Institutes, Centres and Laboratories

The Hong Kong Institute for Clean Energy (HKICE) aims to be a global leader in promoting cutting-edge research, education, and technology development in clean energy to tackle the grand challenges on achieving global net-zero carbon emission. It provides a vibrant platform to integrate diverse background professionals working in clean energy to train next-generation leaders and generate sustainable environmental solutions for creating societal impacts.

The Hong Kong Institute of AI for Science (HKAI-Sci) is dedicated to advancing AI and shaping the future of scientific research. It serves as an international hub for scientific discoveries and explorations through AI, offering a premier platform for researchers and practitioners to advance AI for science.

ArtX Hong Kong (ArtXHK) is a forward-looking interdisciplinary institute at City University of Hong Kong. It is dedicated to nurture the ecosystem for the next-generation of creative economy by catalyzing creative talents, cultural heritage, ArtTech, FinTech, and social communities. ArtXHK serves as a bridge between academic research and creative industries, empowering Hong Kong as a center for global cultural exchange and creative economy.

The establishment of the State Key Laboratory of Terahertz and Millimeter Waves (SKLTMW);at CityUHK was approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China in 2008. It is the first laboratory of its kind in the engineering discipline in Hong Kong. Research activities in the Laboratory focus on the advancements and applications of millimeter wave and terahertz technologies.

State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Health(SKLMEH) is to protect the marine environment of Hong Kong and South China by identifying major threats such as algal toxins and contaminants of emerging environmental concern, and developing tools and technologies to address and tackle marine pollution problems.

Established in 2015 with the approval by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China, the Hong Kong Branch of National Precious Metals Material Engineering Research Center (NPMM) aims to strengthen the national center’s overall capacity by conducting the research of precious metals and nanomaterials, as well as the relevant devices.

The Research Center for Decentralized Trust Computing (CDTC) was founded at the City University of Hong Kong in December 2018. This center meets the distributed system community's urgent need for world-class expertise in computer science that spans cryptography, blockchain technologies and cryptocurrencies, distributed systems, and system security techniques. Aiming for the foundational support and enabling technologies of blockchain and smart contract, CDTC will focus on the areas of Decentralized Trust Computing, from blockchain foundations and theoretical guarantees, to general secure computations and storage applications atop blockchain, and to safeguarding smart contract from systematization perspectives.

The Research Centre for Multimedia Software Engineering (MERC) aims at contributing to development of technologies of multimedia and emerging media-types, in Hong Kong, Pearl River Delta region and other areas of mainland China as a whole, enabled by research with high societal impact, educated human resources, and commercialization of new software from top-class engineering researches.

The Research Centre for Advanced Structural Materials (CASM) is to advance the fundamentals and technologies in advanced structural materials which will create innovative solutions for different key industrial sectors, such as biomedical, automotive, aerospace, sustainable energy.

The Research Centre for Biosystems, Neuroscience, and Nanotechnology (CBNN) merges nanotechnology with biosystems and neuroscience to create a revolutionary impact on many aspects of medicine. The centre aims at developing materials, structures, devices, and microsystems with nanometre precision for single molecule and cell interactions.

Research Centre for Complexity and Complex Networks (CCCN) aims to promote fundamental and applied research on the emerging and cutting-edge technology of chaos control and synchronization, as well as complex dynamical networks, targeting academic leadership and commercial and industrial applications.

The Research Centre for Functional Photonics (CFP) focuses on fundamental studies of light-matter interactions, as well as on design and applications of functional optical materials, with an interdisciplinary team of scientists from departments of Physics, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering at CityUHK.

The Research Centre for Robotics and Automation (CRA) is established by a multidisciplinary research team aiming to develop new knowledge and technology to integrating cyber-infrastructure with engineering systems to enable new technological developments in areas such as manufacturing automation, nanotechnology and drug discovery.

The Research Centre for Smart Energy Conversion and Utilization (CSCR) focuses on the fundamental and applied research in power electronics and its applications.

The Research Centre of Super-Diamond and Advanced Films (COSDAF) aims to be internationally recognized as a leading research centre in nanomaterials and nanotechnology.

The mission of Centre for Animal Health and Welfare is to improve the quality of life of animals by producing high impact research that will bring evidence-based solutions to major health and welfare problems.

The mission of Research Centre for Applied One Health Research and Policy Advice (OHRP) is to develop policies at local, national, regional and international levels for the prevention and control of infectious animal diseases affecting human health, as well as animal health.

The Ability R&D Energy Research Centre (AERC) focuses on research to develop the state-of-the-art energy-efficient and energy-saving technologies to reduce fossil fuel consumption, and to develop clean and renewable energy technologies to achieve sustainable energy supply.

The objectives of the Research Centre for Global Supply Chain (CGSC) are to promote economic prosperity of the countries along the belt and road and regional economic cooperation, to strengthen exchanges and mutual learning between different civilizations, and to promote world peace and development.

The Research Centre for Applied Computing and Interactive Media (ACIM) is to promote the development of core competencies in the areas of computational science and engineering, data visualization, digital humanities, new media technology and the creative arts.

