CUHK Faculty of Arts Achieves Global Recognition, Consolidating Position as Leading Asian Hub for Humanities Research

The Sun24-04-2025

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 24 April 2025 - The Faculty of Arts at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has made remarkable advancement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025. Eight subjects offered in the Faculty are ranked in the top 50 globally, among them Linguistics (#10), Modern Languages (#24), Anthropology and Philosophy (both #28). These rankings highlight the Faculty's growing impact in global humanities education and research.
Innovative Interdisciplinary Approach in Academic Offerings
The Faculty has always been pivotal to CUHK's mission of integrating Chinese and Western traditions and advancing bilingual education and humanities research. As the largest institution for postgraduate humanities education in Hong Kong, the Faculty offers over 40 postgraduate programmes across its academic departments: Anthropology, China Studies, Chinese Language and Literature, Cultural and Religious Studies, English, Fine Arts, History, Japanese Studies, Linguistics and Modern Languages, Music, Philosophy, and Translation.
The Faculty's commitment to interdisciplinary education is reflected through programmes such as the MA in Intercultural Studies, which draws on faculty members' expertise in film, digital media, gender studies, and urban studies. In addition, many research centres and affiliated units actively promote interdisciplinary research. The Research Institute for the Humanities (RIH), in particular, supports research projects ranging from AI to bioarchaeology, from digital to urban humanities. RIH also runs initiatives that help extend postgraduate students' intellectual horizons and professional preparations.
Research Recognition and Student Success
Recent faculty accolades include the Dan David Prize won by Professor Stuart McManus, Associate Professor in the Department of History. A historian of the global Renaissance and the first scholar from an Asian university to receive this prestigious award in global history, Professor McManus examines both the brighter and darker sides of the Renaissance as an important early period of globalisation: the histories of slavery, the spread of renaissance humanism and the connected histories of law and religion.
The Faculty makes available many resources and opportunities in support of student development. Dr. Fabricio Oliveira da Silva, a PhD graduate in Applied English Linguistics, gained invaluable experience through international conference presentations and extensive research opportunities provided by the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS). 'Studying at CUHK was an incredible journey of intellectual growth and personal development. The academic environment, supportive faculty, and diverse student community at CUHK fostered my passion for research. The fact of being a CUHK student and HKPFS awardee has already opened doors for me, such as job offers, publishing a book chapter, invited lectures and research cooperation. I am sure there is more to come.'
Since its establishment in 1963, the Faculty of Arts at CUHK has seen tremendous growth. It continues to advance today by fostering cutting-edge, collaborative, and impactful research. Through its comprehensive programmes and international partnerships, it is now truly a leader of humanities education and research in Asia.
Explore the diverse postgraduate programmes offered by CUHK's Faculty of Arts: https://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk/admissions/programme/arts.

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Chinese team's edible fruit coating can more than double shelf life: paper

