Inventions

Researchers break a fundamental rule to create a new concept: heat that can be directed and “programmed”. In most materials, heat absorption and heat emission are linked, meaning a surface that absorbs thermal radiation well from a particular direction will also emit it in the same way. A team from OMU in Japan has designed a reconfigurable device that breaks this symmetry, enabling heat to be absorbed and emitted differently depending on the direction of absorption. This technology could eventually lead to smarter thermal-management systems and infrared sensors.

Prof Chen Xi, Dean of the Wu Jieh Yee School of Interdisciplinary Studies (WJYSIS) and Chair Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Lingnan University, has been elected an ICCES Distinguished Fellow by the International Conference on Computational & Experimental Engineering and Sciences. This prestigious honour recognises his outstanding contributions in distributed carbon dioxide capture and utilisation, advanced materials and structures of AI adoption, soft robots, and flexible batteries.

Lingnan University has secured funding for 49 research projects in the 2026/27 competitive funding rounds of the Research Grants Council (RGC), including the General Research Fund (GRF), the Early Career Scheme (ECS), and the Humanities and Social Sciences Prestigious Fellowship Scheme (HSSPFS), with total awarded funding approaching HK$27 million. Of these, 48 projects were supported under the GRF and ECS schemes, marking a record high for the University. Funding secured under the ECS scheme alone increased by nearly 30 per cent year-on-year, underscoring the strong research capability and academic excellence of Lingnan’s early-career scholars.

The School of Graduate Studies (GS) at Lingnan University launched the Postgraduate Summer School 2026. This year's programme focuses on interdisciplinary methodological approaches, including the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and innovative mixed method designs. Lingnan is providing scholarship for each of the 18 outstanding postgraduate students, which includes sending them to the University of Oxford for an intensive UK session to further expand their horizons.

Lingnan University has achieved another historic milestone in the newly released Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026. Its overall ranking surged from the 101st - 200th band last year to 63rd place globally—breaking into the top 100 for the first time, and coming third of the Hong Kong SAR’s eight UGC-funded universities. Lingnan University has achieved another historic milestone in the newly released Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026. Its overall ranking surged from the 101st - 200th band last year to 63rd place globally—breaking into the top 100 for the first time, and coming third of the Hong Kong SAR’s eight UGC-funded universities. Seven Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were classed in the top 100 globally, more than doubling last year’s achievements. “SDG 4: Quality Education” has retained its position as number one worldwide, “SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities” has risen sharply from last year’s 101st - 200th band to 11th globally, “SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth” ranked 27th globally, and “SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals” came 55th globally.

Sweet power nanogenerator, Cosmic fossil, Dopamine and Alzheimer's link, Sustainable 3D printing, Quantum dots for brain diseases, Smart trolley and Bamboo and bone. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice. Plus SciCom Coffee talk: Inside a University Merger.

Lingnan University has achieved a major advancement in the latest Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2027, rising 120 places to 581st globally, its biggest jump in recent years. Lingnan recorded an outstanding performance across several key indicators, achieving a full score for International Faculty, ranking 34th worldwide, alongside a highly competitive result for International Students, placing at 76th worldwide. The University also achieved a significant rise of 211 places in Sustainability and climbed 64 places in Academic Reputation.

Wrinkles or dents appearing on material surfaces are often regarded as signs of damage or deformation. In a recent collaborative review paper published in the internationally recognised journal Nano-Micro Letters and titled Harnessing Surface Instabilities for Functional Materials: Mechanics, Morphology, and Emerging Applications, researchers from Lingnan University propose that naturally formed surface textures in materials could in future be combined with artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted design to develop novel functional materials. The technology would potentially support applications in intelligent anti-counterfeiting, artificial organs, and stretchable batteries.

On 19 May 2026, a delegation led by Prof Wei Zhiqiang, President of Qingdao University, visited Lingnan University, and was warmly received by Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science at Lingnan University, and other University representatives. Prof Qin and Prof Wei signed a university-level Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) witnessed by representatives from both institutions to further coordinate development and reinforce collaboration between higher education institutions in Shandong and the Hong Kong SAR.

