News

Congratulations to the Winners of the Faculty Awards

We are delighted to share that three of our professors have been honoured with the Faculty of Engineering Research Grant Achievement Award 2024 at the PolyU Faculty of Engineering Spring Reception cum Faculty Awards Presentation Ceremony, held on 6 March 2026 at the PolyU Alumni Atrium. This award recognizes the outstanding performance of Faculty of Engineering academic staff in securing external competitive research grants. Prof. George HUANG – Chair Professor of Smart Manufacturing, Director of Research Institute for Advanced Manufacturing Ir Prof. Ming LI – Assistant Professor, Assistant Director of PolyU Academy for Artificial Intelligence Prof. Sandy TO – Professor, Associate Director of State Key Laboratory of Ultra-precision Machining Technology (Names are listed in alphabetical order by surname.) In addition, Prof. Sandy TO has also received the Faculty Awards for Outstanding Achievement 2025 – Merit Award (Category: Research Student Supervision – Individual). The Faculty Awards for Outstanding Achievement are selected by a Faculty Assessment Panel, comprising the Heads (or their delegates) of departments under the Faculty of Engineering, and chaired by the Dean of Faculty. Nominees are put forward by individual departments, with selection based on the University’s indicative criteria for assessment. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Prof. George HUANG, Ir Prof. Ming LI, and Prof. Sandy TO on their remarkable achievements!

Career Talk for LEM and EEM Students 2026

The Department successfully hosted the Career Talk for LEM and EEM students on 26 February 2026, attracting 42 enthusiastic participants. We invited alumni from leading companies to share invaluable insights into job opportunities and career prospects. Our esteemed alumni speakers included: Mr. Victor Chu, Project Engineer, KONE Corporation Ms. Renee Ip, Senior Business Analyst, Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) Mr. Huang Zhonghuan, Manager of Procurement, XCMG Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. Mr. Hugo Hon, Application Consultant, ACW Solutions In addition, two special alumni guests — Mr. Ryan Li, Manager, Data Strategy, Hong Kong Jockey Club, and Mr. Kelvin Sin, Global AI Product Manager, HSBC Global Payment Solutions — joined the event to network with fellow alumni and students. The evening concluded with a dinner, providing attendees with further opportunities to exchange ideas, build connections, and strengthen professional ties.

ISE co-organised Annual Conference and AGM 2025 of the Hong Kong Principals’ Institute

On 15 December 2025, ISE was honoured to co-organise the 2025 Annual Conference cum AGM of the Hong Kong Principals’ Institute. The event fostered a dynamic and engaging atmosphere, uniting education experts and school leaders to exchange fresh perspectives on navigating change with resilience and cultivating a culture of lifelong learning in schools, alongside broader issues of educational leadership and school development in a rapidly evolving landscape.  Dr Sze Chun Fai, Jeff, JP, Under Secretary for Education gave the opening address at the conference. Two distinguished guests were also invited to share valuable insights and experiences. Mr Tong Kai Hang, Anthony, BBS, Chairman of the Board of the Li Po Chun College of Hong Kong Mr Chow Yat Ming, Joe, PMSM, Commissioner of Police After the event, some participating principals were invited to learn about the department’s work, it’s latest initiatives and the JUPAS programmes. They also engaged in conversations with ISE students and joined guided tours to our laboratories, gaining first-hand exposure to our teaching and research facilities.  

PolyU immersive VR gamification advancing digital health education received honour at the IEEE ISMAR 2025

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has gained international recognition for its impactful contributions to immersive digital health education. Prof Lik-Hang LEE, Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and his research team have received the “Honourable Mention - Best Paper Award” at the IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (ISMAR) 2025 for their pioneering work in integrating virtual reality into biomedical learning.   The research titled “MetaRoundWorm: A Virtual Reality Escape Room Game for Learning the Lifecycle and Immune Response to Parasitic Infections”, led by Prof LEE, conducted with Ms Xuanru CHENG, and Ms Xian WANG, PhD students at Prof LEE’s Research Group in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and coordinated with Dr TAI Chi-lok, Associate Division Head of the Division of Business and Hospitality Management at the College of Professional and Continuing Education (CPCE) of PolyU, has been recognised for its innovative application of Virtual Reality (VR) in complex biomedical education.   MetaRoundWorm is an immersive VR escape room that makes abstract public health topics more approachable by simulating the lifecycle of Ascaris lumbricoides and immune responses within anatomically accurate virtual environments. In a controlled study, it outperformed a strong baseline of interactive slides in immediate learning outcomes, engagement, and emotional response, while maintaining knowledge retention. The research findings indicate that VR gamification holds promise as an effective pedagogical tool for communicating complex biomedical concepts and advancing digital health education.   Prof LEE said, “We are deeply honoured by this recognition. It is a meaningful affirmation of the PolyU research team’s dedication and passion to advance immersive learning. With MetaRoundWorm, we used a controlled study to test a simple idea: gamified immersive tasks should lead to visible, measurable gains in learning and better emotional experience. We will continue to explore the impact and the broader impact and potential of immersive, game-based learning across diverse fields.”   Building on the results, which show that VR can make complex public health knowledge more accessible and classroom-ready, the research team has developed a multi-user, room-scale version of MetaRoundWorm for deployment in the HIVE (Highly Immersive Visualization Environment) at the Industrial Centre of PolyU. This enhanced version is also integrated into metaverse-based courses, aiming to boost students’ motivation and interest in biomedical learning.   The IEEE ISMAR is the premier conference that gathers the world’s leading researchers from both academia and industry to explore advances in commercial and research activities related to Augmented Reality (AR), MR, and VR. This year, it was held at Daejeon, South Korea.   [Source: RIO Website News]

