SenseShield wins top prize at 3rd Lingnan–Yuanpei STEM Summer Academy, turning human‑centred tech into real‑world social impact

Jointly organised by Lingnan University and Yuanpei College of Peking University (PKU), the onsite seven-day intensive training camp (held from 2 to 8 July 2026) amid the third Lingnan-Yuanpei STEM Summer Academy concluded on the Lingnan University campus, showcasing how the next generation of Beijing-Hong Kong talents seamlessly blends cutting-edge scientific innovation with a profound humanistic spirit, and empowering student entrepreneurs to transform creative ideas into socially responsible and real-world business solutions.

The culminating STEM Roadshow Competition saw around 30 students forming five teams pitch viable, tech-driven business models that prioritised social value alongside commercial feasibility.

After rounds of prototyping, pitching and assessment, the team “SenseShield” won the championship. SenseShield is a pioneering menstrual leak emergency system integrated with inclusive design. The “3-in-1” emergency kit is as compact as a pocket-sized tissue pack, making it exceptionally portable. It features three innovative essentials for women: a stylish emergency camouflage half-skirt, a leak-proof sanitary seat mat, and an odour-resistant disposable seal bag. By addressing a previously unmet market need for “post-leak self-rescue”, the project aims to alleviate women’s hidden anxieties and advance equality through accessible products. The team was mentored by Mr Adrian Lo Chun-kwong, Chief Design Lead of the UNU Hub on Humanitarian Innovation and Technology at Lingnan University.

Sharing her joy upon winning the award, Leta Li Xinying, the leader of the champion team and a Lingnan graduating student from the Master of Arts in Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management programme, expressed, “We are all incredibly thrilled to win this competition, and we are delighted that our hard work has been recognised. I believe the key to our success was teamwork - every team member approached the competition with dedication and actively shared ideas with one another. Moving forward, we hope to obtain international standards and various certifications for our product, discover investment partners, and bring this project to fruition.” The winning team was awarded a cash prize of HKD$50,000 sponsored by Lingnan Foundation, along with eligibility to receive up to HKD$500,000 from the Lingnan Foundation Prototype Fund to productise their idea.

Other award-winning projects included:

• First runner-up - Fluency Auditor: A Multimodal AI-Driven Linguistic Assessment Platform

• Second runner-up - AI Cognitive Training Device for Elderly with Mild Cognitive Impairment

• Merit awards - Darlink (AI Matching)

• Low-Cost Intelligent Device and System for Real-Time Mosquito Monitoring

Embodying Lingnan’s motto, “Education for Service”, this year’s summer academy focused heavily on human-centric technology. Elite students from diverse academic backgrounds, including artificial intelligence, data science, arts, business, social sciences, and interdisciplinary studies, formed inter-institutional teams to tackle pressing community, health, and environmental challenges. It was attended by Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing at Lingnan University, and Mr Chai Teng, Executive Deputy Secretary of the CYL Committee of PKU’s Yuanpei College, with the judging panel comprising Dr Daniel Chun, Vice President of the Smart City Consortium, Ms Lillian Li, Executive Director of the Social Impact Partners, and Mr Edmond Lam, Senior Manager (AI & Data) of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation.

Reflecting on the overall performance of participants, the judging panel remarked, “What set this year’s cohorts apart was their ability to look past pure profitability but code for a cause. We were thoroughly impressed by how these young innovators didn’t just showcase technical brilliance, but deeply researched the human element of their chosen problems. The synergy between Lingnan University and PKU was palpable. They seamlessly combined high-level data intelligence with a practical and community-first mindset.”

Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing at Lingnan University, commended the participants and organisers during his closing remarks of the STEM Roadshow Competition, “It has been a privilege to witness the dedication, creativity, and perseverance of every participant. This cross-institutional collaboration between Lingnan University and Peking University’s Yuanpei College succeeded because of the seamless coordination of our staff and project advisors. To our students: you are all winners in our eyes. You have demonstrated how to harness technology and human values for the betterment of our world. Go forward and become the socially responsible leaders of tomorrow.”

