News

PolyU Achieves Outstanding Global Rankings in Geography and Remote Sensing in ShanghaiRanking’s GRAS 2026

The Department of Land Surveying and Geospatial Science (LSGS) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is pleased to announce its exceptional achievements in the ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (GRAS) 2026. In the latest evaluation, LSGS has secured prominent international positions in two of its core disciplines, ranking 23rd globally in Geography and 24th globally in Remote Sensing. These placements underscore LSGS's strong international standing and reaffirm its institutional commitment to academic excellence, pioneering research, and strategic industry partnerships. The ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects utilizes a rigorous methodology based on objective academic indicators and peer-reviewed third-party data. World universities are evaluated across five critical areas of academic performance: World-Class Faculty World-Class Research Output High-Quality Research Research Impact International Collaboration These milestones reflect LSGS's sustained dedication to advancing geospatial technologies, spatial data science, and smart city innovations, further solidifying its reputation as a leading academic authority in the Asia-Pacific region. This global recognition enhances LSGS's capacity to attract top international talent and cultivate high-level research collaborations. LSGS extends its sincere appreciation to all faculty, researchers, students, and stakeholders whose dedication and scholarly contributions continue to drive these commendable institutional achievements. 

PolyU LSGS STEAM Talk Series for Secondary School Students 2026/2027

The Department of Land Surveying and Geospatial Science (LSGS) is organizing a STEAM Talk Series with the aim of introducing daily life applications and potential developments in Geospatial Science. The series will cover a wide range of topics, including Land Surveying, Remote Sensing, Global Positioning System (GPS), Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Geographic Information Science (GIS), Underground Utilities Imaging and Diagnosis, Climate Change, Smart Transport and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR). We are delighted to invite all secondary schools to participate in our STEAM Talk Series in 2026/2027.   STEAM Talk Topics by PolyU LSGS: Smart City and 3D Mapping in HK (智慧城巿及三維地圖的應用) Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and Smart City Applications (全球導航衛星系統與智慧城市應用) Unfolding HK Lost WWII and Cultural Heritage with Geospatial Science (尋找隱世二戰及文化遺跡：地理空間科學篇) Problem Solving by Digital Maps and Geographic Information System (GIS) (以數字地圖和地理訊息系統解難) Seeing and Unseen Underground Utilities in 3D (三維地下管線測量) Observing and Measuring the Earth from Space (從太空觀測地球) IoT and Remote Sensing for Tree Monitoring (如何利用IoT及遙感技術監測城市樹木) Millimetres That Matter: Keeping Cities Safe from Space (關鍵毫米：從太空守護城市安全) Mapping Our Future: How Geospatial Science Fights Climate Change (測繪未來：地理空間科學如何應對氣候變化) From Spatial Data to Intelligent Transportation System (從空間數據到智慧交通) * Description for each STEAM talk topic can be found HERE.   Date:   From October 2026 to July 2027 (exact date to be suggested by school) Target audience:   S.2 – S.6 Students (both Art and Science students are welcome) Medium:   Cantonese or English Venue:   Your Secondary School or PolyU Campus (a lab tour to be arranged at PolyU) Speaker:   Academic Staff from the Department of LSGS   Interested parties please fill in the online application form to indicate your preference of talk. For any questions, please feel free to contact Ms. April SO at 2766 4350 or april.so@polyu.edu.hk.   More Useful Information: LSGS at Social Media:  Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Youtube LSGS Undergraduate Programme in 2027/28: BSc (Hons) Scheme in Spatial Data Science and Smart Cities (JS3130)

LSGS Scholars Featured on Now TV for Smart Pipeline Inspection Technology

Ir Prof. Wallace Wai Lok LAI, Associate Head (Teaching) and Professor of the Department of Land Surveying and Geospatial Science (LSGS), and Postdoctoral Fellow Dr Wenchao HE, were recently featured on Now TV’s programme Now Report. The team demonstrated an AI-powered system called the Water Intelligent Network, which uses a vehicle-towed ground-penetrating radar and pipeline robots to find underground water leaks. Ir Prof. LAI explained that aging underground pipes are like hidden health problems. Finding small leaks early allows engineers to fix them before major water main bursts or road damage happen. To work well in crowded urban areas with weak satellite signals, the radar vehicle uses 360-degree cameras to pinpoint exact locations. Additionally, the team showed pipeline robots developed with the Water Supplies Department and a Shenzhen technology partner. These robots travel inside the pipes using cameras and microphones to locate leaks accurately, which minimizes the need for disruptive road digging.   Online Coverage: Now TV - https://polyu.me/4zO6kjf (11:00 - 14:20)

