Science and Civilisation - Joseph Needham Professorship

With over 85 years of rich heritage, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has evolved alongside society and made pivotal contributions to the development of Hong Kong, the Nation and the world. The University pursues world-class excellence in education, research and knowledge transfer to nurture socially responsible leaders and professionals, as well as to drive impactful research and innovation. PolyU will strive to continually excel as an innovative world-class university that makes a positive impact on society, living up to the University’s motto: “To learn and to apply, for the benefit of mankind”.

Ranked among the top 100 universities globally by well-known ranking organisations such as Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), Times Higher Education (THE) and U.S. News & World Report, PolyU offers a wide range of world-class educational and research programmes in seven faculties and three independent schools. PolyU has furthermore achieved commendable results in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025 – it is ranked in the global top 30 for seven subjects, is first in Hong Kong for three subjects, and is in the global top 100 for 26 subjects. For further details about the University, please visit PolyU’s website at https://www.polyu.edu.hk/.

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES
Joseph Needham Professorship in Science and Civilisation (Ref. 250603011)
The Faculty of Humanities at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is dedicated to creating synergies among language, communication, history, culture, and technology in education and research, highlighting both the discovery and the transfer of knowledge. It is a leading tertiary education provider in Greater China and Asia in the fields of language science, language technology, Chinese-English bilingual studies and translation, intercultural communication, and cultural and historical studies of China. It is also exceling in areas such as speech therapy, language neuroscience, AI-empowered methodologies and modelling, and healthcare communication. It consists of three academic departments, namely the Department of Chinese and Bilingual Studies, the Department of Chinese History and Culture and the Department of English and Communication. The appointee will be appointed as Chair Professor in one of the academic units under the Faculty of Humanities. Please visit the website at https://www.polyu.edu.hk/fh for more information about the Faculty.

Duties
The position calls for a visionary academic leader to advance the strategic and sustainable development of the Faculty in Science and Civilisation. The successful candidate will combine world-class scholarship with exceptional leadership to shape the future of these disciplines. The appointee will be required to:

1. provide leadership in long-term strategic planning that aligns with the University’s goals;
2. provide leadership in strengthening local and international partnerships to advance research and education goals;
3. develop scholarly initiatives by fostering collaboration, securing external funding, and enhancing innovative, high-impact interdisciplinary research;
4. mentor junior faculty in teaching, research and service excellence;
5. teach and develop curricula in science and civilisation, including Chinese science and technology history, at undergraduate and postgraduate levels;
6. supervise postgraduate students actively and provide guidance on their research and career development;
7. provide active service to committee work at all levels in the Faculty and the University as well as to the scholarly community;
8. provide administrative support and advice for academic and Faculty/department affairs; and
9. perform any other duties as assigned by the Head of Department or his/her delegates.

Qualifications
Applicants should have:

1. a PhD degree in a relevant discipline, evidence of eminent scholarship and substantial relevant experience in a senior academic position, and relevant professional qualifications where appropriate;
2. attainment of an academic rank of full professor or above at an internationally reputable university;
3. a global perspective, proven track record of academic leadership, and a distinguished international reputation in research and scholarship;
4. a strong record in attracting and managing competitive research funding;
5. a strong potential to develop local and international networks of partnerships and linkages with the community, for both professional and public sectors;
6. a strong commitment to excellence in teaching and learning with substantial relevant teaching experiences;
7. proven academic leadership and ability to foster collaboration with colleagues in teaching, intellectual contributions, and service activities to bring visibility, prestige and reputation to the University; and
8. an excellent command of both English and Chinese.

Conditions of Service
Terms of appointment and remuneration package are negotiable and highly competitive. For general information on terms and conditions for appointment of academic staff in the University, please visit the website https://www.polyu.edu.hk/hro/docdrive/careers/doc/Prof.pdf

Application and Nomination
The University invites applications and nominations for this appointment. Please submit an application through PolyU’s career website (https://jobs.polyu.edu.hk/academic). Candidature may also be recommended by nominations via email to [email protected]. Consideration of applications and nominations will commence on 1 August 2025 until the position is filled. General information about the University is available at https://www.polyu.edu.hk or from the Human Resources Office [Tel: (852) 3400 3544]. The University’s Personal Information Collection Statement for recruitment can be found at https://www.polyu.edu.hk/hro/careers/pics_for_recruitment/.

PolyU is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to fostering an environment that embraces diversity and demonstrates inclusion of people from all backgrounds, cultures, identities and experiences where all members of the University are treated with fairness, dignity and respect. To learn more about the University’s “Statement on Equal Opportunities, Diversity, and Inclusion”, please visit our website at https://www.polyu.edu.hk/hro/equal_opportunities_diversity_and_inclusion/.