The School of Computing and Data Science (CDS) at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has received international recognition at the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva, held from 11 to 15 March 2026, with three award-winning projects showcasing the School’s research excellence and commitment to knowledge transfer.

As part of HKU’s outstanding achievement at one of the world’s leading exhibitions devoted exclusively to inventions and innovations, CDS researchers received two Silver Medals and one Bronze Medal for projects spanning artificial intelligence, education innovation and ESG technologies.

Professor Yi Ma, Director of CDS, remarked, “At CDS, we believe that true innovation happens at the intersection of foundational research and practical application. This is the first time that CDS has stood in an international competition and won the awards. This recognition affirms our commitment to advancing AI and data science research, ensuring our discoveries evolve into technologies shaping industries and societies. It stands as a testament to our researchers’ ability to ask fundamental questions and deliver real-world impact.”

Silver Medal-winning projects

• HINCare: AI Solution for Intelligent Volunteer Matching (Led by Prof. Reynold Cheng, Division Head of AI & Data Science, CDS)
  HINCare is a large-scale, data-driven platform that supports volunteering and timebanking through AI-powered matching between users in need and volunteers. Equipped with a user-friendly app and cloud-based analytics, the platform is currently used by 20,000 users and 20 NGOs in Hong Kong, generating an estimated social capital of HK$7 million.

• HKU Campusland for STEAM Education with AI (Led by Dr. Adela S.M. Lau, Division of Statistics and Actuarial Science, CDS)
  The project introduces a novel STEAM+IP approach integrating science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics, innovation and industrial practices. Featuring metaverse models, AI chatbots, emotion-detection applications and teacher training resources, it creates an interactive learning environment and has been validated by more than 5,000 users. Four high impact journal papers was published for the applied-research.

Bronze Medal-winning project

• An Integrated ESG Assessment Instrument Using Ontology, Knowledge Management, Big Data and Blockchain (Led by Dr. Adela S.M. Lau, Division of Statistics and Actuarial Science, CDS)
  The project developed an integrated ESG assessment tool based on ESG ontology, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) framework and a novel maturity model. Combining knowledge management, big data analytics and blockchain-enabled web services, the instrument supports ESG benchmarking and business opportunity mapping, and has been validated by 30 users and five companies. A company also got the green tender with the ESG instrument. A high impact journal (textbook series) was published and validated the scientific value of our instrument.

The annual International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva is a top global event where inventors and institutions showcase breakthroughs and foster collaboration.

CDS warmly congratulates Prof. Cheng, Dr. Lau and their teams on this achievement.