LSGS Student Orientation 2026

On 28 August 2026, the LSGS Orientation Day was held successfully at PolyU, offering a warm and inspiring welcome to the incoming cohort of undergraduate and master's degree freshmen. The afternoon commenced with an opening address by Prof. Wu CHEN, Head of Department of Land Surveying and Geospatial Science (LSGS), who introduced the department’s vision and highlighted the expanding frontiers of geospatial technology. The new students were encouraged to actively engage with the diverse academic resources and professional development paths offered by LSGS. To help freshmen navigate their academic journeys, specialized briefing sessions were led by the respective Programme Leaders. Prof. Xiaolin ZHU presented the curriculum and career pathways for the BSc (Hons) undergraduate programmes, while Prof. Xintao LIU detailed the advanced modules for the MSc in Geomatics and MSc in Urban Informatics and Smart Cities. Through these interactive presentations and opportunities to meet with faculty members, the orientation provided the new cohort with the vital insights, connections, and motivation required to excel in their chosen fields. LSGS wishes all freshmen a highly rewarding, inspiring, and successful university life at PolyU.

Delegation from College of Surveying and Geo-Informatics, Tongji University Visits LSGS

From 19 to 21 August 2026, the Department of Land Surveying and Geospatial Science (LSGS) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) welcomed a delegation from the College of Surveying and Geo-Informatics of Tongji University for a dynamic three-day academic exchange. On 19 August, the visit commence with a series of expert lectures delivered by LSGS faculty members Prof. Xiaolin ZHU, Dr. Guoqiang SHI, and Dr. Xuanyu QU, followed by an afternoon tour of the University Gallery and key departmental facilities, including the Remote Sensing Laboratory, Underground Utility Survey Laboratory, and the Laboratory for Smart City and Spatial Big Data Analytics. The exchange continued on 20 August with a lecture by Prof. Xintao LIU and engaging research presentations by PolyU postgraduate students, complemented by an afternoon field visit to the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark. The final day on 21 August featured collaborative research presentations and discussions by Tongji postgraduate students, concluding with an insightful afternoon visit to the Hong Kong Observatory that successfully strengthened institutional ties and paved the way for future cooperation. The successful three-day visit significantly strengthened institutional ties, fostered meaningful student and faculty dialogue, and paved the way for future collaborative initiatives between LSGS and Tongji University.

LSGS Student Awarded the Prestigious Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) Scholarship

We extend our warmest congratulations to our Year 2 student, Miss SHIM Cheuk Ying, on this outstanding achievement, which recognizes both her exceptional academic performance and her dedication to the field of Geospatial Science. Originally established in the 2022/23 academic year by the Sun Hung Kai Properties – Kwoks’ Foundation Limited, the scheme aims to nurture future talent across project management, construction, engineering, surveying, and real estate disciplines at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). Miss SHIM was selected as one of the awardees for the 2025/26 cohort, standing out among a competitive pool of applicants from related technical disciplines. The presentation ceremony brought together university leadership and senior executives to celebrate the achievements of the awardees. This recognition highlights Miss SHIM’s hard work and underscores the high standard of excellence maintained by LSGS students. The award will empower her to pursue her academic goals and professional aspirations. LSGS remains dedicated to cultivating a supportive and stimulating learning environment that enables students to reach their full potential and become future leaders in the industry. Once again, congratulations to Miss SHIM Cheuk Ying on this well-deserved honor.

