The landmark report provides a comprehensive evaluation of PolyU research achievements and impact, reaffirming the University's position as a global innovation powerhouse. The event, "Research Excellence Report Launch cum Impact Forum: Innovating for Global Impact", drew around 100 distinguished attendees, including academic leaders from other tertiary institutions in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, industry partners and policymakers. According to Clarivate, PolyU achieved a remarkable 65% surge in high-impact research output and a 55% rise in highly cited papers from 2020 to 2024, and led all University Grants Committee (UGC)-funded institutions in research publications in 2024, underscoring its position at the forefront of Hong Kong's academic excellence.
The event was officiated by Prof. Timothy TONG, Chairman of the Research Grants Council (RGC); Mr Osher GILINSKY, Vice President for Asia Pacific, Academia and Government, Clarivate; and Prof. Christopher CHAO, Senior Vice President (Research and Innovation) of PolyU, who delivered opening remarks.
Celebrating PolyU's exceptional research achievements and their far-reaching impacts on society, the Nation and the world, Prof. Tong stated, "The PolyU Research Excellence Report vividly demonstrates its commitment to sustainable development, reflecting the dedication and innovation of its faculty, researchers and students." Prof. Tong commended PolyU for its effective use of research resources, noting the significant advancements in AI-driven medical breakthroughs, climate solutions and sustainability. He further emphasised the RGC's ongoing commitment to supporting research that addresses major societal challenges, exemplified by initiatives such as the Research Impact Fund. Additionally, he reaffirmed the RGC's partnership with universities in strengthening Hong Kong's status as a global knowledge hub.
Recognising PolyU's outstanding global research performance, Mr Gilinsky elaborated, "In recent years, PolyU has demonstrated high research productivity in high quality, driving for high impact for the society. PolyU was granted 1,020 patents between 2020 and 2024, the second highest among UGC-funded universities. To enhance research translation, PolyU has formed partnerships with companies including NVIDIA, Huawei and Alibaba. These achievements illustrate PolyU's international connectivity, diverse disciplinary strengths and strong culture of research translation. Leveraging its strength with the Chinese Mainland resources, PolyU is also accelerating knowledge transfer and identifying emerging areas for discovery, particularly in AI-powered healthcare, sustainable engineering, advanced manufacturing and smart city development—fields where it aims for global leadership."
Prof. Chao emphasised, "The report is a testament to years of dedicated effort, groundbreaking innovation and the unwavering commitment of the PolyU academic community. In 2025, we are proud to have 21 PolyU scholars named Highly Cited Researchers by Clarivate, while 428 rank among Stanford University's World's Top 2% Most-cited Scientists—placing PolyU second among Hong Kong tertiary institutions. Our Strategic Plan 2025/26 - 2030/31, themed 'Unite to Meet Challenges, Innovate to Benefit Society,' will further empower PolyU to deliver even more transformative contributions to society."
Clarivate has been forging continuous collaborations with numerous institutions, including co-authoring the report series The impact of research undertaken by universities in Hong Kong with UGC in 2022. Produced by Clarivate using authoritative data from the Web of Science, the PolyU Research Excellence Report delivers a comprehensive assessment of the University's overall research performance and achievements, highlighting PolyU's global leadership in engineering, advancements in powering medical research with emerging AI technologies, and unique contributions to the hospitality, fashion and textile, design and art disciplines that distinguish the University on the global stage.
PolyU’s strengths are exemplified by its leadership in Hong Kong’s research output growth, achieving the highest number of publications among UGC‑funded universities in 2024. Nearly 40% of its outputs are internationally co-authored, while 27% involve QS Top 50 university partners. The quality and impact of the University's research output are further evidenced by its strong disciplinary performance. In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, seven PolyU disciplines rank in the global Top 30, while, overall, 26 disciplines are listed among the world's Top 100, underscoring the breadth and depth of the University's academic excellence across multiple fields.
Following the report launch, the Impact Forum featured a high-level panel discussion on "Innovations and Challenges in Research Evaluation". The discussion facilitated insightful exchanges between the panel and attendees on evolving approaches to research assessment, the importance of measuring societal impact and strategies for fostering cross-institutional collaboration.
| The PolyU Research Excellence Report is now available on the PolyU website: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/ipao/institutional-performance/research-excellence-report/ Highlights from the report:
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