We believe research should not be conducted in isolation and shared only within small professional circles. Rather, it should be seen by the public and have a positive impact on the world.
The following five overarching research themes identified specifically for this purpose enhance our capacity to respond to academic and societal challenges in our highly interconnected world.
As human and animal health are becoming more and more interdependent, we have adopted the “One Health” approach to designing measures for safeguarding public health in response to global challenges. Under this overarching theme, we are developing and integrating interdisciplinary, problem-based research collaborations and communications in all aspects of health-related issues.
The impact of the digital age is enormous especially in terms of the potential for new technological development to advance our economy, culture and society. Consequently we need interdisciplinary research and digital innovations for daily life as well as a thorough understanding of the relationship between digital technology and people and their societies if we are to solve pressing issues facing society.
Smart City provides a cross-cutting theme for diverse disciplines and programmes leading to innovative solutions that address regional and global concerns about sustainable energy, climate change, environmental degradation, urban planning, government regulation, and law.
The study of matter (or materials) is one of the three pillars on which modern civilisation is built. It covers different aspects of research, from synthesis to processing and fabrication, from properties evaluation to modification, and from design to applications. It focuses on the integration of advanced materials, nanotechnology and computer science to address ageing and health, new energy sources and storage, environmental hazards, future information and communication technology, and additive manufacturing routes such as 3D/4D printing.
Covering biology, chemistry, neuroscience, medicine, psychology, computer science and linguistics, the study of brain is an interdisciplinary collaborative efforts to have better understanding of the structure and functions of the brain, the fundamental mechanisms of biological processes and diseases, as well as translating the findings into diagnostic tools and treatments. It is also related to the computer brain, namely artificial intelligence, for a deeper understanding of the potential of the human–machine interface, which may enhance productivity, thus driving the advancement of society as a whole.
To foster the interdisciplinary research, CityU has established 2 Research Institutes, 19 Research Centres, and 9 Applied Strategic Development Centres covering different areas of strategic importance.
With the approval from the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, CityU has established 2 State Key Laboratories and 1 Chinese National Engineering Research Center.