Quality Alchemist (品質煉金術師): COMP Retreat 2025 cum Sharing Talk “Bridging Academia & Society”

2025年1月7日星期二

COMP Retreat 2025 cum Sharing Talk “Bridging Academia & Society”

It is my pleasure to participate COMP retreat 2025 from 6 to 7 Jan 2025. We took a photo in front of the hotel.

(Left: Prof. Andy Chun, Dr. Zackary Sin, Prof. Ken Yiu, Dr. Richard Lui, Dr. Kevin Yuen, Dr. Raymond Pang, Dr. Jeff Tang, Dr. Hongcheng Xie and I)

In the beginning, Prof. Li Qing (Head of COMP) gave opening speech.

Then different professors responded to different topics sharing to us.

Most of COMP staffs attended the retreat.

Teaching staffs joined together to discuss different topics.

Completed the morning session, we had lunch together and I selfies with Prof. Andy Chun, Dr. Walter Fung, Dr. Kevin Yuen, Dr. Raymond Pang and Dr. Richard Lui.

After lunch, we walked around the hotel and saw AsiaWorld Expo.

A discussion session took place in the afternoon, then all representatives shared the summary of our thoughts.

Finally, we had dinner together.

Prof. Henry Chan sing some songs for PolyU and COMP for us.

In the evening, all my teaching colleagues celebrated my renewal and drank champagne.

In the second day of retreat, I summarized Prof. Andy Chun’s talk named “Bridging Academia and Society: Leveraging AI for Impact – A Personal Journey”. Firstly, he briefed three key assessment criteria for RAE 2026 including Research output (65%), Impact (20%) and Environment (15%). He pointed out impact can be assessed by reach and significance.

Then Prof. Chun briefed his background and shared his projects including but not limited to HK’s first AI system in airport (1993), City Polytechnic (1994), MTR (1995, 2004, 2013, 2017), Airport Authority (1998), Hospital Authority, Café De Coral (2000), Olympics volunteer rostering (2007), etc.

The project of MTR system in 2017 was named the Top 10 Highest-Impact AI system over the past 30 years by the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI).

Finally, he shared his experience to bridging Academia and Society through six key points below.

1. Theory vs Practice (Consultancy study, Prototype, Technology transfer & Turnkey system)

2. Your Value Proposition (Your niche, personal brand, unique offering)

3. Build up Success Stories (Start with commercial research projects)

4. Market Yourself (Give talks at industry conference & contact companies proactively)

5. Give back to it Community (Join professional and industry organization, e.g. HKCS)

6. Network, Network, Network (Conferences & events, LinkedIn presence)

Lastly, Prof. Andy Chun introduced MTR Research Funding Scheme 2025 to us and he quoted Kurt Lewin statement as conclusion that is “No research without action, No action without research.”