CityUHK SEE Research Highlights Featured in THE Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026
City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) has been prominently featured in the latest edition of the Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026, showcasing the university's global leadership in climate science and sustainable technological innovations through two key initiatives led by researchers from the School of Energy and Environment (SEE).
UNESCO-Endorsed Asia Sea-Level Knowledge Hub (ASK-Hub) Led by Prof. Benjamin Horton
One of the featured initiatives is the Asia Sea-Level Knowledge Hub (ASK-Hub), a regional centre of excellence hosted at CityUHK and endorsed by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) as a United Nations Ocean Decade Action.
Led by Dean of SEE, Prof. Benjamin Horton, following a research expedition to Antarctica, the ASK-Hub addresses the critical risks of melting ice sheets and rising sea levels across Asia. This climate resilience framework operates alongside high-impact faculty studies, including a Nature Climate Change publication co-authored by the team warning of massive global economic impacts and life expectancy reductions due to intensifying El Niño events.
Photo Source: Courtesy of THE World Universities Insights Limited.
UNESCO -Endorsed FIRST Programme Led by Prof. Edwin Tso
THE also highlighted the FIRST Programme (Fostering Innovation for Resilience and Sustainable Transformation), a UNESCO-endorsed initiative led by Prof. Edwin Tso, Associate Dean (Internationalisation and Outreach) of SEE and Director of the FIRST Programme.
With partnerships spanning more than 45 institutions across 25 countries, the programme promotes accessible and scalable technologies that address pressing sustainability challenges around the world. Under Prof. Tso’s leadership, the programme has advanced several transformative technologies developed by his research team, including:
- Passive radiative cooling coatings that reduce energy consumption for cooling;
- Low-cost printable solar films that expand access to renewable energy;
- Biomass waste-to-value conversion technologies that support circular economy solutions; and
- Human-powered sanitation systems designed to improve sanitation in resource-constrained communities.
These innovations demonstrate how engineering research can be translated into affordable, practical solutions with tangible social impact.
Driving Climate Resilience and Sustainable Transformation
The feature in THE Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026 underscores SEE’s unique strength in bridging world-leading climate science with impactful engineering innovation. Through initiatives such as the ASK-Hub and the FIRST Programme, CityUHK continues to contribute to climate resilience, sustainable development, and global knowledge exchange, while delivering real-world solutions to some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.
Photo Source: Courtesy of THE World Universities Insights Limited.
View the full issue: https://flipbooks.timeshighereducation.com/19712/148288/index.html?98172=&page=1