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Tag: Hong Kong

EdUHK EdTech innovations win 26 iCAN Awards

Posted on by eduhk

The Education University of Hong Kong received 26 awards at the 7th International Invention Innovation Competition in Canada (iCAN) in 2022, including seven gold medals, three silver, five grand awards and 11 special prizes. It marked a new record high since the University’s first participation in 2018.

Two of the University’s inventions received the Best Invention Awards, including ‘A New Generation of Dissolved Oxygen Sensor Using Replaceable Photo-sensing Film’, which was granted the Top 10 Best Invention Award. The invention was developed by Professor Rudolf Wu Shiu-sun, Advisor (Environmental Science) at the Department of Science and Environmental Studies (SES), and his team. It is a novel device which detects and sends out a permanent record of dissolved oxygen levels using replaceable photo-sensing film. It overcomes the prolonged difficulties of monitoring the marine pollution over large areas of water bodies.

An EdTech invention ‘e-Orch’ developed by Dr Leung Chi-hin, Assistant Professor at the Department of Cultural and Creative Arts (CCA), was awarded the Top 20 Best Invention Award. It is a system consisting of an app and cloud-based software specifically designed for music performance and composition. Integrated with the patented Grid Notation, virtual instruments and AI music generator, the invention makes music education accessible and inclusive.

Congratulating the winners, Professor Chetwyn Chan Che-hin, Vice President (Research and Development), said, “The award-winning innovations cover educational technology, marine conservation, art tech and green construction material, etc. It reflects the broadening scope of our research and knowledge transfer. It is encouraging to see that some of our inventions have been successfully licensed or patented, and are creating a positive impact on society. EdUHK will continue to forge knowledge transfer collaboration with different sectors.”

iCAN is an international competition launched in 2016. This year, the competition received 650 applications from 81 countries and regions. EdUHK’s awarding-winning projects are as follows:

Project: A New Generation of Dissolved Oxygen Sensor Using Replaceable Photo-sensing Film

Principal Investigator: Professor Rudolf Wu Shiu-sun at SES

Award(s): Gold Medal, Top 10 Best Invention Award, Special Award

Project: Reimagining Music Learning with e-Orch

Principal Investigator: Dr Leung Chi-hin at CCA

Award(s): Gold Medal, Top 20 Best Invention Award, Special Award

Project: Upcycling Waste Residuals into Value-added Eco-coasters: From Environmental Facilities to Tables

Principal Investigator: Dr Tsang Yiu-fai at SES

Award(s): Gold Medal, Organizer’s Choice Award, Special Award

Project: Facilitating Emotion Classification Based on Non-Intrusive Learner Data via Deep Neural Networks

Principal Investigator: Dr Zou Di at the Department of English Language Education (ELE)

Award(s): Gold Medal, Jury’s Choice Award, Special Award

Project: Advanced Tai Chi Experience: An Integration of Novel Typefaces and AR Technology

Principal Investigator: Dr Hung Keung at CCA

Award(s): Gold Medal, Two Special Awards

Project: UNISON: Unpaired Cross-lingual Image Captioning

Principal Investigator: Professor Philip Yu Leung-ho at the Department of Mathematics and Information Technology

Award(s): Gold Medal, Special Award

Project: Personalised vocabulary learning system based on artificial intelligence techniques

Principal Investigator: Dr Zou Di at ELE

Award(s): Gold Medal, Special Award

Project: iMaze: A Fun Working Memory Training for Pre-school Children from Low-income Families

Principal Investigator: Dr Kean Poon Kei-yan at the Department of Special Education and Counselling

Award(s): Silver Medal, Best Woman Inventor Award, Special Award

Project: CKC Strokes – An Online Practice Tool for Chinese Strokes Writing

Principal Investigator: Dr Tse Ka-ho at the Department of Chinese Language Studies

Award(s): Silver Medal, Special Award

Project: Smart hands: Are you sure?

