As early as 2005, PolyU was a designated partner of the Chinese national gymnastics squad and worked with the tennis squad. In 2006, PolyU was appointed as an official partner in research and technology development of the Chinese Olympic Committee with the aim of helping all of China's national sports squads prepare for the Beijing Olympics. Making use of its multitude of strengths in nursing, rehabilitation science and therapies, optometry, health technology and informatics, applied social sciences, and sports science and health, FHSS has been sending a team of experts to China's Olympic Training Camp in Beijing to help Chinese athletes prepare. Led by Dr Bob Chen, Assistant Professor of FHSS, the team has been stationed in Beijing for more than three years to provide training and rehabilitation programmes. Its physiotherapists have also been accompanying Chinese athletes to overseas competitions to help optimize their performance and attend to sport injuries.
In November 2007, PolyU further strengthened its ties with elite sports in China by signing a new pact with the country's National Sports Training Centre (NSTC) to become its long-term collaborative research partner. Under the pact, FHSS's School of Optometry was also appointed as its official sports vision care partner to provide Chinese Olympic athletes with comprehensive primary eye care and sports vision services at a newly established sports vision centre in Beijing.
In addition, FHSS's Department of Rehabilitation Sciences is sending more than 60 volunteers comprising staff, students and alumni to assist in the provision of professional sports therapy in the Olympic cities of Beijing, Qingdao and Hong Kong for Olympic athletes from other countries during the Games. "We are deeply honoured to have been selected by the Beijing authorities for the recruitment of volunteers as the world's only university to provide such expertise-based services for the Beijing Olympic Games. This is yet another recognition for PolyU after its designation by the Chinese Olympic Committee as a collaborative research partner for the Games," said Prof. Poon Chung-kwong, President of PolyU.
Speaking on behalf of FHSS's team of experts, Dr Bob Chen expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to help China's Olympic efforts: "We are particularly pleased to have our services called upon by an organization outside Hong Kong to play a role in enhancing the professionalism of sports management in our motherland".
As PolyU's motto "To learn and to apply, for the benefit of the mankind" implies, PolyU's participation in the Beijing Olympics is a wonderful chance to apply its expertise and knowledge to better the local community and beyond, and is sure to open up more opportunities in the future.
If you would like to know more about PolyU's expertise in the area of sports health, please contact Miss Kit Chan at tel: 3400-2713 or Ms Shirley Chong at tel: 3400-3972.
