Hong Kong universities achieved remarkable success at the 50th International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva, held from April 9 to 13 in Switzerland, collectively winning more than 100 awards.
The event, the world’s largest annual exhibition dedicated entirely to inventions, showcased nearly 1,050 innovations from 35 countries and regions this year, with Hong Kong contributing 299 entries.
Leading the pack, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology set a new record with 38 awards, including two special grand prizes and 22 Gold Medals, seven of which received the prestigious "Congratulations of the Jury” distinction.
One of the most notable inventions was a revolutionary cooling technology developed by Sun Qingping, a professor from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
Unlike conventional refrigerators, this solid-state freezer operates without harmful gases and could cut global carbon dioxide emissions by up to 650 million tons per year if widely adopted.
Another award-winning project, an AI-powered traffic management system created by professor Liu Hao’s team, received the Swiss Automobile Club Prize for using advanced language models to analyze and improve real-time traffic conditions.
City University of Hong Kong followed with 33 awards, including a Special Prize and five Gold Medals with Congratulations of the Jury.
A key innovation, "PRISTINZ Anti-thermal Glass," spearheaded by CityU President Freddy Boey, won dual honors for its energy-saving glass design, which could help reduce building cooling costs.
The University of Hong Kong secured 32 awards, highlighted by a Special Grand Prize -- the Saudi Innovation Excellence Prize -- for its breakthrough flu vaccine research.
Developed by two professors, Leo Poon Lit-man and Alex Chin Wing-hong, from the School of Public Health, the vaccine modifies the influenza virus to trigger a stronger immune response, potentially improving its effectiveness.
Hong Kong Baptist University earned nine awards, including two Gold Medals with Congratulations of the Jury.
One standout project, an herbal medicine formula for treating ulcerative colitis, was created by Professors Bian Zhaoxiang and Tan Hor-yue. Derived from traditional Chinese medicine, the treatment has been approved for clinical trials in China,
Ayra Wang