Principal Investigator: Dr Peggy Or Pui-lai at the Department of Health and Physical Education

Award(s): Silver Medal, Special Award

World-class research makes LU a leader in global education

Posted on by Editorial Team

Lingnan University, a global leader in quality education and high-impact research, offers a wide range of research postgraduate (RPg) programmes across the arts and humanities, social sciences, science, and business studies. Lingnan provides its students and researchers with generous support which enables them to conduct research and undertake projects with high social relevance and impact.

The research work conducted at Lingnan was classified as “World Leading” and “Internationally Excellent” in the latest Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2020 conducted by the University Grants Committee of Hong Kong. The RAE uses international benchmarks to identify the relative strengths of the city’s public universities. Over 50% of Lingnan’s submitted research output was rated either world leading or internationally excellent. Lingnan was placed first or second in the fields of Accountancy, Sociology and Anthropology, Social Work and Social Policy, and Philosophy, in terms of the percentage of its “World Leading” research work, while 56 percent of the university’s research achieved “Considerable or Outstanding Impact”.

A strong commitment to international collaboration

Lingnan was ranked third globally for “Quality Education” for two consecutive years in the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings 2021 and 2022. Furthermore, in the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022, Lingnan showed significant advances in its international academic reputation, with 50% of its academic disciplines improving their positions in the rankings. Over 200 academic staff at Lingnan boast PhDs, and other advanced degrees, from some of the world’s most prestigious universities, including Cambridge, Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Edinburgh, Harvard, NUS, Oxford, Peking, Pennsylvania, Princeton, Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCL, UCLA, and Yale. Building on the diverse range of research interests of faculty members, the University has a strong commitment to developing successful interdisciplinary research, as well as forging international partnerships and collaborative ties. Lingnan also ensures that its research projects inform teaching and knowledge transfer as well as contributing to academia.

Programmes across the arts, business, social sciences, and science

Lingnan offers 27 MPhil and PhD programmes across the arts, business, social sciences, and science disciplines. The University takes a student-centred learning approach, which ensures close and supportive thesis supervision while also encouraging intellectual creativity.

Because of the University’s numerous external partnerships, the options available to postgraduate students extend beyond Lingnan itself. These options include a number of full-time PhD programmes offered in collaboration with universities in Mainland China, including Shenzhen University, South China Normal University, South China University of Technology, and Wuhan University.

Significant opportunities for global exposure

To give student researchers more global exposure, and the opportunity to exchange ideas with other academics, Lingnan organises and takes part in international conferences on topics ranging from the development of higher education in a post-pandemic world to urban governance. The University also hosts seminars which focus on sharing research findings and the exploration of new opportunities for collaboration.

Experiential learning activities, such as sponsored field trips and overseas research visits, are open to all RPg students, regardless of their programmes and background.

For application details, please go to https://ln.edu.hk/rpg/.

HKAPA co-presents Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Greater Bay Area International Music Festival

Posted on by Communications Office

The Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Greater Bay Area International Music Festival was officially launched in September. The Academy joined hands with conservatories, orchestras and universities in the Greater Bay Area to present a variety of music performances online.

The HKSAR 25th Anniversary Celebration Concert presented by the Academy was the first programme of the Festival. Other performances included the Concerto Feast from the Academy’s School of Music faculty members and students, and the School of Dance Summer Performances 2021.

Recorded versions of the HKSAR 25th Anniversary Celebration Concert and School of Dance Summer Performances 2021 are available online. The celebration concert will also be broadcast on RTHK Radio 4 programme “Youth in Harmony” on October 31.

