today to explore the theme of higher education in the artificial intelligence (AI) era. The event brought together about 40 leading scholars and thought leaders in the fields of higher education and AI from more than 10 countries and regions worldwide. They shared insights into the impact of AI on the development of higher education and discussed potential collaboration among institutions, with a view to addressing global challenges and embracing opportunities. Officiating guests included Ms WU Cheng, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR; Dr Jeff SZE, Acting Secretary for Education of the HKSAR Government; Mr Tim LUI, Chairman of the University Grants Committee; Ms Simone DILENA, President (Asia Pacific) of THE, and Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President.

THE Central Asia Universities Forum 2024

On October 16, 2024, Prof. Daniel T.L. SHEK, Associate Vice President (Undergraduate Programme), participated in the Times Higher Education (THE) Central Asia Universities Forum 2024 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, accompanied by an IPAO team. The Forum, supported by prominent organisations such as the World Bank, UNESCO and the British Council, provided a platform for leading scholars to explore the evolving educational landscape influenced by emerging technologies. A key focus of the discussions was the necessity for universities to balance theoretical knowledge with practical skills to effectively address contemporary challenges. During a panel discussion titled “Innovating the Curriculum: Aligning Curricula with Labour Market Demands in Central Asia,” Prof. SHEK shared insights from the University's Service-Learning initiatives, highlighting the importance of developing critical mindsets and transferable skills among students.

Briefing on the QS Reputation Surveys Nomination Exercises for Ranking Year 2026

On September 23, 2024, the briefing commenced with opening remarks from Prof. Ben Young, Vice President (Student and Global Affairs), followed by a presentation on the QS Reputation Surveys nomination exercises by representatives from IPAO. Nearly 100 academic and administrative staff attended to refresh their understanding of the ranking process and to learn about new strategies for the upcoming exercise. Prof. Young emphasised the benefits of the University’s participation in the QS Reputation Surveys, underscoring their significance for both institutional and subject-level standings in global rankings. The IPAO representatives provided an overview of the latest QS ranking methodology and outlined the nomination submission process. It is anticipated that through the collaborative efforts of faculties, schools, and various academic and non-academic departments alongside IPAO, the University’s reputation will be appropriately represented in the QS Surveys.

THE Digital Universities Asia Conference 2024

Dr Wu Xiao-Ming, Associate Professor of the Department of Computing and Dr Julia Chen, Director of the Educational Development Centre joined the Times Higher Education (THE) Digital Universities Asia Conference in Bali, Indonesia, from 1 – 3 July, along with the IPAO team. Convening influential voices from leaders in higher education, industry and policy-making, the Conference not only explored the future of digital transformation, but also demonstrated how Asia’s higher education sector can empower faculty, students and support staff through the use of cutting-edge digital tools and technologies. During the panel discussion on "Authentic learning practices: Addressing misinformation in the age of ChatGPT", Dr Chen shared PolyU's innovative approach to using AI responsibly. She explained how the University leverages generative AI systems to enhance students' critical thinking skills and emphasised the significance of digital literacy and ethical reasoning. In the panel discussion on "Setting ethical boundaries for AI systems: Navigating uncharted territories", Dr Wu shared some of the challenges of the ethical complexities involved in AI development. She emphasised the importance of data security and privacy, and discussed strategies such as engaging with staff and students to establish transparent guidelines on AI development and deployment, with the aim of maintaining the principles of fairness and accountability to combat bias within AI systems. In discussion with industry leaders, the PolyU delegation demonstrated the University's aspiration to be an innovative world-class institution by embracing new technologies to spark innovation and creativity in teaching and learning, while aligning their efforts with the principles of academic integrity in the digital world.