The Hong Kong Direct Subsidy Scheme Schools Council Limited (DSSSC) and Lingnan University officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 19th May 2026. The two parties announced they will work together to provide systematic advancement support for non-local students in Direct Subsidy Scheme schools. This collaboration marks Lingnan as the sixth local university to sign an MoU with the DSSSC, showcasing the DSSSC’s fruitful achievements in driving close cooperation with local tertiary institutions. By establishing strategic admission channels and comprehensive transitional support, both parties aim to actively support and promote the government's "Study in Hong Kong" brand, jointly nurturing outstanding talents and enhancing Hong Kong's attractiveness as an international education hub.

A new cohort of Outstanding Scholarly Work Awardees (OSWA) across the Ateneo’s nine schools reflect a shared commitment to research that extends beyond the confines of the University.

With the rapid growth of Hong Kong’s logistics and delivery services, frontline movers and delivery workers have to cope with physically demanding labour over long periods of time. The United Nations University Hub on Humanitarian Innovation and Technology at Lingnan University (UNU Hub at Lingnan University), the first UNU Hub in Asia and jointly established by Lingnan University and the United Nations University (UNU), recently developed the “IntuCREW – Intelligent Power Assist System”, an AI-powered smart trolley solution that upgrades conventional handcarts into intelligent, power-assisted transport platforms. The system can reduce the pushing effort required to move loads of about 200 kilograms by up to 90 per cent, a force comparable to pushing a 20-kilogram load, significantly easing the physical strain on logistics and delivery workers.

Malaysia Technology Expo 2026 celebrated a successful Silver Jubilee Edition with a strong global participation: 412 inventions showcased and 4,112 regional visitors.

The evolution of higher education in the digital era has attracted global attention, and Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science at Lingnan University, recently published a paper titled “AI for education: The digital transformation of a liberal arts institution – implementation at Lingnan University” in a leading international journal Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence. The paper’s in-depth analysis of the role artificial intelligence (AI) plays in education uses Lingnan as a case study to examine the success of its pilot initiatives.

Leading international industrial media outlet Control Global has announced that Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science of Lingnan University, has been inducted into the 2026 Process Automation Hall of Fame in recognition of his long-term outstanding contributions and far-reaching impact in industrial data analytics, process control and automation, the only scholar from the Hong Kong SAR to receive this distinction. Inductees over the years have been key figures driving industrial technological innovation and theoretical breakthroughs, and the accolade is held in very high esteem by both the international academic and industrial communities.

35 scholars from Lingnan University have been named in the latest "World’s Best Scientists 2026" rankings published by Research.com, a leading international academic platform. This achievement underscores the University’s exceptional research capabilities and academic contributions, gaining international recognition for Lingnan’s commitment to "Liberal Arts + Technology" and academic excellence.

Transforming film education through interactive game – CineSim, developed by the Department of Digital Arts and Creative Industries at Lingnan University, received the Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year award at the Times Higher Education Awards Asia 2026 on the evening of 22 April. Widely regarded as the Oscars of higher education, the Awards are highly competitive, and Lingnan University stood out from more than 500 entries worldwide to become the only institution to receive the Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year award. This achievement clearly demonstrates the University’s lead in educational innovation and the application of digital technologies, which have earned full recognition from the international higher education community.

Engineers at NIMS develop a system that captures all the elements of trial and error in material design, enabling reliable reproduction of the reasoning processes and results

Wireless signals do not travel well through the human body, especially in high-frequency bands, such as the UWB band, making it difficult for swallowable medical devices to reliably send data outside the body. By accounting for how different frequencies behave in the body, researchers adjusted each part of the signal to match how it is absorbed and distorted by tissue, creating a stronger, clearer signal at the receiver.

