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Hong Kong Polytechnic University
香港理工大學
Hong Kong Polytechnic University logo.svg
Motto 開物成務 勵學利民
Motto in English
To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind
Type Public
Established 1937; 88 years ago (1937), as Government Trade School
1947; 78 years ago (1947), as Hong Kong Technical College
24 March 1972; 53 years ago (1972-03-24), as Hong Kong Polytechnic
25 November 1994; 30 years ago (1994-11-25), granted university status
Chairman Lam Tai-fai
Chancellor John Lee Ka-chiu
President Teng Jin-guang
Vice-president Miranda Lou
Kwok-yin Wong
Ben Young
Christopher Chao
Provost Wing-tak Wong
Academic staff
1,230
Students 26,245 (2019/2020)
Location
11 Yuk Choi Road, Hung Hom
, ,
22°18′18″N 114°10′48″E / 22.30500°N 114.18000°E / 22.30500; 114.18000
Campus Urban
9.46 hectares (0.0946 km2)
Colours           Red and grey
Affiliations BHUA; GHMUA; UASR
PolyU Logo with wordmark.svg
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese 香港理工大學
Simplified Chinese 香港理工大学
Cantonese Yale Hēunggóng Léihgūng Daaihhohk
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin Xiānggǎng Lǐgōng Dàxué
Yue: Cantonese
Yale Romanization Hēunggóng Léihgūng Daaihhohk
Jyutping Hoeng1gong2 lei5gung1 daai6hok6

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (often called PolyU) is a public research university in Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is one of the eight universities in Hong Kong that receive money from the government.

PolyU was started in 1937 as the first Government Trade School. It was the first place in Hong Kong to offer technical education. In 1994, it officially became a university.

Today, PolyU has 8 main departments and schools. They offer many different programs in areas like science, business, engineering, design, and hotel management. More than 25,800 students study here each year.

History of PolyU

Early Beginnings (1937–1947)

In 1937, the Government Trade School opened in Wan Chai. This was Hong Kong's first public school for technical skills after high school. It taught subjects like marine wireless, mechanical engineering, and building. The school building was a three-story "Red Brick House."

Becoming a Technical College (1947–1972)

After World War II, the Government Trade School changed its name to the Hong Kong Technical College in 1947. It offered both full-time and part-time classes. In 1957, a new campus for the college was built in Hung Hom.

The Polytechnic Years (1972–1994)

In 1965, a plan was made to create a "polytechnic" in Hong Kong. This new type of school would offer advanced technical education. On March 24, 1972, the Hong Kong Polytechnic was officially started. Its goal was to train skilled workers for different jobs. The Polytechnic started offering its first degree programs in 1983. It also began offering advanced research degrees (MPhil and PhD) in the late 1980s.

Becoming a University (1994–Present)

In 1994, the school was allowed to create its own degree programs. Because of this, on November 25, 1994, it officially became "The Hong Kong Polytechnic University."

PolyU Campuses

Main Campus in Hung Hom

PolyU's main campus is in Hung Hom, Kowloon. It was designed in 1972 and has over 20 buildings with red-brick walls. Many buildings are connected and raised above the ground. This creates open spaces for different activities. The campus is one of the largest and busiest university campuses in the world.

Block Z is a newer part of the campus. It is across the road from the main campus. You can reach it through a special tunnel or a long footbridge.

Besides classrooms and labs, the university has many other facilities. These include a large auditorium, places to eat, medical services, a bookstore, and banks. The Jockey Club Auditorium, opened in 2000, can hold over 1,000 people. It is used for conferences, shows, and performances.

There are also many sports facilities. These include two swimming pools, indoor sports halls, an outdoor sports field with basketball and soccer areas, tennis courts, and a jogging track.

Landscape of the main campus in Hung Hom in January 2016

Pao Yue-kong Library

The PolyU Library opened in 1972. It was named after a generous person named Yue-Kong Pao in 1995.

The library has millions of books and digital resources. It has 3,900 study spaces and a 24-hour study center. In 2017, parts of the library were updated to "i-space." This area has cool new technologies like VR, 3D printing, and video production tools.

Innovation Tower

The Innovation Tower is a unique building designed by Zaha Hadid. It is 15 stories tall and has a modern, curvy shape. This building is home to the School of Design. It has exhibition areas, classrooms, studios, and workshops. The School of Design is known as one of the best design schools in the world.

Teaching and Research Hotel

The Hotel Icon opened in 2011. It is owned by the university and used as a teaching hotel for the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM). This school is one of the top hotel and tourism management schools globally.