The Research Centre for Chinese and Comparative Law (CCCL) aspires to become the premier Chinese and comparative law research centre in the Asia Pacific region through organizing and facilitating research on Chinese and comparative law.

The Research Centre for Hong Kong Commercial and Maritime Law (HKCML) seeks to enhance and promote research in commercial law and maritime law, and to provide educational opportunities to scholars, lawyers and business professionals.

Named after the world-renowned linguist Professor M.A.K. Halliday, the Halliday Centre for Intelligent Applications of Language Studies (HCLS) aims to advance the knowledge about how language works to construe human experience and enact social relationships, and to apply linguistic insights in education and other applications.

The Research Centre for Communication (CCR) aims to investigate the cutting-edge issues under the forces of technological convergence and media globalization in the Asian context. Its core members are at the forefront of research and publications in international communication, media effects, new media, communication for social change, and political economy of the media.

The Research Centre for East Asian and Comparative Philosophy (CEACOP) aims to promote and enhance the study of East Asian and comparative philosophy, by conducting research programmes in East Asian and comparative ethics, political philosophy, law, religion, the ethical status of non-human animals, and environmental ethics.

The Research Centre for Sustainable Hong Kong (CSHK), established in June 2017, is an Applied Strategic Development Centre of CityUHK. CSHK houses the SusHK Hub and supports all the research and collaborative activities with stakeholders from different sectors and regions. The mission of CSHK is to analyze and develop solutions to meet critical sustainability issues in Hong Kong from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Professor Linda Chelan Li, Department of Public Policy of CityUHK, is appointed as Centre Director.

The Tung Biomedical Sciences Centre serves as an interdisciplinary research hub dedicated to biomedical research and development, and provide a platform for multidisciplinary teams of investigators and students to work together and understand the fundamental mechanisms of initiation and progression of diseases, and to translate new discoveries into novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for prediction, prevention and treatments of these diseases.

Jointly established by the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) and the School of Law (SLW), the CLASS/SLW Research Centre for Public Affairs and Law (CPAL) promotes world class research on interdisciplinary studies in social sciences and law disciplines related to public affairs. It builds knowledge using evidence-based approaches, big data and devising policy and law-based solutions to policy challenges.

The Liu Bie Ju Centre for Mathematical Sciences (LBJ) is to conduct first-class research in applied mathematics and in computational mathematics. As a leading research centre in the Asia-Pacific region, its basic objective is to strive for excellence in applied mathematical sciences.

Research Engagement Centre for Judicial Education and Research cum Identification of Hong Kong Law (JERI) oversees the management and strategic development of the Chinese judges programmes, currently run by the School of Law (SLW).

The inter-university 3D Atom Probe Tomography Unit is equipped with 3D atom probe tomography (3D-APT), which is a state-of-the-art micro-analysis technique offering extensive capabilities for both 3D imaging and quantitative chemical analysis with near atomic resolution for conducting advanced materials research.

Laboratory Animal Research Unit (LARU) is a centralised animal facility at CityUHK. It has two holding rooms for rat and mice and a surgical area for dissection or other related experiments. Users can apply to house their research animals in LARU and it is charged on a daily basis.

CAS-CityUHK Joint Laboratories, which include Joint Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Nanomechanics, Joint Laboratory for Robotics, Joint Laboratory for Functional Materials and Devices, Joint Laboratory on Neutron Scattering Science and Technology, are jointly established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and CityUHK.

CityUHK collaborated with the Futian District People's Government of Shenzhen to co-establish a mainland legal entity registered in the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone, known as the CityUHK Shenzhen Futian Research Institute. In May 2024, it was renamed the CityUHK Matter Science Research Institute (Futian), adopting a "one institute, two zones" operational management model. This allows the institute to share innovative resources between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, breaking down the tangible and intangible barriers to Shenzhen–Hong Kong technology cooperation, and facilitating the efficient and convenient flow of elements such as personnel, capital, technology and information.

The City University of Hong Kong Chengdu Research Institute (CityUHKCRI) is a joint project between CityUHK and the Shuangliu government of Chengdu (Sichuan Province) based on a collaborative agreement. It was the University’s first research institute established in the western region of the mainland, for research and development, incubation and innovation, and professional education and training.

CityUHK Qingdao Research Institute (CityUHKQRI) was officially established in the West Coast New Area of Qingdao in January 2025. As Hong Kong's first high-level innovation research institute in Qingdao, CityUHKQRI is aligned with national strategies to drive industrial upgrading. It aims to be a science and innovation hub, bridging north and south, connecting globally, and setting a new benchmark for Hong Kong-Shandong cooperation.

CityUHKQRI will prioritise cutting-edge fields such as electronics, new materials, new energy, biomedicine, marine science and AI-related programmes. Joint laboratories and university-enterprise cooperation will accelerate the translation of research outcomes into practical applications. At the same time, CityUHKQRI will drive a comprehensive innovation ecosystem that integrates foundational research, applied advanced technology development and new industrial incubation. CityUHK will also harness its world-class academic reputation and global networks to inject cutting-edge innovation resources into Qingdao, empowering the West Coast New Area with excellent international technological capabilities. CityUHKQRI is poised to become an international hub for scientific research and talent development.