ISE Graduates Won Best Paper at IROS 2025 for Breakthrough in Human-Robot Collaboration

ISE graduates Benhua Gao, Tian Wang, Zeyuan Ren won the Best Paper Award at the Workshop on Generative AI for Robotics and Smart Manufacturing, held during the 2025 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2025). The awarded paper is titled “InstructTODG: A Multimodal LLMs-driven Approach for Task-oriented Dexterous Grasping in Unstructured Human-Robot Collaborative Manufacturing,” supervised by Professor Zheng Pai. As one of the most influential international conferences in the field of robotics, IROS 2025 was held under the theme of "Human-Robotics Frontier," focusing on how artificial intelligence systems and intelligent machines can transform industries, enhance productivity, and address global challenges. The conference featured multiple workshops, including one organized by researchers from EPFL, which focused on the challenges of deploying robots supported by generative AI and foundational models at an industrial scale to drive the development of manufacturing. The workshop encouraged cutting-edge and forward-looking research on generative AI in the fields of robotics and manufacturing. The awarded paper centers on human-robot collaborative manufacturing, highlighting the critical need for robots to achieve not only stable and precise grasps but also seamless alignment with task-specific human instructions during dexterous manipulation. To tackle this challenge, the awarded paper introduces InstructTODG, an innovative framework powered by multimodal large language model (MLLM) aimed at achieving task-oriented dexterous grasping in unstructured HRC environments, significantly enhancing robot manipulation capabilities and advancing human-robot collaboration in complex manufacturing tasks. ISE graduates Benhua Gao, Tian Wang, Zeyuan Ren won the Best Paper Award at the Workshop on Generative AI for Robotics and Smart Manufacturing, held during the 2025 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2025). The awarded paper is titled “InstructTODG: A Multimodal LLMs-driven Approach for Task-oriented Dexterous Grasping in Unstructured Human-Robot Collaborative Manufacturing,” supervised by Professor Zheng Pai. As one of the most influential international conferences in the field of robotics, IROS 2025 was held under the theme of "Human-Robotics Frontier," focusing on how artificial intelligence systems and intelligent machines can transform industries, enhance productivity, and address global challenges. The conference featured multiple workshops, including one organized by researchers from EPFL, which focused on the challenges of deploying robots supported by generative AI and foundational models at an industrial scale to drive the development of manufacturing. The workshop encouraged cutting-edge and forward-looking research on generative AI in the fields of robotics and manufacturing. The awarded paper centers on human-robot collaborative manufacturing, highlighting the critical need for robots to achieve not only stable and precise grasps but also seamless alignment with task-specific human instructions during dexterous manipulation. To tackle this challenge, the awarded paper introduces InstructTODG, an innovative framework powered by multimodal large language model (MLLM) aimed at achieving task-oriented dexterous grasping in unstructured HRC environments, significantly enhancing robot manipulation capabilities and advancing human-robot collaboration in complex manufacturing tasks.

Site Visit to U-Freight Logistics: Exploring Advanced Warehouse and Logistics Systems

On 10 November 2025, Professor Carman Lee, together with Dennis Mak, an ISE Outstanding Alumni, organized an enriching site visit to U-Freight Logistics (HK) Limited in Kwai Chung. The visit provided an excellent opportunity for around 30 Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) students to gain first-hand insights into advanced logistics and warehouse management systems. During the visit, students observed U-Freight's state-of-the-art robotic mobile fulfillment system, which streamlines processes such as order picking, goods retrieval, product batching, packaging, and shipping. They also learned about the seamless integration of the order management system into warehouse operations, which highlighted how technology can optimize efficiency and accuracy in logistics. This hands-on experience brought industrial and systems engineering concepts to life, providing students with a deeper understanding of their real-world applications. It not only bridged the gap between theoretical learning and practical application but also inspired students to think critically about how engineering principles can address challenges and drive innovation in logistics and supply chain management.  