Addressing the competition’s closing with a pre-recorded message, Mr Li Zhe, Chair of the PKU’s Yuanpei College Council, remarked that over the past week, students from both universities had brilliantly integrated the embracement of naturalism and human-centric liberal arts philosophy. They had proven that true innovation is never just about piling up technologies; it is a profound response to the genuine needs of human society. Mr Li hopes that this friendship spanning two cities continues to plant seeds of innovation, and looks forward to seeing these students evolve into visionary leaders equipped with both technological prowess and humanistic literacy.

Since its inception in 2024, the Lingnan-Yuanpei STEM Summer Academy has grown into a vital platform for deep cross-institutional collaboration and talent cultivation. It targets to further enhance the integrated development combining education, technology, and high-calibre talent cultivation, and actively promote the “Study in Hong Kong” brand. The winning projects elegantly addressed real social pain points, proving out students’ ability to root STEM knowledge in real-world scenarios.

The champion team “SenseShield” celebrates their victory at the signature competition under Lingnan-Yuanpei STEM Summer Academy 2026 with Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing at Lingnan University (first right), Mr Chai Teng, Executive Deputy Secretary of the CYL Committee of Yuanpei College, Peking University (first left), and the competition judges.

The champion team, “SenseShield”, presents their pioneering menstrual period leakage emergency system, filling a gap in the market for “post-leakage self-rescue” and dedicating themselves to eliminating women’s anxiety.

The champion team, “SenseShield”, presents their pioneering menstrual period leakage emergency system, filling a gap in the market for “post-leakage self-rescue” and dedicating themselves to eliminating women’s anxiety.

The “Fluency Auditor: A Multimodal AI-Driven Linguistic Assessment Platform” team notches up the first runner-up prize from Dr Daniel Chun, Vice President of the Smart City Consortium (first left).

The “AI Cognitive Training Device for Elderly with Mild Cognitive Impairment” team receives the second runner-up prize from Ms Lillian Li, Executive Director of the Social Impact Partners (first left).

Mr Edmond Lam, Senior Manager (AI & Data) of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (first left) presents merit awards to two teams, namely, “Darlink (AI Matching)” and “Low-Cost Intelligent Device and System for Real-Time Mosquito Monitoring”.

Mr Edmond Lam, Senior Manager (AI & Data) of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (first left) presents merit awards to two teams, namely, “Darlink (AI Matching)” and “Low-Cost Intelligent Device and System for Real-Time Mosquito Monitoring”.

Prof Raymond Chan Hon-fu, Vice-President (Academics) cum Provost and Lam Man Tsan Chair Professor of Scientific Computing at Lingnan University speaks at the STEM Roadshow Competition.

Mr Li Zhe, Chair of the Yuanpei College Council of Peking University delivers a closing video remark.

Lingnan University held its 2026/27 academic year New Student Orientation (NSO) and Official Welcome for undergraduate students at its Tuen Mun campus today (24 August).

Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science at Lingnan University, officiated at the University’s Official Welcome and greeted incoming undergraduate students from the Hong Kong SAR, the Chinese Mainland, and overseas. This year’s cohort includes students from a wide range of countries and regions, including Russia, Bhutan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Nepal, Pakistan, Ethiopia, and the Philippines.

In his remarks, President Qin said the University is committed to welcoming students from diverse backgrounds and cultures. He noted that the geographical diversity of the student intake has further expanded this year, with Lingnan admitting non-local freshmen from Ethiopia for the first time, underscoring the University’s diverse, inclusive and international campus.

Prof S. Joe Qin, President and Wai Kee Kau Chair Professor of Data Science, officiated at the Official Welcome and stated that the University warmly welcomed the new students from diverse backgrounds and cultures into the Lingnan community.

