CityU conferred honorary doctorates on four distinguished persons in November in recognition of their significant contributions to education and the well-being of society. They were (from left) Professor Alain Aspect, Mr Hu Shao Ming Herman, SBS, JP, Dr the Honourable Lee Shau-kee, GBM and Professor Cédric Villani.

Ten faculty members were named as Highly Cited Researchers for 2018 by Clarivate Analytics, reflecting the high academic standard of our faculty and our excellent research performance. The list recognises scientists and social scientists who have demonstrated substantial influence in their fields through publication of multiple highly cited papers ranked in the top 1% by citations between 2006 and 2016. Two CityU academics were named in a new crossfield category created for interdisciplinary research.

More than HK$14.6 million was raised at the annual dinner of the City University of Hong Kong Foundation in November in support of our One Health initiative. The record donation will be used to set up scholarships, fund pioneering research, and enhance teaching and research facilities. Under the theme “A Dancing City,” the dinner showcased our commitment to innovation and academic excellence and served to thank members of the Foundation and friends of the University for their support.

Professor Bai Chunli, President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), presented an honorary certificate in November to CityU in recognition of its Joint Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanomechanics. The lab was rated “outstanding” in an evaluation jointly established by CAS and academic institutions in Hong Kong in 2018. Professor Bai was accompanied by Dr Tan Tieniu, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in HKSAR.

A HK$3 million donation from the Tan Siu Lin Foundation will sponsor undergraduates on non-local exchange programmes. The Foundation was set up by Dr Tan Siu Lin, SBS, the founder and Honorary Life Chairman of Luen Thai Group Limited. 

Two teams won major awards in the finals of the International Invention Innovation Competition in Canada for auxiliary devices they invented to make life easier for people with disabilities. The teams were formed from the “Jockey Club Enhancing Youth Empathy Project through Immersive Visualisation” and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.

CityU was awarded second place in the Best Career Services Satisfaction Award for the second year running, and for the first time was awarded third place in the Best University Brand Perception Award, at the Universum Talent 2018 Survey. In 2018, 4,004 students from CityU and other institutions participated in the survey, which is well-recognised by employers worldwide. Universum is a global consultancy that provides branding services for more than 1,800 companies and more than 2,000 universities worldwide.

Plans for a joint laboratory in financial technology and engineering were unveiled with JD Digits, a leading digital technology company in mainland China, under a strategic collaborative agreement signed by both parties in December. The laboratory will research areas including, but not limited to, asset pricing, financial risk monitoring and user behaviour. It will provide innovative solutions for the development of the global financial market, promote exchange and training, organise academic forums, and develop and share resources.

A full-day conference in November in honour of the 80th birthday of renowned mathematician Professor Philippe G. Ciarlet showcased the University’s role in fostering scientific cooperation between France and Hong Kong. The conference was organised by CityU’s Hong Kong Institute for Advanced Study, where Professor Ciarlet is a Senior Fellow.

A memorandum of understanding aimed at nurturing talent was signed with Orbbec Co. Ltd in November. Orbbec will provide internship opportunities for CityU graduates studying programmes related to 3D sensing and setting up scholarships for outstanding students studying in these fields. The two parties will explore other collaboration opportunities, too.

Around 200 distinguished scientists and animal experts discussed the latest developments in global animal welfare at the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) 2018 conference in October at CityU. Under the theme “Animal Welfare Across Borders”, the 2-day conference was organised by the Centre for Animal Welfare of CityU’s Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences; UFAW, a UK-based independent charity that promotes animal welfare through scientific and educational activities; and the Ministry of Primary Industries of the New Zealand Government.

CityU and the National Palace Museum (NPM) in Taipei are collaborating for the third time to present the “ANiMAL: Art Science Nature Society” exhibition, featuring animals from different historical eras. This unique exhibition brings to the public a fascinating blend of old and new, classical and modern, and traditional art and high-tech creative media. It joins the NPM’s rich Chinese painting and sculpture collections with some of the latest artistic media techniques developed at CityU’s School of Creative Media.

The Court learned about CityU’s latest developments at its 14th meeting, which was held in November. Dr Chung Shui-ming, Pro-Chancellor, Mr Lester G. Huang, Council Chairman, and Professor Way Kuo, University President, discussed developments and achievements since the Court last sat.

A research team led by Professor Liu Chain-tsuan, University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, has worked out a novel strategy for developing new super alloys that are extremely strong, yet ductile and flexible. The breakthrough solution addresses a daunting, decades-long dilemma in materials science. These new alloys are expected to perform well in extremely high and low temperatures, paving the way for developing equipment that can operate at extremely low temperatures and in aerospace systems that operate at extremely high temperatures.

This book examines the intricate relationship between design institutes, the state and, in later periods, the market economy through a carefully situated discussion of significant theoretical and historical issues including socialist utopia, collective and individual design, structural transformation, and architectural exportation, among others. It shows how, over the past six decades, China’s design institutes have served the state’s strategy for socialist construction and urbanisation to create socioeconomic and cultural value.

Through first-hand research, the authors reveal how the tensions between pragmatism, creativity, collaboration and resistance have played a crucial role in defining architectural production. Appealing to academics, researchers, and graduate students, this book provides a much-needed contribution to the discourse on architectural history, building practices, and policymaking in contemporary China.

This book takes a unique approach to mitigate the problem of massive online copyright infringement and justify fan activities. It argues for a cooperative approach that encourages copyright owners to exert a degree of control over their fan creators. In contrast to the current approach, which treats fan utilizations as theft, this book suggests that the copyright owners and the lawmakers should instead distinguish between fan creators and commercial pirates, allowing them to unleash their potential.

This book offers a clear and comprehensive account of the fascinating aspects of legal problems created by fan activities in China,  Japan and the United States, offering a valuable guide for students, practitioners, academics and entrepreneurs whose work involves or who are interested in cutting-edge legal issues in the creative industry.