PolyU SPEED Achieves Best Ever Results in Research Grants Council’s Funding - HK$14.2 Million for 18 Projects in 2022/23

26 Sep 2022

The Research Grants Council (RGC) of the University Grants Committee has announced the funding results of the Competitive Research Funding Schemes for the Local Self-financing Degree Sector 2022/23 recently. The School of Professional Education and Executive Development of PolyU (PolyU SPEED) received funding totalling over HK$14.2 million for 18 research projects, both numbers hitting record highs. Among the 15 institutions applying for funding, PolyU SPEED ranks first and second in terms of the total number of funded projects and the total amount of funding respectively.

Total funding amount records year-over-year increase of 74%

Prof. Leung Chun-wah, Associate Dean (Research) of the College of Professional and Continuing Education (CPCE) of PolyU and Head of Research of the CPCE Research Office, was thrilled about the excellent results. “Compared with the HK$8.2 million in RGC funding obtained in 2021/22, the HK$14.2 million we’ve secured this year represents a year-over-year significant increase of over 74%,” said Prof. Leung, “What’s more, this year PolyU SPEED is the only institution being awarded funding (of around HK$3 million) under the Institutional Development Scheme Research Infrastructure Grant to establish a Research Centre for Green Business.”

The 18 funded research projects encompass various popular areas such as ageing, art music, design thinking, e-commerce, energy, green business, green HR management, land development, language, tourism, and transport, showing that PolyU SPEED is playing an increasingly active and leading role in conducting important and innovative research to benefit academia and society as a whole.

Sixty-three ongoing externally funded projects totalling over HK$88 million
Prof. Leung pointed out that , including the 18 newly RGC funded projects, there are a total of 63 ongoing externally funded projects with a total funding of over HK$88 million . “These projects involve dozens of academic staff members from all the four academic divisions of CPCE, namely the Division of Business and Hospitality Management; Division of Languages and Communication; Division of Science, Engineering and Health Studies; Division of Social Sciences, Humanities and Design. These dedicated researchers from different disciplines have formed a critical mass to conduct interdisciplinary research in important areas related to our community and the environment.”

Overview of the 18 RGC funded projects in 2022/23
Faculty Development Scheme

Principal Investigator/ Team Leader	Academic Division*	Project Title	Awarded Amount (HK$)
Prof. CHAN Roger Chun-Kwong	SSHD	Investigating Land Development and Land Tenure in the Greater Bay Area through Selected Case Studies: A New Path to China’s Territorial Development and City-Regionalization?	1,039,930
Dr ZHANG Flora Hao	SEHS	A Novel Real-Time HVAC Strategy based on Lightweight CFD Integrated with Reinforcement Learning for Public Transportation in Hong Kong	940,110
Dr ZHOU Chandler Weifeng	SEHS	From Theories to Utilization: Development of a Learning-Based Aerial Swarm for Hong Kong Public Fire Services Applications	915,960
Dr KAHANGAMAGE Udaya Priyadarshana	SEHS	Numerical and Experimental Investigation of the Combustion and Emission Characteristics of Low to Medium Calorific Value Landfill Gas Blended with Hydrogen	829,825
Dr LEUNG Wilson Ka-shing	SEHS	Prevention is Better than Cure? How the Gamification Elements of Gerontechnology Influence the Elderly Mental Well-being and Cognitive Health: A Longitudinal Study in Hong Kong	775,430
Dr LU Wen	LC	Establishing Central Sinitic Languages as a Linguistic Sprachbund - Transitional and Area-specific Features	756,800
Dr LIE Nga-sze	SSHD	A Projective Analysis of Rhythmic Organisation in Free-Rhythm Musical Performances in West Asian Art Music	738,400
Dr CHEUNG Eric Lok-ming	LC	Teaching Undergraduate Social Sciences and Business Writing: Integrating the Reader’s Perspective and Data-driven Teaching and Learning Approach	654,335
Dr NG Mei-lan	BHM	Gamification or VR or Both? Examining Antecedents in Encouraging Continuance Pro-environmental Behavior	644,100
Dr YU Fu-wing	SEHS	Time Series Artificial Intelligence for Energy Management of Chiller System	620,870
Dr ZHANG Alina Xinyan	BHM	Developing A Real-time Tourism Demand Forecasting System for Hong Kong	593,730
Dr KWOK Jonathan Man Lung	BHM	Value Statements are More Than a Buzzword: Impact of Green Value Statement and Employee Green Values on Financial Performance and Employee Green Behaviors via Green Human Resource Management	571,650
Dr HO Robbie Ming-hon	SSHD	Street Audiences Feel the Same as Street Performers? A Psychological Approach	535,379
Dr LO On-ting	SSHD	The Science of Design Thinking: Theories and Applications	488,519
Dr KHAN Sheheryar	SEHS	Development of Artificial Intelligence based Predictive Tool for Knee Magnetic Resonance Imaging Assessment: A Domain Adaptation Perspective	471,370
Dr LAU Joseph Yui-yip	BHM	Rebuilding Port and Resilient Maritime Supply Chain Networks in Asia	415,701

Institutional Development Scheme Research Infrastructure Grant

Principal Investigator/ Team Leader	Academic Division*	Project Title	Awarded Amount (HK$)
Dr WONG Helen Shun-mun	BHM	Research Centre for Green Business	2,966,110

Inter-Institutional Development Scheme

Principal Investigator/ Team Leader	Academic Division*	Project Title	Awarded Amount (HK$)
Dr LAU Yui-yip	BHM	Building and Sustaining the Momentum of Cross-border E-commerce for the Greater Bay Area	282,770

* BHM: Division of Business and Hospitality Management

LC: Division of Languages and Communication
SEHS: Division of Science, Engineering and Health Studies
SSHD: Division of Social Sciences, Humanities and Design