LSGS Hosted PolyU-Mainland Universities Geospatial Science Summer Camp 2026 to Strengthen Academic Exchange and Talent Collaboration

Serving as a vital platform for academic exchange, talent recruitment, and institutional collaboration, the PolyU–Mainland Universities Geospatial Science Summer Camp 2026 successfully brought together faculty and students from LSGS and seven prestigious Mainland institutions, alongside key Hong Kong government representatives. The participating Mainland institutions included the School of Space Science and Technology at Shandong University, the School of Remote Sensing and Information Engineering as well as the School of Resource and Environmental Sciences at Wuhan University, the Faculty of Geographical Science at Beijing Normal University, the School of Environment and Spatial Informatics at the China University of Mining and Technology, the Department of Urban Informatics within the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at Shenzhen University, and the School of Geomatics at the Anhui University of Science and Technology. The dynamic three-day programme commenced with welcoming opening remarks delivered by Prof. Wu CHEN, Head and Chair Professor of Department of Land Surveying and Geospatial Science (LSGS) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), setting an inspiring tone for the event. This was followed by insightful scholarly presentations from Prof. Yang XU, Associate Head & Associate Professor of Department of Land Surveying and Geospatial Science (LSGS) and Prof. Xiaolin ZHU, Associate Professor of Department of Land Surveying and Geospatial Science (LSGS) who shared their extensive research directions, technical experiences, and professional career journeys with the participants. On the second day, representatives from the Survey and Mapping Office (SMO) of the Lands Department, HKSAR Government, provided valuable industry insights into public sector applications of geospatial technology. The delegates then embarked on a comprehensive PolyU campus and laboratory tour, featuring guided visits to the Laboratory for Smart City and Spatial Big Data Analytics, the Underground Utility Survey Laboratory, and the University Gallery, showcasing PolyU's cutting-edge facilities and innovations in the field. The final day of the programme featured a detailed introduction to the LSGS PhD and MSc postgraduate programmes by Prof. Xintao LIU, Associate Professor of Department of Land Surveying and Geospatial Science (LSGS). Dedicated networking sessions and student experience-sharing followed, allowing teachers and students to exchange academic highlights, discuss future study strategies, and build enduring cross-institutional relationships. The successful summer camp was officially concluded with closing remarks delivered by Prof. Yang XU, marking another milestone in regional academic collaboration. LSGS extends its heartfelt appreciation to all participating faculty, students, and government partners whose enthusiasm made this summer camp an extraordinary success. Building on this momentum, LSGS looks forward to hosting the camp again in the future—expanding its reach to welcome more institutions and further strengthening regional collaboration in geospatial science.

PolyU LSGS, Beijing Normal University and Wuhan University Co-hosted GIS & Remote Sensing Summer School 2025 in Beijing, Wuhan and Hong Kong

From 19 to 29 July 2026, the Department of Land Surveying and Geospatial Science (LSGS) co-hosted the second Summer School on Geographic Information Science and Remote Sensing together with the Faculty of Geographical Science at Beijing Normal University (BNU) and the School of Resource and Environmental Sciences at Wuhan University (WHU). Spanning Beijing, Wuhan, and Hong Kong, the programme drew enthusiastic participation from students and faculty across the three institutions, aiming to foster academic exchange and hands-on collaboration in GIS and remote sensing. The Summer School featured rich, diverse activities. Preparatory work began in July with online proposal presentations and mid-term progress reports by mixed-school student teams, guided by faculty advisors from all three universities. On 19 July, BNU and WHU participants gathered at Beijing Normal University for an in-person meet-and-greet with LSGI. Faculty members introduced each university's strengths and developments in GIS and remote sensing, while students shared their learning experiences and campus life. The group toured the university's Geological Specimen Museum and the State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Disaster Risk Reduction. Field investigations were conducted in Yanqing's Liugou Village, the Badaling Great Wall, and Beijing's core urban area. The delegation also participated in a remote sensing image change detection lecture delivered by Prof.Zhang Liqiang from BNU, and participated in a symposium where students and faculty engaged in lively discussions on personal development, study strategies, and future career planning. On 23 July, the programme moved to Wuhan University, where participants visited the Lushan Field Station Laboratory, the Geographic Monitoring and Geographic Visualization Laboratories, the university archive, and the Wuhan Urban Planning Exhibition Center. They also toured the State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing and the Satellite Remote Sensing Data Receiving and Processing Ground Station, gaining a comprehensive view of the complete remote sensing chain from data reception to application services. Industrial partners were also visited, and urban field surveys were conducted in Wuhan around themes of urban renewal and water system patterns. Student teams presented their interim project findings and received feedback and guidance from faculty advisors. From 27 July, the delegation arrived in Hong Kong for the final segment of the programme. Professor Chen Wu delivered welcome remarks. Academic seminars, laboratory tours, and smart city platform visits were held at PolyU. The group also engaged in a seminar with the Hong Kong Lands Department on surveying and geospatial data applications in government services. Urban surveys were conducted in Central, Sheung Wan, and along the Victoria Harbour waterfront, examining road networks, neighbourhood layouts, and coastal spaces to observe the high-density city from a geospatial perspective. Building on the success of the inaugural edition in 2025, this year's Summer School further expanded its geographical reach to three cities and deepened tri-university collaboration, injecting new vitality into cooperative education and research in geographic information science and remote sensing. 

