Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

56 related courses were offered in the 2023–24 academic year.

In order to foster innovation, entrepreneurship and the exchange of knowledge, CUHK has implemented its Research Policy, which deals with professional ethics and research misconduct. The University has also enacted the Policy on Intellectual Property with a specific emphasis on safeguarding intellectual property rights. Through its research endeavours, CUHK not only leaves a notable imprint on the academic and scientific sectors but also positively impacts the broader public in various ways.

The project titled ‘Foundation Models-Empowered Ambient Intelligence Systems for Early Diagnosis, Personalized Intervention, and Complex Cross-Disease Interplay Analysis of Aging-Related Degenerative Diseases’, led by Prof. Guoliang Xing, delivers comprehensive health solutions and improves our understanding of the pathological interplay between sarcopenia and dementia, ultimately improving diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. It will involve a large-scale clinical trial with 1,000 participants recruited from three regional hospitals in Hong Kong, making it the largest study of its kind. By developing cutting-edge ambient intelligence systems and integrating them into healthcare, the project promotes technological advancement and innovation in medical diagnostics and interventions, leading to improved health infrastructure and outcomes for ageing populations.

The project titled ‘Personalized Rehabilitation Pathways to Maximal Motor Functional Return through an AI Recovery Prediction System for Diverse Stroke Survivors’, coordinated by Prof. Vincent Cheung, aims to improve motor rehabilitation for the increasing number of stroke survivors in Hong Kong. By developing an AI system (PRAISE-HK), the research will use multi-modal assessments from 200–400 subacute stroke survivors to predict recovery potential and identify optimal treatment options. This personalized approach seeks to enhance rehabilitation efficacy and efficiency, ultimately reducing the economic burden associated with stroke care. It will position Hong Kong as a potential global hub for rehabilitation research and development, enhancing both local and international collaboration in healthcare innovation.

CUHK’s Faculty of Medicine and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) have successfully conducted the world’s first in vivo teleoperated magnetic endoscopy, performing a biopsy on the stomach wall of a pig. This innovative procedure was managed by two operators: a clinician in Hong Kong and a remote expert in Zurich, located 9,300 kilometres apart. The success of the endoscopy demonstrates the potential of teleoperated surgical technologies to provide immediate diagnostic and surgical care in remote areas lacking local expertise. This groundbreaking project illustrates the capabilities of remote surgery and collaboration between institutions. The findings have been published in Advanced Intelligent Systems, illustrating the future potential of this technology in enhancing surgical care delivery globally.

The Institute of Medical Intelligence and XR, established in 2023 and led by Professor Pheng Ann Heng from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, focuses on leveraging artificial intelligence and extended reality to revolutionize medical and healthcare applications, with the aim of making precision medicine a reality. The institute includes researchers from over ten leading universities and research institutions in Hong Kong, who work in an atmosphere which fosters collaboration and innovation in healthcare technology. By advancing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and extended reality (XR) technologies in healthcare, the institute not only enhances medical practices but also drives innovation and collaboration across various educational and research institutions, ultimately leading to improved healthcare infrastructure and outcomes.

The first cohort of interdisciplinary data analytics and X double major students from CUHK recently visited the Greater Bay Area from May 20 to 23, 2024. This trip, organized by the Office of Co-operative Education, allowed students to engage with the region’s dynamic ecosystem, focusing on real-world applications of big data and business analytics. Highlights of the trip included visits to the China-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City, Guangzhou Concord Cancer Center, VIP.com and Midea Group, where students witnessed cutting-edge technologies and innovations. The experience strengthened their understanding of the healthcare sector, e-commerce, and manufacturing.