Lingnan University and Yuanpei College of Peking University (PKU) organised the Lingnan-Yuanpei STEM Summer Academy (LYSSA) jointly for the third consecutive year. Coordinated by the Lingnan’s Office of Student Affairs, the LYSSA 2026 opening ceremony took place virtually on 20 April 2026, and attracted more than 40 experts, instructors, and students from both universities, providing a platform for Beijing-Hong Kong SAR youth to discuss innovation and entrepreneurship, improve their future competitiveness at work, and promote cultural exchanges and cooperation. The winning team will receive a cash prize of HK$50,000, as well as an incubation fund of up to HK$500,000 from the Lingnan Foundation, to support students in transforming their innovative ideas into entrepreneurial projects, products, or services with market potential.

To enhance the business acumen and practical experience of students from Hong Kong and Greater Bay Area (GBA) tertiary institutions, the Hong Kong Institute of Business Studies (HKIBS) at Lingnan University organised the third Business Case Competition (LUBCC) 2026. The Final Presentation Day and Award Presentation Ceremony were successfully held yesterday (12 April). This year’s competition expanded for the first time to include five GBA universities: Shenzhen University, Jinan University, Foshan University, Guangdong University of Finance and Economics, and Guangdong University of Technology. The first-prize teams were Lingnan University and Foshan University.

New technology coming out of Ateneo de Manila University is helping reveal the technology of the Philippines' deep past.

In response to the global demand for clean energy transition, tandem solar cells are recognised as a crucial next-generation technology that will significantly improve solar power efficiency. Scholars from Lingnan University’s Wu Jieh Yee School of Interdisciplinary Studies (WJYSIS) and their collaborators have innovatively developed a novel interfacial structure, which substantially reduces energy loss and successfully overcomes the current limitations of perovskite solar cells in voltage, further improving the efficiency of converting sunlight into electricity. Their findings, published in the top-tier international journal Nature Communications, affirm Lingnan University’s research capabilities in the fields of renewable energy materials and photovoltaic technology.

Opening new possibilities for fluorescence-based imaging in extreme environments, from bioimaging to advanced materials

Lingnan University has achieved outstanding results in the international higher education organisation Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings by Subject 2026. Nine broad and individual subjects were designated, and more than half moved up. Philosophy came in the top three in Hong Kong, and Computer Science and Information Systems is included in the list for the first time, showing Lingnan’s considerable recent progress in developing interdisciplinary research in artificial intelligence and data science, which has gained widespread recognition from the international academic community. QS stated that only three Hong Kong universities have achieved a net improvement, with Lingnan University among the most improved.

Lingnan University proudly hosted its signature fundraising event, the Bright Future Charitable Foundation presents: Lingnan University Gala Dinner, held last night (18 March), and raised over HK$3 million. All proceeds will be used to enhance the University’s research facilities, supporting infrastructure, and cutting-edge research projects.

Lingnan University held its 2026 Chinese New Year media reception on the Tuen Mun campus today, 17 March, hosted by Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science; Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing; Prof Xin Yao, Vice-President (Research and Innovation) and Tong Tin Sun Chair Professor of Machine Learning; Mr Ernest Chan Chi-man, Vice-President (Administration); Prof Sam Kwong Tak-Wu, Associate Vice-President (Strategic Research) and J.K. Lee Chair Professor of Computational Intelligence, and Prof Lau Chi-pang, Special Advisor to President on Publicity cum Director of Communications and Public Affairs. They announced the University’s most recent news and its strategic development blueprint for the coming years, which includes a series of campus development initiatives which will continue to improve teaching, research, and innovation.

The Lingnan University Institute for Advanced Study (LUIAS) hosted a conferment ceremony today, 10 March, to honour Prof Guillermo Sapiro, Augustine Family Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Princeton University and Distinguished Engineer at Apple, Inc. He was formally appointed a Lingnan Fellow in recognition of his remarkable academic achievements and significant contributions in the field.

The Ateneo Laboratory for Intelligent Visual Environments (ALIVE) is eager to co-develop machine learning solutions with leading experts from various disciplines.

Lingnan University announced today (4 March) that it will officially launch the Samuel C.C. Ting Elite Class (CCT Class) in the 2026/27 academic year. The Class, bearing the name of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Professor Samuel C.C. Ting, will select a group of top-performing undergraduate students from among recipients of the University Entrance Scholarships for comprehensive learning opportunities.