The Star

an hour ago

The Star

Chinese team's edible fruit coating can more than double shelf life: paper

Chinese scientists have developed an edible, washable protein-based coating that can extend the shelf life of fruit by 2½ times, by reducing moisture loss and microbial growth. The low-cost coating was tested across 17 varieties of whole and cut fruits, including strawberry, tomato, kiwi and mango. It was shown to effectively delay rot by almost a week or more, at a cost of just 9 US cents per kilogram of fruit, according to a paper in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications. The new strategy is as effective as existing preservation methods but reduces carbon dioxide emissions and the potential for toxicity, offering a promising solution to a major factor in global food waste. 'Addressing critical challenges in perishable fruit preservation ... we present an eco-friendly amyloid-like protein coating strategy developed through computer-aided molecular simulation,' the team led by researchers at Shaanxi Normal University said in their paper published on May 31. 'With edible properties, easy washability, and low cost, the coating demonstrates universal applicability for post-harvest and fresh-cut fruits.' Around a third of all food produced globally is wasted, most of it perishable items like fruit and vegetables. While all fruit have a natural protective barrier on their surface, harvesting renders them easily perishable due to dehydration, microbial growth, oxidation and ageing, thus limiting shelf life. Strategies explored to extend the shelf life of fruit include genetic modification, wax coating, cold storage, and using 'harmful' chemical preservatives such as formaldehyde. While the waxing of fruit is widely adopted, there are concerns over the health implications of long-term consumption, due to the potential of wax to restrict oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange, according to the research team. Meanwhile, cold storage may be more biosafe than some of the other methods, but it is expensive and energy-intensive, which adds to global carbon emissions. Functional coating technologies using natural substances are a promising alternative, but developing a combination of materials that can evenly spread and adhere over the water-repellent fruit cuticle poses a challenge. The researchers chose to use a phase-transitioned, amyloid-like protein, a type of material that is used to make underwater adhesives and stain-resistant fabric coatings. Amyloid-like proteins are soluble and can be sprayed onto the surface of fruit. The researchers combined this with molecules of antimicrobial materials to make their coating. 'The superior performance of the amyloid-like protein coating stems from its enhanced spreadability, film formation, adhesion robustness and uniformity on fruit surfaces, which result in improved coating stability and prolonged preservation,' the team said in the paper. 'Our coating reduces carbon emissions by 90 per cent compared to standard refrigeration practices while extending shelf life by 2.5 times.' The coating can delay fruit rot while achieving 60 to 98 per cent nutrient retention, which is more efficient than chemical preservation without the risk of toxicity, according to the paper. While bare strawberries showed noticeable signs of decay after four days and severe fungal growth by day 10, the coated strawberries showed no apparent decay over this period. The coating was able to extend the shelf life of cherry tomatoes from six to 16 days, kumquats from 15 to 30 days, and from two to eight days for both bananas and mangoes. The material was also able to function under high temperatures, extending the shelf life of strawberries by three days under 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 degrees Fahrenheit). While freshly cut uncoated apples showed bacterial presence on day two, the coated ones did not show such signs until day eight, indicating that the coating could delay browning and decay even on cut and peeled fruit. 'These findings underscore the universal fresh-keeping capability of the [coating] for fruit, doubling or even quintupling the typical shelf life of highly perishable fruits,' the team said. Researchers from Tianjin University, Xinjiang Normal University, Changan University and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xian Jiaotong University also took part in the study. The biosafety of the coating was tested by feeding rats with spray-coated rat food. The animals exhibited no 'distinct pathological alterations' and their blood, kidney and liver function tests were normal. 'The biocompatible, edible, and easily washable nature of the [amyloid-like protein] coating provides a practical and safer alternative for food preservation,' the team asserted. -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

UTM in top 10% of world's best universities

The Sun

2 days ago

The Sun

UTM in top 10% of world's best universities

JOHOR BAHRU: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) is currently ranked 153rd in the QS World University Rankings (QS WUR) 2026, placing it in the top 10 per cent of the world's best universities and the third best in Malaysia. In a statement today, the university announced that it had climbed 28 places compared to 2025, marking a total rise of 50 positions since 2023, thereby further strengthening its reputation as a global research university. 'UTM recorded significant improvements in several key indicators, including the International Research Network, which showed an increase of 112 places, and Citations per Faculty, which increased by 45 places,' it said. Meanwhile, the Academic Reputation indicator rose by eight places, contributing 31.1 per cent to the overall ranking and reflecting the institution's growing international recognition. Additionally, the 28-place increase in the Lecturer-Student Ratio indicator demonstrates the university's commitment to delivering excellence in teaching quality and academic support. 'This achievement is further strengthened by UTM's success in placing itself at 132nd in the world for International Student Diversity with students from 85 countries,' the statement said. The QS World University Rankings (QS WUR) 2026 involved the assessment of more than 8,467 institutions worldwide, with only 1,501 universities listed based on a rigorous evaluation covering various indicators, including teaching quality, research impact, academic reputation, employer engagement, internationalisation, and sustainability. At the national level, UTM continues to maintain its standing as one of Malaysia's five leading research universities, consistently excelling across core indicators that align with national aspirations and global benchmarks. Meanwhile, UTM Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Mohd Shafry Mohd Rahim, in the same statement, said the latest achievement reinforces UTM's position as an innovation-driven research university, with established strengths in science, technology, and engineering. 'However, what is more important, UTM always adheres to the mission to humanise and democratise knowledge, while ensuring that the innovations produced truly benefit society,' he said. He said UTM's rise in the global rankings reflects a focused strategy that successfully connects academic excellence with meaningful societal impact. In line with the evolving global ranking criteria, which now place greater emphasis on indicators such as sustainability and diversity, he said, UTM continues to strengthen its commitment to high-impact research, inclusive education, and active international engagement. He expressed his appreciation to all staff, students, alumni and international partners for their continuous contributions in raising UTM's name on the world stage

UTM rises to 153rd in QS World University Rankings 2026