IET-PolyU Mentorship Programme 2025/26: Empowering Future Engineers Through Mentorship and Connection

Date: Friday, 3 October 2025 Time: 18:30 – 20:30 Venue: Room FJ404, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University The Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE), in partnership with the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Hong Kong, proudly launched the IET-PolyU Mentorship Programme 2025/26—a transformative initiative designed to connect aspiring engineers with seasoned industry professionals. This year, the programme welcomed 30 passionate students, each eager to gain career insights and forge meaningful connections within the engineering field. The evening commenced with a warm welcome from Professor CY Tang, Associate Head of ISE, followed by an inspiring keynote delivered by Mr. Peter Leung, Chairman of IET Hong Kong. The highlight of the event was a motivational talk by Mr. Silvius Wing Hin Sze, an IET mentor, whose personal journey and professional wisdom resonated deeply with the mentees. To round off the evening, a networking dinner provided a relaxed setting for mentors and mentees to engage in thoughtful conversations, exchange ideas, and explore future opportunities in Industrial and Systems Engineering. The IET-PolyU Mentorship Programme continues to be a cornerstone for nurturing talent, fostering growth, and building lasting relationships within the engineering community.

ISE Student Awarded the MTR “Ride to Success” Scholarship

We are delighted to announce that Mr Lau Chi-yeung (Hugo), a student in the BSc (Hons) Scheme in Logistics and Enterprise Engineering, has been awarded the MTR “Ride to Success” Scholarship. The Scholarship Presentation Ceremony was held on 2 September 2025. Launched by MTR Corporation to mark the 45th anniversary of its metro service, the scholarship recognises first-year undergraduates in engineering, transport, or logistics-related programmes who demonstrate outstanding academic performance, a commitment to community service, and a strong interest in the railway industry. In addition to subsidising up to the full tuition fee of eligible programmes, awardees will take part in enrichment activities designed to help them explore their potential, clarify career aspirations, and contribute to the community. Hugo’s strong academic record, active engagement in community initiatives, and demonstrated passion for railway systems and transport innovation distinguished his application. Through the scholarship’s enrichment opportunities, he will gain valuable exposure to the industry, deepen his understanding of railway operations, and further develop the skills needed to drive positive impact in the transport sector. This accolade celebrates not only Hugo’s personal excellence, but also the high standard of professional readiness and social responsibility that our programme instils. We warmly congratulate Hugo on this well-deserved achievement and look forward to his continued contributions to the logistics and transport community.

ISE Student received the Best Paper in PhD Colloquium Award at the 26th European Conference on Knowledge Management (ECKM) 2025

Quba Ahmed, a PhD student under the guidance of Prof. Carman Lee and Dr. Saleem Sumbal, has received the Best Paper in PhD Colloquium Award at the 26th European Conference on Knowledge Management (ECKM) 2025. In a remarkable gathering of scholars and professionals, the conference took place at LUT University in Lahti, Finland. Quba's paper titled "AI-Driven Knowledge Management in Megaprojects: The Leadership Factor" was recognized for its innovative insights into the integration of artificial intelligence in knowledge management practices. The paper explores how AI can enhance decision-making processes in large-scale projects, addressing the complexities and challenges inherent in megaprojects. It emphasizes the vital role of leadership support in fostering a collaborative environment, ultimately driving project success and sustainability.

PolyU and New Hua Du Sign MoU to Launch AI Digital Marketing Joint Lab

On 28 July 2025, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and New Hua Du Technology Co Ltd. (New Hua Du) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the AI Digital Marketing Joint Lab (數字化營銷人工智能聯合實驗室), representing a significant milestone in advancing industry-academia collaboration in the field of smart marketing and artificial intelligence. The signing ceremony was attended by Prof. Christopher Chao, Vice President (Research and Innovation); Prof. H.C. Man, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering; Prof. Xiaowen Fu, Head of the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering; and Prof. Lik Hang Lee, Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering of PolyU, together with Ms. Yan Wang, Chairperson and General Manager of Jiuai Zhihe (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd., representing New Hua Du Technology. The joint lab will combine PolyU’s strengths in multimodal large-scale models, intelligent data mining, and consumer behaviour analysis with New Hua Du’s extensive experience in brand operations, digital marketing, and new retail. Through this partnership, both parties aim to drive innovation in AI-powered marketing solutions, focusing on areas such as consumer behaviour prediction, personalised recommendations, content generation, and market insights.