News and Kudos

PolyU Hosts Springer Nature Series Editors’ Forum to Advance Scholarly Publishing

The Department of Language Science and Technology (LST) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) hosted the Springer Nature Series Editors’ Forum, themed “Curating Asia’s Scholarship”, on 9 November 2026 at PolyU's Hung Hom Bay Campus. The forum brought together academics, book series editors and publishing professionals to exchange insights into emerging trends and challenges in humanities and social sciences (HSS) publishing. The forum featured presentations by Ms Myriam Poort, Vice President of Humanities Book Publishing at Springer Nature, who offered insights into academic publishing, and Prof. Defeng Li of the University of Macau, who shared perspectives on the future of HSS scholarship. Distinguished book series editors from universities across Hong Kong and Macau also shared their experiences and insights on building scholarly communities, the impact of artificial intelligence, open access publishing and digital humanities. Among them, Prof. Kanglong Liu, Associate Professor of LST, discussed the opportunities, risks and editorial responsibilities associated with AI in scholarly workflows. The forum provided a valuable platform for strengthening academic networks and exchanging editorial expertise to foster successful book series that connect strong ideas, scholarly communities, and international readers. Building upon a collaboration established in May 2025—which introduced two book series on AI in the humanities edited by Prof. Dechao Li and Prof. Kanglong Liu—the event highlighted the ongoing commitment of PolyU and Springer Nature to advancing interdisciplinary research and scholarly publishing.

PolyU LST and SJTU Explore Strategic Collaboration to Advance Language Science and Technology

The Department of Language Science and Technology (LST) under the Faculty of Humanities at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) recently engaged in a strategic academic meeting with a delegation from Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) to establish a preliminary framework for future collaboration and partnership. During the visit, representatives from both universities exchanged insights and discussed potential collaboration opportunities across several key areas, including Joint Talent Cultivation, Scientific Research, and Academic & Scholarly Exchange.  Both parties reached a mutual understanding regarding the framework for further discussions and formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to mark this important milestone. The two institutions look forward to deepening their cooperation, paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in language science, technology, and interdisciplinary innovation.

Empowering Digital Education: Prof. Xinhua Zhu Delivers Keynote at Education Bureau Seminar on Multimodal Reading

On 5 October 2026, over 500 educators and educational professionals gathered at a major seminar organized by the Curriculum Development Institute of the Education Bureau (EDB) of the Government of the Hong Kong SAR, themed "Multimodal Reading in Digital Education: Reshaping How We Read and Learn." Representing The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), Prof. Xinhua Zhu delivered a keynote speech titled "Multimodal Reading: Theories, Research Findings, and Development Strategies" showcasing PolyU’s profound impact and leadership in knowledge transfer (KT) and educational innovation. During his keynote, Prof. Zhu dissected the essence and challenges of reading in the digital and AI eras, noting that students frequently encounter hurdles such as weak reading path management, insufficient cross-modal and hypertext integration, difficulties in evaluating information quality, and heavy cognitive loads. To address these challenges, he highlighted five empirical research projects conducted by his team on online multimodal reading. By integrating advanced technologies like eye-tracking, the research explores students' cognitive processing characteristics and offers actionable development strategies for curriculum planning, classroom teaching, and learning assessment. PolyU’s active participation and leadership in this initiative underscore the University's steadfast commitment to knowledge transfer, actively empowering curriculum and pedagogical innovations.  

The AI-Driven Linguistics, Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Science & The 3rd Annual Conference of the Macao International Association of Artificial Intelligence (MIAIA) Successfully Held

The AI-Driven Linguistics, Neuroscience and Rehabilitation Science and Macao International Association of Artificial Intelligence (MIAIA) conference successfully concluded its two-day event from 24 to 25 October 2026 at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, drawing over 80 prominent scholars, researchers, and professionals from around the Greater Bay Area. Centred around the theme of cutting-edge innovations at the intersection of technology, linguistics, neuroscience, and medical rehabilitation, the event served as a dynamic platform for interdisciplinary exchange. Throughout the conference, participants engaged in stimulating discussions on how artificial intelligence is transforming modern diagnostics, cognitive science, and therapeutic applications, bridging theoretical breakthroughs with real-world clinical and linguistic practices.  A major highlight of the conference featured an impressive lineup of keynote presentations by leading experts and scholars, sharing groundbreaking insights into the fusion of artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and language studies: Dr. Tai Wa Hou (Centro Hospitalar Conde de São Januário) on "Construction and Application of the Macau Artificial Intelligence Language Rehabilitation Cloud Platform" Prof. Zhuo-Ming Chen (The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University) on "Development of Domestic Diagnostic and Therapeutic Devices for Language Disorders" Prof. Zhuo Wang (Harbin Institute of Technology) on "Intelligent Diagnosis and Treatment Technologies and Practices for Autism" Prof. Hualou Liang (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University) on "Predicting Dementia from Speech using Large Language Models" Prof. Ping Li (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology) on "Neural Mechanisms of Language, Cognition, and Learning in the Era of Artificial Intelligence" Prof. Changsheng Wu (National University of Singapore) on "Physiological Intelligence at the Human-Machine Interface" Prof. Yang Zhang (University of Minnesota) on "Language, Cognition, and the Brain in the Age of AI: From Computational Psycholinguistics to Neurotechnology"  The organizing committee extends its heartfelt gratitude to all keynote speakers, presenters, and attendees whose enthusiastic participation and insights made the event a resounding success. The conference concluded with a shared vision for future collaborations, paving the way for continued advancements in AI-driven innovation and human well-being. View the full photo gallery here: https://polyu.hk/DSQGv  

PolyU Info Day 2026: Shaping the Future of Language Science & Technology with LST!

Following a highly successful PolyU Info Day 2026, The Department of Language Science and Technology (LST) was thrilled to welcome a large turnout of prospective students, parents, and visitors to our booths, seminars, and lab tours! It was a fantastic day of exploration, experience, and connection as visitors discovered how language shapes technology. The day's highlights included a series of engaging activities designed to showcase the practical applications of LST's curriculum: • Interactive LST Booth: Offered first-hand insights and helped visitors explore their career directions through an engaging MBTI Career Exploration questionnaire. • Informative Programme Seminars: Provided prospective students with a deep dive into our undergraduate offerings—the BSc (Hons) in Language Science and Technology and the BSc (Hons) in Speech Therapy. • Engaging Thematic Workshop: Showcased the fundamentals of AI prompt engineering and AI video generation alongside our insightful sharing session, "From Classroom to Career: How AI and Linguistics Shape Modern Careers," illustrating the exciting, future-proof career paths awaiting our graduates. • Exclusive Laboratory & Facility Tours: Offered guided tours throughout the day, giving guests an immersive look into our state-of-the-art Speech and Language Sciences Laboratory, Language Laboratory, and Speech Therapy Unit. Thank you to everyone who visited our booths, attended our talks, and joined our tours! We hope the day gave you a clear and inspiring glimpse into your academic future with LST. We look forward to seeing you on campus again soon! Click here to watch the PolyU Info Day 2026 Video Highlights  

LST PhD Student Awarded the Hong Kong Translation Society Scholarship 2025-26

We are delighted to share that Ms Zhao Xiaojing, a PhD student from the Department of Language Science and Technology (LST), has been awarded The Hong Kong Translation Society Scholarship 2025–26（香港翻譯學會獎學金）. The scholarship presentation ceremony was held in late September as part of the Hong Kong Translation Society’s 2026 Annual General Meeting, Scholarship Presentation, Donor Appreciation Ceremony and Roundtable. This year, two PolyU students received The Hong Kong Translation Society Scholarships 2025–26, including one undergraduate student and one PhD student, Ms Zhao Xiaojing from LST. Ms Zhao is conducting her doctoral research under the guidance of Prof. Xu Han (Chief Supervisor), Prof. Huang Chu-Ren (Co-supervisor) and Prof. Emmanuele Chersoni (Secondary Co-supervisor). The award recognises outstanding students in translation and related fields and reflects the Hong Kong Translation Society’s continued commitment to supporting translation education and nurturing emerging scholars.

Prof. Kanglong Liu Shares a Breakthrough Writing Pedagogy Using AI on Times Higher Education

Prof. Kanglong Liu, Associate Professor in the Department of Language Science and Technology at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, published an article on Times Higher Education (THE) Campus on 28 September 2026, sharing his team’s approach to teaching argumentative writing with generative AI and corpus resources. Entitled “A tool for teaching argumentative writing to EFL students”, the article explores how teachers can use generative AI and corpus resources to help learners build coherent arguments while retaining responsibility for their language choices. It responds to difficulties with academic expression, argument structure and evidence use among university students learning English as a foreign language. Developed by Prof. Liu and his collaborators, the platform contains more than 900,000 words from expert opinion articles and argumentative essays. Students examine authentic patterns of language use and compare them with AI-generated suggestions before revising their own writing. The six-week workshop involved 24 non-English-major undergraduates from different disciplines. Teachers guided students in analysing language patterns, evaluating alternative expressions and applying what they had learned to argumentative writing. According to the article, participants’ average essay scores increased by nearly four points on a 30-point scale, with the strongest gains in language use and grammatical accuracy. The first and final writing tasks were completed without tools, allowing the team to compare students’ independent writing before and after the workshop. The teaching design also encouraged students to question AI-generated suggestions and check language use against corpus evidence. Prof. Liu presents this comparison as a way to develop critical awareness of language and rhetorical choices while reducing passive reliance on generative AI. In the article, Prof. Liu emphasises the central role of teachers in designing activities that prompt students to search, compare and refine language. The work illustrates how corpus linguistics and language technology can inform writing instruction, offering a practical example of how educators can use AI to support active learning. THE Campus is Times Higher Education’s platform for higher education professionals to share teaching practice and research-informed insights.   Click HERE to read the full article on Times Higher Education (THE) Campus.  

Faculty and Students Participated in Scholarly Exchange in Singapore; Prof. Xinhua Zhu Received Appointment as Academic Adviser from Minister for Education

In September 2026, faculty members and research students from the Department of Language Science and Technology (LST), Faculty of Humanities, were invited to attend the 8th International Conference on Teaching and Learning of Chinese as a Second Language (TLCSL), organized by the Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL). During the conference, one team member was formally appointed as an academic advisory, and the team delivered key academic presentations and engaged in in-depth scholarly discussions across a range of frontier topics. Conferment of Academic Advisor Appointment On 8 September, at the conference’s opening ceremony, Mr. Desmond Lee, Minister for Education of Singapore, accompanied by Dr. Foo Suan Fong, Executive Director of SCCL, presented the official Letter of Appointment to Prof. Xinhua Zhu, appointing him as Academic Advisor to the SCCL. In the official tribute, the master of ceremonies praised Prof. Zhu for his long-standing commitment to Chinese language curriculum and assessment research, highlighting him as an internationally renowned scholar in Chinese language education and a deeply cherished friend who has worked closely with Singapore’s Chinese education community for decades. During his academic career at the National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University, and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Prof. Zhu has repeatedly invited to serve as an expert consultant on Chinese language curriculum and assessment for the Ministry of Education (MOE), Singapore. He has also served on numerous occasions as an overseas reviewer for SCCL’s research initiatives and currently serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Chinese Language Education. Following the opening ceremony, the team exchanged views with counterparts from the Ministry of Education (MOE) of Singapore, the National Institute of Education (NIE) at Nanyang Technological University, SCCL, as well as primary and secondary schools. During the session, Minister Lee, Executive Director Dr Foo, and Prof. Zhu shared insights and perspectives on the latest developments in Chinese language education research and pedagogical practices across Singapore and Hong Kong. Their discussions focused on frontier topics including Artificial Intelligence (AI)-empowered Chinese curricula, innovative instructional models, and student performance in large-scale international assessments. Delivery of Keynote Address Prof. Zhu delivered a keynote address entitled "Characteristics of GenAI Writing Feedback and Teacher Professional Learning: An Empirical Study of Human–AI Collaborative Mechanisms". He commenced by analyzing the ecological transformation and practical challenges facing writing feedback in the era of Artificial Intelligence. Drawing upon his research team’s 15 publications in AI-empowered language education, he highlighted three representative studies, detailing their research frameworks, assessment instruments, and empirical findings concerning the psychological and behavioral dynamics of human–AI interaction among teachers and students. Finally, from the perspective of knowledge transfer, he focused on strategies for enhancing the efficacy of writing feedback in AI-supported environments, offering forward-looking yet actionable recommendations on informing language policy refinement, reshaping curricula, and advancing pedagogical innovation. Conducting Invited Symposia On September 9, PolyU scholars Prof Wai Mun Leung, Prof. Sihui Ke, and PhD candidates Yu Xiao and Xintong Xu convened an PolyU-invited symposium titled "Teaching and Learning Chinese as a Second Language in Multilingual Contexts of Hong Kong: From Policy Planning to Cognitive and Pedagogical Practices". Bridging macro-level policy and micro-level cognition, the four presentations examined the cultural tensions in "hybrid-type textbooks," the cognitive mechanisms of "self-teaching" in Chinese reading, translanguaging in preschool classrooms, and the effectiveness of morphological awareness instruction in primary schools. Spanning diverse educational stages and research paradigms, this session aimed to offer innovative theoretical insights and evidence-based pedagogical strategies to advance CSL education in multilingual ecologies. On the same day, Dr. Liu Yaping presented her study, "Meaning Construction in Multimodal Reading: Comprehensibility and Cognitive Challenges of Distinct Text-Image Relations" at another invited symposium titled "Exploring Multimodal Reading in Diverse Educational Contexts: Hong Kong and Singapore Perspectives". Focusing on how diverse text-image relations affect readers' meaning-making processes, her findings offer valuable insights for multimodal reading pedagogy, reading material development, and text-image design in instructional resources. In addition, in his capacity as Co-Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Zhu attended the editorial board meeting of the Journal of Chinese Language Education (JCLE) to advance the development of an international scholarly dissemination platform for Chinese language education. Furthermore, Prof. Lin-hong Cheung and Prof. Zhu paid a dedicated visit to Prof. Chew Cheng Hai, an internationally renowned linguist and a founding scholar of Singapore’s Chinese language education community. During the visit, Prof. Zhu conveyed his warmest regards and engaged in insightful dialogue on the heritage, continuity, and future development of Chinese linguistics and overseas Chinese language education. This academic visit to Singapore successfully showcased the Faculty’s and Department’s research findings and expertise in the field of Chinese language education and assessment, while further expanding their scholarly exchange networks across the Asia-Pacific region. Moving forward, the team will continue to deepen inter-institutional collaborations and actively pursue research topics of both theoretical significance and practical value.

From Translation to InsurTech: How Emily Chow Forged Her Path to Chief Executive

When thinking about a degree in translation, traditional career paths like translation or corporate communications usually come to mind. But for Emily Chow Mei Wah, Chief Executive of OneDegree—a leading virtual insurance company—her academic foundation became the launchpad for an unexpected and visionary journey into the world of finance, technology, and virtual insurance. Her path proves to current and prospective students that a language background can open doors to versatile, cross-sector leadership. From Traditional Translation to Cross-Sector Career Upon graduation, Emily initially entered the translation industry. However, she soon realized that traditional paths did not fully fit her professional aspirations. Rather than viewing her background as a limitation, she had a vital realization: language is a versatile, indispensable skill that fits into every industry, because every business ultimately relies on communication. Her university and departmental life experience played a pivotal role in this mindset, training her in independent thinking, sharp judgment, critical analysis, logical problem-solving, and robust professional values—all honed through rigorous projects and presentations. Armed with this transferable asset, she successfully navigated a seamless transition into the fast-paced corporate and financial sectors following years of gruelling sleepless life at top-tier 4As agencies serving various banking and credit card brands. Bringing over 20 years of distinguished experience in banking and financial services marketing, she has consistently brought disruptive brands including launching of two virtual banks and now the virtual insurer, OneDegree, to market-leading positions. Redefining Insurance Experience: Balancing AI and the Human Touch Under Emily's leadership, OneDegree achieved record-breaking financial success as Hong Kong's first profitable virtual insurer alongside a sixfold revenue increase. She also expanded the company's market dominance in pet insurance and diversified its portfolio with innovative general insurance offerings. To fuel this growth, the company leverages AI and automation to boost efficiency while keeping a strict human-centric focus. "Technology brings convenience, but it is ultimately just a tool and a process," Emily points out. "Where we truly have to step into our customers' shoes is in the experience itself – does the technology really add value to our customers?" A Future-Ready Mindset and the Pursuit of Excellence For students embarking on their future careers, Emily emphasizes that success is about doing things exceptionally well rather than simply getting them done. This relentless drive for excellence is precisely why, 20 years into her career, she chose to pursue a doctoral programme in FinTech at PolyU again. Emily Chow’s journey from a translation and language background to a tech-driven Chief Executive illustrates how a powerful combination of transferable skills, critical thinking, and a future-ready mindset can empower graduates to shape tomorrow's industries. As job market changes rapidly, Emily reminds students: "Always be passionate and curious about what you are doing. Embrace the unknown, keep asking questions, and let your curiosity take you further than you ever imagined."

Inauguration Ceremony for the Joint Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Language Technology (AILT) between PolyU and NWPU Successfully Held

Marking a significant milestone in the convergence of artificial intelligence and language studies, the Department of Language Science and Technology (LST) under the Faculty of Humanities (FH) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the School of Foreign Studies at Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU) jointly held the Inauguration Ceremony and Exchange Meeting for their newly established Joint Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Language Technology (AILT) on 4 September 2026. Representatives from both institutions gathered at the PolyU Hung Hom Bay Campus to celebrate the official launch of the new joint laboratory. Following the unveiling ceremony, both delegations engaged in a fruitful and joyful discussion regarding future project collaborations and strategic partnerships. The two institutions explored a wide range of prospective initiatives spanning academic exchanges, joint research endeavours, faculty training programmes, and student exchange scheme. Both parties expressed great delight with the productive discussions and look forward to deep, fruitful cooperation ahead, paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in the integration of artificial intelligence and language technology.