LSGS Student Delegates Participate in the 4th Computational Urban Science: Urban Historical Space Computing and Modeling Workshop

From 14 to 20 July 2026, three students from the Department of Land Surveying and Geospatial Science (LSGS) and five students from Department of Construction Management and Intelligence (CMI) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) traveled to Harbin to participate in the 4th Computational Urban Science: Urban Historical Space Computing and Modeling Workshop. Serving as an invaluable platform for academic exchange, spatial data research, and cross-institutional collaboration, the seven-day exchange camp was organized and hosted by the School of Architecture and Design at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), with financial support provided by the Ministry of Education "Ten Thousand Talents Program". The dynamic seven-day programme officially commenced on 15 July 2026 with an inspiring opening ceremony, followed by an insightful expert theme lecture focusing on the theoretical and technical frontiers of Urban Artificial Intelligence. To deepen their connection with the host institution, the delegates embarked on a comprehensive university tour, featuring guided visits to the HIT History Museum and the HIT Astronautics Museum, showcasing the institution's rich heritage and advancements in space science. The subsequent days featured rich, diverse field investigations across Harbin's iconic architectural and historical landmarks, allowing students to examine urban history from a geospatial perspective. On 16 and 18 July 2026, the student delegates conducted extensive urban field surveys at the Harbin Grand Theatre, Central Avenue, Saint Sophia Cathedral, the Flood Control Monument, the Binjiang Railway Bridge, the Chinese Baroque Historic District, and the Harbin Confucian Temple historic district, alongside an architectural tour of the Harbin Grand Theatre, gaining a comprehensive view of historical urban spaces. Dedicated collaboration formed the central focus of the camp. Following group topic selections and group discussions initiated on 17 July 2026, the students worked closely in mixed-school interdisciplinary teams alongside Mainland and Macao peers to develop innovative spatial modeling projects. The successful exchange programme officially concluded on 19 July 2026 with final group project presentations, theme discussions, and a closing ceremony - marking another milestone in regional academic collaboration, fostering meaningful student dialogue, and broadening the participants' research horizons in geospatial science.

Prof. Qihao WENG Elected as Prestigious ISPRS Fellow in 2026

We are delighted to announce that the Director of the Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics (RCAIG), Prof. Qihao WENG, Chair Professor of Geomatics and Artificial Intelligence in the Department of Land Surveying and Geospatial Science (LSGS) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), has been elected as a Fellow of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) in 2026. This prestigious honor is reserved for individuals who have demonstrated sustained, exceptional service to the Society and its core missions. With a strict limit of no more than five Fellows elected globally at any ISPRS General Assembly, this recognition represents a highly selective and outstanding milestone that reflects Prof. WENG’s global scientific leadership and profound impact on the geospatial community.  As a Chair Professor of Geomatics and Artificial Intelligence and a Global STEM Professor at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), Prof. WENG has dedicated his career to pioneering advancements in remote sensing and geospatial AI. Under his leadership, RCAIG has flourished as a hub for cutting-edge research. His personal research contributions have fundamentally shaped the fields of urban remote sensing, urban climate studies, and AI-driven Earth observation, offering crucial data-driven solutions for sustainable urban development worldwide.  This latest fellowship adds to an already distinguished list of international accolades. Prof. WENG is a Foreign Member of Academia Europaea and an elected Fellow of several of the world's most prestigious scientific organizations, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Association of Geographers (AAG), the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS), and the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (AAIA). Furthermore, he serves as Editor-in-Chief of the ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing and Lead of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO)’s Global Urban Observation and Information Initiative, actively contributing to the development of the field.  We extend our warmest congratulations to Prof. WENG on this well-deserved recognition. His visionary leadership and relentless pursuit of academic excellence continue to inspire our researchers and students as we work together to push the boundaries of Geomatics and GeoAI.   Useful Link: Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics