On September 12, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and the Lands Department of the HKSAR Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a collaborative framework for advancing smart survey, mapping, and geospatial services in Hong Kong. This partnership aims to accelerate the city’s transformation into a leading smart city through innovative research, technology enhancement, and professional training.
The collaboration brings together four key PolyU academic and research units: the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI); the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS); the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute (SCRI); and the Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Geomatics (RCAIG), led by Prof. Qihao Weng. Working closely with the Survey and Mapping Office (SMO) of the Lands Department, these institutes will drive interdisciplinary research and knowledge transfer in land surveying, geographic information systems, remote sensing, smart city development, artificial intelligence, and location-based technology. A Joint Research Centre will be established to optimize and apply advanced technologies.
Mr. Chang Kwok-fai, Deputy Director (Survey and Mapping) of the Lands Department, also highlighted the importance of this partnership, noting that it combines PolyU’s research excellence with the Lands Department’s practical experience to modernize Hong Kong’s geospatial technologies and support the city’s smart development.
Prof. Weng Qihao, Director of RCAIG, remarked, “This collaboration represents a significant step forward in harnessing geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI) and state-of-the-art geospatial technologies to support Hong Kong’s smart city vision and urban infrastructure assessment and monitoring. By combining PolyU’s research strengths with the Lands Department’s expertise, we aim to develop innovative solutions that will enhance urban management, improve quality of life for the community, and enhance the climate resiliency of the city.”
This partnership marks a new chapter in geospatial innovation, paving the way for smarter, more efficient urban development in Hong Kong.