Watch the HKSAR 25th Anniversary Celebration Concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFNcYy0fkT4&t=7s

Watch the School of Dance Summer Performances 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTYfyTrxPxs&t=3s

EdUHK study examines importance of gender-affirming school culture

Posted on by eduhk

Gender nonconforming youth are often subject to bullying and harassment, but the negative effects of this experience are not well understood. Previous studies have found that gender-nonconforming youth are at heightened risk of depression, social withdrawal and avoidance behaviour compared to gender-conforming youth. The association between gender nonconformity and psychological distress has been found to be more common among adolescent boys than girls. Both heterosexual and sexual-minority individuals can be subject to victimisation based on their gender expression, regardless of their actual sexual orientation.

Dr Randolph Chan Chun-ho, Associate Head and Associate Professor at the Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), conducted a study to determine whether gender nonconformity contributes to peer victimisation in school settings and to identify ways to modify the school environment to protect gender nonconforming youth from victimisation. The study involved 3,020 students in 10 secondary schools in different provinces in the mainland, 51.5% of whom assigned male at birth and 48.5% assigned female at birth. The mean age of the participants was 15.71.

One fifth of the participants (19.6%) said they frequently experienced peer victimisation. The prevalence of peer victimisation was even higher among gender-nonconforming youth (38.5%). The three most common forms were being reminded to watch the way in which they speak or dress, being verbally assaulted or threatened, and being socially excluded or isolated. Gender nonconformity was found to be a risk factor for peer victimisation among youth in the mainland and was associated with heightened levels of school avoidance and symptoms of depression.

Youth assigned male at birth who violated masculine gender roles were found to be more frequently subject to victimisation than youth assigned female at birth who did not adhere to feminine gender roles. In schools with a highly structured and supportive campus climate, gender-nonconforming youth were less likely to experience peer victimisation and internalising problems.

Fostering a respectful, peer-supported, engaging school climate can alleviate the psychosocial difficulties arising from gender nonconformity among students of all genders, the study concluded. Given the prevalence of symptoms of depression in gender-nonconforming youth, mental health care is urgently needed to provide gender-affirming psychological support for this vulnerable population in Chinese education settings.

For details of the research, please visit here.

Impactful research into the changing world of work

Posted on by Editorial Team

The quiet ambition of every academic is to have an impact, whether through teaching, research, publications, or involvement in public debate and discourse.

For that to happen, though, they also need the support and guidance of an institution which can provide opportunities and bring breakthrough work to the attention of a wider international audience.

Over the years, Lingnan University in Hong Kong has proved adept at doing just that, as confirmed by two significant metrics. One is the impressive number of citations, accolades and invitations its professors receive to speak at influential symposia and conferences. Another is the university’s consistently high position in comparative rankings of tertiary institutions in Asia and around the world.

Indeed, the mid-2022 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings placed Lingnan third in the world for “quality education”. Within the Greater China region, it was in the top ten for overall impact and sixth for work related to promoting “decent work and economic growth”, which is one of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This particular SDG aims to facilitate sustainable and inclusive local economies, where people have decent job opportunities, fair pay, and the chance to create better lives for themselves and their families.

To that end, Lingnan has adopted governance practices to ensure staff well-being and prepare graduates for the world of work. And it is supporting important research into current economic models and modern workplace conditions.

The topics range from corporate leadership, psychological health, labour welfare and the loss traditional jobs to income inequality and the poverty trap. This allows scholars to engage with society, inspire knowledge transfer, and instigate real change.

For instance, from Lingnan’s Department of Management, Wang Nan is now exploring “Within-person dynamics of employee performance after disruption events”, something especially relevant after Covid-19. Chen Tingting is researching the phenomenon of employee silence at work plus what it means for bosses, colleagues and team productivity. And Yolanda Li Na is investigating the internet’s impact on employees’ daily work and outcomes, as well as how delivery couriers react to social media posts and frequent mistreatment by customers.

Exemplifying the interdisciplinary nature of much Lingnan research, Francis Cheung Yue Lok of the Department of Applied Psychology is conducting a pilot study on occupational health differences between locals and new migrants from mainland China. A team at the Department of Economics is asking if Hong Kong’s current competition policy is ready for increasing economic integration with the Greater Bay Area. And Pun Ngai of the Department of Cultural Studies is spearheading a project on “Migration, mobility and labour”.

Its objective is to assess labour conditions and measures in place to protect the interests of migrant workers in mainland China, with a special focus on newer sectors of the economy such as logistics, high-speed rail services, and online e-commerce platforms. The findings will help in understanding China’s new working class in the context of the country’s evolving “infrastructural capitalism”.

All the latest Lingnan University publications related to stress management, psychological health, working conditions, leadership and labour welfare can be found in the webpage.

EdUHK research on resistance as form of resilience in sexual, gender minorities

Posted on by eduhk

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals across the globe experience prejudice, discrimination, hate crimes, and many other forms of victimisation. As a fundamental means for transforming and advancing the conditions of LGBT individuals, collective action has gained increasing attention in research, policy and practice over the past decade. It has been used to advocate for LGBT rights, such as anti-discrimination laws, marriage equality, adoption and parenting, and legal recognition of gender. While collective action is influential in driving public awareness and policy changes, little is known about the psychological effects on individuals undertaking collective action.

The study by Dr Randolph Chan Chun-ho, Associate Professor at the Department of Special Education and Counselling, The Education University of Hong Kong, examined how different types of collective action moderate the negative relationship between perceived discrimination and mental health. The aims of the study were (1) to adopt an inductive approach to developing a scale for measuring collective action for LGBT rights in less democratic societies, (2) to examine the underlying dimensions of collective action for LGBT rights, (3) to investigate the moderating role of collective action on the relationship between perceived discrimination and mental health among LGBT individuals, and (4) to examine gender differences in the moderating effect of collective action.

The researchers developed a scale to measure collective action for LGBT rights and examined the underlying dimensions of collective action in a sample of 1,050 LGBT individuals in Hong Kong. The research also examined the moderating role of collective action on the relationship between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms.

The LGBT Collective Action Scale measured two dimensions of collective action: private and public. The moderating effects of private and public collective action were significant, such that the positive association between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms was weaker among LGBT individuals with higher levels of collective action. Subgroup analyses showed that private collective action moderated the association between perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms among sexual minority men and women, but the moderating effect of public collective action was found only in sexual minority women. Perceived discrimination was positively correlated with private and public collective action, but it exhibited a significantly stronger association with public collective action than with private collective action.

The study provided empirical support for the resilience effect of collective action in sexual and gender minorities. Collective action enables LGBT individuals to counteract heterosexism in various forms: either privately, by confronting the biased language and attitudes of others, or publicly, by taking part in protests for LGBT rights. Participating in private and public collective action can buffer the negative effect of discrimination on mental health in LGBT individuals.

The study was conducted together with Professor Winnie Mak Wing-sze at the Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

To learn more about the research, please click here.

HKBU scientists develop versatile compound for treating Alzheimer’s disease

Posted on by HKBUCPRO

A study led by researchers from Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has demonstrated that a multifunctional organic compound named F-SLOH has the potential to treat Alzheimer’s disease (AD) at an early stage. The team found that it can inhibit the aggregation of amyloid-beta (Aβ), and reduce the hyperphosphorylation of tau proteins and neuroinflammation in the brain to improve the pathological features of AD. The findings have been published in the international academic journal Redox Biology.

AD is the most common cause of dementia. It accounts for nearly 65% of dementia cases in elderly Hong Kong Chinese. It is pathologically characterised by the abnormal aggregation of Aβ, the hyperphosphorylation of tau proteins and neuroinflammation in the nerve cells in the brain, which cause progressive neuronal loss and cognitive impairment. Currently there is no cure for AD, and the available medicines can only relieve its symptoms. Inhibiting the abnormal aggregation of Aβ and the hyperphosphorylation of tau proteins is considered the primary and a promising therapeutic approach to treat AD.

