Hong Kong Polytechnic University President, Professor Timothy W. Tong was in San Francisco on July 21, briefing local educators, academia and business leaders on the upcoming changes of the university structure in Hong Kong.

Speaking at the business luncheon organized by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco in conjunction with the Hong Kong Association of Northern California and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University Association (Northern California), Professor Tong said that the university emphasized creativity and entrepreneurial spirit in addition to all-round development of the students.

He further commented that one of the major challenges the tertiary education in Hong Kong currently face was to switch from the three-year mode to the new four-year curriculum. The new curriculum seeks to infuse students with a broader knowledge base and a more all-round development. The new academic structure will also align the Hong Kong education system with other major education systems in the world. With the new structure, the universities will need to hire more professors in the next few years. He encouraged local academia to consider pursuing their careers in Hong Kong.

At the business luncheon, Professor Tong gave the audience an overview of the latest development of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, including the various Research and Development programs and partnerships with private and public organizations on projects spanning a wide range of aspects from cancer treatment and Chinese medicine to textile technology, electrically driven vehicle, and “Fibre Optic Sensor System”.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, an “applied research” university, has filed over 600 patents in the past 10 years. Research projects by the University have also won numerous internationally acclaimed awards.

Professor Tong takes office as the new President of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University with effect from 1 January 2009. Prior to his current appointment, Professor Tong was Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) at The George Washington University in the US.