One-stop shop for expertise
The Institute for Enterprise is a partner to business and industry, helping out with state-of-the-art innovations
THE UNIVERSITY'S Institute for Enterprise (IFE) was established in 1999 as a one-stop shop for technological innovation and professional expertise for the community's use.
Lui Sun-wing, the university's vice-president (partnership development), said the IFE responded to requests from the community and reached out to industry and business to promote the university's innovations and assorted expertise. It also maintained links with private enterprises with initiatives such as a CEOs' club for senior decision makers.
The IFE co-ordinates Polytechnic University's innovations and professional expertise, and works to match them with specific community needs. The goal was to promote the university as a strategic partner in different types of public and private sector organisations, Dr Lui said.
'One of our major client groups is small and medium-sized enterprises. Big corporations also engage us to help them resolve complex technical or management problems that require technology or expertise.'
In 2005-06, the university's research work was carried in 1,875 refereed (or peer-reviewed) journal papers, 1,417 conference papers and 1,223 other publications. The volume of published refereed journal papers has grown at an annual average of more than 4 per cent over the past five years.
In the 2005/06 academic year, the IFE co-ordinated more than 900 consultancy projects for the private sector, generating more than HK$90 million in revenue. The consultancies spanned information technology, construction and land use, applied sciences and textiles, engineering, language, business management, health and social sciences.
The institute has taken out more than 100 patents so far for university innovations, and about 200 more patents are pending. It has also signed agreements to provide customised technology transfer for international companies such as Imperial Chemical Industries and Procter & Gamble.
'Many international companies like to use Hong Kong as the research and development base for their businesses in the mainland because they have confidence in our legal system and commitment to protecting intellectual property rights,' said Andrew Young Meng-cheung, head of the institute's partnership development office. 'We also help mainland enterprises that wish to expand overseas.'
Mr Young said the institute had the potential to facilitate two-way business between mainland and overseas companies.
'Apart from our geographic advantage, Hong Kong attracts both sides by virtue of our international outlook, world-class facilities, free flow of information, rule of law and respect for intellectual property rights,' he said.
'There is much room for the IFE to develop in this direction, which is in line with Polytechnic University's mission of contributing to China's modernisation and becoming an international institution.'
Dr Lui said PolyU had a niche lead in terms of providing applied research.
