Project Reference No.: UGC/IDS(R)11/20
Project Title: Establishment of Techno-Humanities Research Centre (Caritas)
Abstract
The Techno-Humanities Research Centre (the Centre) at Caritas Institute of Higher Education is established to promote the use and development of technology in humanities research, provide technological facilities to colleagues to conduct research on techno-humanities, provide a platform for research collaboration on techno-humanities among tertiary institutions in Hong Kong, and create a network of techno-humanities scholars to advance academic study of this field.
To achieve the above objectives, the Centre will form a number of research units to conduct projects on the humanities, acquire digital resources for research, publish a refereed journal entitled Journal of Techno-Humanities, run a book series Routledge Studies in Techno-Humanities, hold international conferences and organize workshops and seminars to promote the academic study of techno-humanities in Hong Kong, and develop technologies for research in the humanities.
Project Reference No.: UGC/IDS(R)23/20
Project Title: Research Centre for Environment and Human Health (HKBU SCE)
Abstract
In line with the institutional strategic research directions, the School of Continuing Education of Hong Kong Baptist University (SCE) will establish a Research Centre for Environment and Human Health, with the main goal of cultivating and enhancing the institutional research expertise, capacity and infrastructure of the SCE. The Centre will serve as an interdisciplinary research platform to promote research activities, academic exchanges and collaborations via workshops, seminars and professional training programmes and hosting an international conference. The Research Centre will cross the academic departmental boundaries of the SCE and bring together academics from nature conservation, environmental sciences, geography, nursing, health science, life science, psychology, physical activity and education to enhance the understanding of key issues and benefits related to the environment-health nexus, explore integrative solutions relating to environmental change and human health, and promote to the public, an understanding of environmental health and sustainability. The project deliverables will provide a positive impact to academic research, related industry and the community.
Project Reference No.: UGC/IDS(R)24/20
Project Title: Establish the Research Centre for Green Energy, Transport and Building in PolyU SPEED (PolyU SPEED)
Abstract
Despite of the very small land area of only 1,108 km2, extremely high population density of 6,777 people per km2 and seriously lacking natural resources especially energy, Hong Kong is remarkably maintaining herself as the international city with most successful economic development that creating the GDP per capita of $47,200 in 2018. The most serious threat to the survival and prosperity of Hong Kong is directly related to the large population of 7.44 million including “How to satisfy the huge annual energy demand of 289,219 TJ and safeguard the health of our citizens from various kinds of pollution led by the use of energy?”. Perhaps, application of “Green Technology” to the following sectors of our community can provide feasible and sustainable solutions of the problems:
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Target Group |
Essential Contents |
Impact to |
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Green Energy |
Renewable energy such as solar energy; Non-polluting energy including hydrogen; Waste-to-Energy such as use of biofuel. |
All HK Citizens |
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Green Transport |
Transportation vehicles with less pollutant emissions by using alternative energy source including electric car; Transportation infrastructure to conserve energy such as green train. |
All HK Citizens |
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Green Building |
Energy conservation building using energy efficiently; Building applying essentially renewable energy such as solar energy; Building having good internal environmental quality. |
All HK Citizens |
To help Hong Kong nurturing expertise in the application of “Green Technology”, PolyU SPEED will develop the “Research Centre for Green Energy, Transport and Building (RCGETB)” to promote and enhance research activities in these areas. We are aiming to achieve the following objectives in these areas within the 3-year cycle:
1) To procure funding from various sources to support research projects/activities in dealing with the community and environmental problems.
2) To provide consultancy services to the Government/industry sectors in solving related community and environmental problems and providing relevant seminars/conferences.
3) To enhance our research network through performing joined research projects with leading scholars/researchers of other universities.
4) To contribute new knowledge to academic sectors by presenting research findings via international conferences or refereed journals.
5) To underpin teaching with knowledge created from research and development works. Efforts will be made to: (i) provide final year projects; (ii) update and improve subject syllabuses and programme curricula.
6) To nurture research students and undergraduate students with research experience.
In the first 3-year cycle (1/2021–12/2023), the RCGETB plans to achieve the following deliverables by implementing the tasks:
1) Procurement of external research funding in every year by submitting at least six proposals to various funding bodies especially the Faculty Development Scheme (FDS). Aiming at a minimum successful rate of 30%.
2) Presentation of research outputs in every year by: (i) publishing at least sixteen quality journal and conference papers; and (ii) organizing at least three workshops/seminars and one international conference annually.
3) Provide supervision to at least fifteen research and undergraduate students annually.
4) Underpin teaching by research via updating/improving of the programme curricula and subject syllabuses and providing final year projects annually.
5) Development of collaborative research network with other universities and the industry by performing joint research/consultancy projects.
6) Nurture competent and active researchers, in quantity and quality, in applying “Green Technology” to the areas of energy, transport and building.
Project Reference No.: UGC/IDS(R)25/20
Project Title: Establishment of the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Food By-products Utilization (CIFU) (THEi)
Abstract
The Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong (THEi) is a new generation tertiary education institute with a focus on the provision of accredited degree level vocational education programs. THEi has continued to develop its applied research capacity in the past few years more particularly around the strategic research theme of ‘Sustainability’. Fundamental resource assets in both “hardware” and “software” have been obtained and developed at THEi based upon the deliverables of two previous IDS projects, namely: the Central Research Office, the Research Centre for Waste and Resource Management, the Research Support Centre, and the Centre for Sustainable Design and Environment are operating productively together and include an expanded subscription of e-Journals.
The proposed research initiative aims at establishing a “Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Food By-products Utilization (CIFU)” to serve as a platform for talented staff members of THEi to engage in research activities in line with our five-year strategic research plan on the theme of “Sustainable Living”. The CIFU will be positioned to focus on research programs of sustainable innovation of natural resources, managed by academic and research staff members from THEi’s Faculties of 1) Management and Hospitality; 2) Design and Environment; 3) Science and Technology and the School of General Education and Languages.
The CIFU will certainly promote synergy of the “hardware” and “software” of THEi through interdisciplinary research programs in the area of food by-products utilization. Two research laboratories will be established under the CIFU, namely, the Food Product Development Lab (FPDL) and the Food Recovery Lab (FRL). The FPDL will be responsible for research projects on sustainable innovation of food by-products in edible perspectives; while the FRL will focus on non-edible applications of food by-products using “green” and environmentally friendly approaches.
It is envisaged that the research capacity in applied science at THEi will be further strengthened through the establishment of the CIFU. In particular, a synergy in interdisciplinary research will be evidenced with the built assets for sustainable innovative development in food by-products utilization. Another aspect will be the dissemination of the concepts of “Sustainable Living” via knowledge exchange and other collaborative activities with different stakeholders, industry partners, and academics.