New beginnings, continued success: HKBU research community welcomes the 2026/27 academic year

The HKBU Research Community Assembly on 4 September 2026 marked the beginning of a promising new academic year, bringing together new and returning researchers to celebrate the University's recent achievements and look ahead to future discoveries.

As an important leg of the Research Mingle, HKBU Research Office’s flagship event series, the event was graced by distinguished external VIPs, including Professor James Tang (Secretary-General, University Grants Committee) and other key personnel of stakeholders including the Beijing-Hong Kong Academic Exchange Centre (BHKAEC) and the Croucher Foundation.

The event began with a warm welcome from Professor Lyu Aiping, Vice-President (Research and Development). In his opening remarks, Professor Lyu congratulated the community on a year of exceptional accomplishments, highlighting a significant 46% increase in funded projects under the Research Grants Council (RGC)’s General Research Fund (GRF) and Early Career Scheme (ECS), securing HK$68.68 million in competitive funding and pushing the University's overall success rate to a three-year high.
 

Delivering the opening remarks, Professor Lyu Aiping, Vice-President (Research and Development), expresses profound appreciation to the research community for their remarkable achievements over the past academic year, and extends sincere thanks to funders for their continued trust and support.

“As we begin this new academic year, let us be ambitious in the questions we ask, rigorous in our work, generous in supporting our colleagues, and thoughtful in using our resources”, said Professor Lyu, opening the event and charting the course for the new academic year.

The assembly proceeded with a stimulating panel discussion focused on the fellowship journey, how these schemes cultivate research leadership, and the role of mentorship. 
 

From left: Moderated by Professor Johnny Poon, Associate Vice-President (Interdisciplinary Research), the distinguished panel featured Professor James Tang alongside HKBU's own esteemed scholars who were awarded the competitive RGC fellowships: Professor Christy Cheung (2019/20 Senior Research Fellow), Professor Gao Meng (2026/27 Senior Research Fellow), and Professor Han Bo (2026/27 Research Fellow).

During the discussion, Professor Tang shared how RGC schemes support academics at different stages, this year's budget allocations, and future developments. From beginning scholars to experienced researchers, and from Hong Kong academic communities to mainland Chinese networks, he introduced a spectrum of RGC funding opportunities tailored to various career stages and regions. 

Building on such opportunities, HKBU has recently seen encouraging results at the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), alongside the GRF, ECS, Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Scheme, and Overseas Research Fellowship Scheme earlier this year.
 

Professor James Tang, Secretary-General, University Grants Committee.

Professor Tang also detailed funding allocations across various schemes and fellowships, underscoring the RGC’s steadfast commitment to supporting ambitious, far-reaching research.

As the engaging discussion came to an end, colleagues from across faculties connected and shared ideas over a networking lunch. The Research Community Assembly provided a perfect opportunity for fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and future collaborations.

Leaders in Hong Kong's research sector mingle during the event. From left: Cissy Lo, Head of Grants at the Croucher Foundation; Professor Tang; and Professor Cheung.

Professor Alexander Wai (right), President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU, networks with guests and researchers during the event.

As we embark on this new academic year, the assembly has set the tone of ambition, rigour, and community spirit for all of HKBU's researchers.

Distinguished guests and University leaders join other senior research members of HKBU for a group photo, capturing a moment of shared commitment to advancing research excellence at HKBU. From left, Mountain Hsu, Director and President of BHKAEC; Professor Poon; Professor Christy Cheung; Professor Tang; Professor Lyu, Professor Liu Jiming, Interim Provost and Chair Professor in Computer Science; Professor Cheung King-ho, School of Chinese Medicine; Dean and Chair Professor in Social Sciences, and Professor Li Min, Dean and Chair Professor in Chinese Medicine.

Featuring significant researchers and schemes of HKBU including Rising Stars, Outstanding Research Output Awards, RGC fellowships, Guangdong and Hong Kong Universities "1+1+1" Joint Research Collaboration Schemes, the display area also recognise the recipients of GRF and ECS of 2026 for their achievements and efforts.

Featuring significant researchers and schemes of HKBU including Rising Stars, Outstanding Research Output Awards, RGC fellowships, Guangdong and Hong Kong Universities "1+1+1" Joint Research Collaboration Schemes, the display area also recognise the recipients of GRF and ECS of 2026 for their achievements and efforts.

Researchers engage with interactive activities at the fun booth, designing their own tote bags and luggage tags.

Researchers engage with interactive activities at the fun booth, designing their own tote bags and luggage tags.

As a supplementary service for the new academic year, the event also offers complimentary portrait shooting for researchers and participants.

Participants enjoy the panel discussions and the Q&A session.

Participants enjoy the panel discussions and the Q&A session.

Thanks to broad participation across faculties and schools, alongside strong support from major funding organisations, the HKBU Research Community Assembly 2026 was a resounding success. The Research Office looks forward to another promising year of innovation and collaboration.