Other Campuses

PolyU also has the Hung Hom Bay Campus and West Kowloon Campus. These campuses are home to the College of Professional and Continuing Education (CPCE). CPCE includes the Hong Kong Community College (HKCC) and the School of Professional Education and Executive Development (SPEED). These offer programs for students who have finished high school.

What Students Study

University Structure

As of 2020, PolyU had over 26,000 students. This includes students studying for diplomas, bachelor's degrees, and postgraduate degrees.

The university offers more than 150 programs through its 8 main departments and schools:

  • Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles
  • Faculty of Business
  • Faculty of Construction and Environment
  • Faculty of Engineering
  • Faculty of Health and Social Sciences
  • Faculty of Humanities
  • School of Design
  • School of Hotel and Tourism Management

The PolyU Graduate School, started in 2020, helps manage research programs for advanced students.

The College of Professional and Continuing Education (CPCE) is another part of the university. It offers different types of programs for students.

Research at PolyU

PolyU focuses on research in many important areas. These include:

  • Aerospace and aviation
  • Big data and artificial intelligence (AI)
  • Food safety
  • Health science
  • Smart cities and sustainable living

The university has many research labs and centers. For example, it has the Aviation Services Research Centre, which works with Boeing. The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel also helps develop new technologies for the clothing industry.

PolyU's Reputation and Rankings

Global University Rankings

PolyU is known as a top university around the world.

  • It was ranked #54 globally by QS World University Rankings in 2026.
  • It was ranked #84 globally by Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings in 2025.
  • It was ranked #58 globally by US News Best Global Universities Rankings in 2025–2026.

PolyU was also named the 6th most international university in the world by THE in 2023. This means it has many students and staff from different countries.

Rankings for Young Universities

PolyU is also highly ranked among newer universities.

  • It was ranked #6 worldwide in the QS "Top 50 Under 50" list for young universities in 2021.
  • It was ranked #7 worldwide in the Times Higher Education's Young University Rankings in 2024.

Top Subject Areas

PolyU is especially strong in certain subjects. Here are some of its top rankings in 2024 (QS Subject Rankings):

  • Hospitality and Leisure Management: #11 in the world
  • Architecture & Built Environment: #14 in the world
  • Civil & Structural Engineering: #14 in the world
  • Art & Design: #19 in the world
  • Marketing: #19 in the world
  • Nursing: #31 in the world
  • Data Science & Artificial Intelligence: #32 in the world

The School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) is ranked #1 in the world for hospitality and tourism research. The School of Design is also considered one of the top design schools globally.

Job Prospects for Graduates

PolyU graduates are highly sought after by employers.

  • PolyU graduates were ranked #71 worldwide in the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022.
  • They were ranked #133 worldwide in the Times Higher Education's Global University Employability Ranking 2022.
  • Employers in Hong Kong often choose PolyU graduates.

University Leadership

The university is led by a Council. The President and Deputy President are part of this group. There are also members from businesses, staff, alumni, and students.

Past Presidents

Here are some of the past leaders of PolyU:

  • Keith Legg (1972–1985)
  • John Clark (1985–1991)
  • Poon Chung-kwong (1991–2008)
  • Timothy W. Tong (2009–2018)
  • Philip C. H. Chan (2019)
  • Teng Jin-guang (2019 – present)

Working with Others

PolyU works with over 280 universities and organizations in 39 countries. They have many agreements for student exchanges and joint research projects.

Student Life at PolyU

Student Organizations

HKPU VA & Innovation Tower 201403
Block VA, the building for the PolyU Students’ Union in March 2014.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Students’ Union (HKPUSU) is run by students. It works to support and help full-time undergraduate students.

Sports Teams

PolyU has many sports teams for students to join:

  • Athletics
  • Badminton
  • Basketball
  • Fencing
  • Handball
  • Karate-do
  • Rowing
  • Rugby
  • Soccer
  • Squash
  • Swimming
  • Table Tennis
  • Taekwondo
  • Tennis
  • Volleyball
  • Woodball

Student Housing

PolyU offers two main student halls (dormitories) in Hung Hom Bay and Ho Man Tin. These halls provide places for students to live. There are also three off-campus housing sites in other parts of the city. These are mainly for students from outside Hong Kong.

Important Events

Campus Events in 2018

In October 2018, there was a disagreement at the university about messages posted on a student bulletin board. Some students were disciplined by the university for their actions during this event. Many student groups and teachers protested these decisions.

Campus Situation in 2019

In November 2019, the university campus became a central point during large protests happening in Hong Kong. There were confrontations between protesters and the police. The police surrounded the campus, and many people inside were injured or arrested. The university campus was significantly affected during this time.

Famous Alumni

Many successful people have studied at PolyU. Here are a few:

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Universidad Politécnica de Hong Kong para niños

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