President Qin said, “I believe that every student harbours unique dreams and potential and looks forward to finding their own stage at the University. Lingnan is committed to providing an interdisciplinary learning environment and diverse opportunities for development, supporting students in pursuing excellence in academics, innovation, and personal growth. Launched this academic year, the Samuel C.C. Ting Elite Class will provide selected students with comprehensive learning resources, including a four-year full tuition scholarship and a full accommodation subsidy, priority access to cutting-edge research projects, and artificial intelligence (AI) training offered by leading global enterprises, culminating in professional certification. The University will continue to refine its scholarships and talent-development programmes to help students chart a suitable formative path at Lingnan and make the most of their strengths.”

President Qin added that demand for Lingnan among JUPAS applicants has grown significantly. For three consecutive years since 2024, Lingnan University has recorded the highest growth in JUPAS Band A applications among Hong Kong’s eight UGC-funded universities, with a cumulative increase of 88%. In the 2026/27 admission cycle, Lingnan’s mean JUPAS admission score increased by 6.7%, the largest increase among all eight UGC-funded universities. The Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) in Business Analytics and Innovation programme was the most competitive programme in Hong Kong, with a 77-to-1 application-to-admission ratio. The average JUPAS admission score for the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Data Science programme reached 20.8, which is 2.7 points higher than last year. For Chinese Mainland Gaokao students, the highest admitted score at Lingnan was 129 points above the Batch 1 or Special Admission cut-off score across provinces and cities, an increase of 18 points over 2025.

The national flag-raising ceremony is conducted during the Official Welcome.

Lingnan has made significant leaps in international rankings in recent months, reinforcing its position as a leading research-oriented liberal arts university comprehensive in arts and sciences in the digital era. In the Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026, Lingnan was in the global top 100 for the first time, and 63rd overall, with first place in the Hong Kong SAR in six Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It retained its World No. 1 ranking in "SDG 4: Quality Education", and came first in the Hong Kong SAR in "SDG 1: No Poverty", "SDG 2: Zero Hunger", "SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth", "SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities", and "SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals".

Lingnan also came 84th in its debut appearance in the THE Asia University Rankings, and in the QS World University Rankings 2027 it climbed sharply by over 120 places to 581st, its largest upward leap in recent years.

To help freshmen adapt to university life early and foster a sense of belonging, Lingnan has been running online orientation sessions and activities since mid-July, helping students build social networks and integrate swiftly into campus life. On the day of the inauguration ceremony, it launched the Kaleidoscope Programme, tailored for newcomers with library and campus tours, sports facilities briefings, and workshops on hostel life explaining campus resources and facilities. Themed seminars have covered scholarship applications, academic exchanges, service-learning, and student-led community service, and distinguished alumni have shared inspiring stories, suggesting new students plan their objectives in advance and build up their confidence and preferences.

During the NSO, core administrative units briefed the freshmen, giving them practical information so they could familiarise themselves with university resources, use AI for independent learning, and master learning opportunities. After several specialist sessions, the finale featured performances by the Dancing and Music Societies, sparkling with youthful campus vigour and opening the curtain on a vibrant university life.

Lingnan University held its 2026/27 academic year New Student Orientation and Official Welcome on campus today, welcoming a record intake of about 1,500 new undergraduates into the Lingnan community.

The orientation activities also placed a strong emphasis on community cohesion, with the University arranging for freshmen to interact with departments and societies related to their major subjects and meet their wardens. Representatives from various departmental societies shared tips on subject selection, extracurricular activities, and learning opportunities, fostering interaction among students across different departments. Meanwhile, the University’s Peer Mentoring Programme was launched on the same day, pairing new undergraduates with senior student mentors to help them adjust to university life and actively engage in campus activities.

Lingnan will also host the Campus Life Carnival on the evening of 3 September to encourage freshmen to integrate. Student bodies, sports teams, and several departments will set up over 40 promotional booths providing practical information on extracurricular activities, and recommending ways to expand their social networks to help them settle into the Lingnan community more swiftly.