F-SLOH as theragnostic agent for AD

In the search for novel therapeutic and diagnostic methods for AD, a research team comprising Professor Li Min, Professor of the Teaching and Research Division and Associate Dean of the School of Chinese Medicine; Professor Ricky Wong Man-shing, Professor of the Department of Chemistry of the Faculty of Science; and Dr Iyaswamy Ashok, Research Assistant Professor of the Teaching and Research Division of the School of Chinese Medicine at HKBU, demonstrated the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of a compound called F-SLOH in reducing the abnormal aggregation of Aβ, the hyperphosphorylation of tau proteins and neuroinflammation in the nerves cells in the brain, thereby improving the learning and memory functions of mice with AD.

F-SLOH is a multi-functional cyanine probe synthesised by a team led by Professor Ricky Wong Man-shing for the detection of biological materials such as proteins and peptides. Its features include real-time visualisation of Aβ aggregation in brains, excellent permeability across the blood-brain barrier and low bio-toxicity. Previous studies showed that F-SLOH could inhibit the abnormal aggregation of Aβ species and provide neuroprotection against neurotoxicity induced by the abnormal aggregation of Aβ in vitro at the cellular level.

F-SLOH improves pathological features in AD mice

To determine the therapeutic efficacy of F-SLOH for AD, the researchers injected or fed F-SLOH to a group of transgenic AD mice. Histopathology and biochemical analyses showed that in mice treated with F-SLOH, Aβ oligomers (one of the Aβ species) and Aβ plaque deposits (the clumps of Aβ) were dramatically reduced in their hippocampus and their brains when compared with the AD mice in the control group who had not been fed F-SLOH.

The researchers also found that F-SLOH can reduce the levels of an amyloid precursor protein that generates Aβ and tau protein hyperphosphorylation. In an immunoblot analysis of the transgenic AD mice brian, the F-SLOH treatment group showed a significant reduction in the levels of the amyloid precursor protein and its metabolites compared to the control group.

In other experiments on the transgenic AD mice after F-SLOH treatment, the researchers separated the soluble and insoluble tau proteins in their brain tissue samples. The results showed that F-SLOH treatment significantly reduced the levels of insoluble tau protein in the brains of AD mice, which forms neurofibrillary tangles, one of the pathological features of AD.

F-SLOH improves memory and cognitive functions in AD mice

Aggregation of Aβ is closely related to the dysfunction of the links between nerve cells and memory decline. The researchers conducted two experiments to test the memory functions of AD mice. In the first experiment, mice were trained to swim in a water maze, reach a platform and remember its position. After the platform was removed, researchers observed whether the mice were able to recall and approach the original position of the platform. Compared to the control group, transgenic AD mice treated with F-SLOH spent more time swimming around the platform’s original position, showing that they can better memorise the platform’s location.

In the second experiment, mice were placed in a chamber and exposed to an audio tone followed by an instant small electric shock to their feet from the floor of the chamber. On the following day, they were put back in the chamber but without any electric shock. When the mice were exposed to the same audio tone, they “froze” their body movements due to the fear of an electric shock. The transgenic AD mice treated with F-SLOH exhibited a longer freezing time than that of the control group.

The results of the two experiments showed that AD mice treated with F-SLOH have better memories compared to the control group, suggesting that F-SLOH improved AD mice’s memory and cognitive functions.

F-SLOH shows early potential for treating AD

The researchers also revealed that F-SLOH degraded the abnormal aggregation of Aβ and reduced the levels of tau protein hyperphosphorylation, the amyloid precursor protein and its metabolites through the activation of the transcription factor EB. Transcription factor EB is the main regulator of the autophagy-lysosomal pathway, a major mechanism for degrading ageing intracellular macromolecular proteins, including the intracellular metabolites such as Aβ aggregates.

Professor Li Min said: “AD patients lose their self-management abilities and require long-term care as the disease progresses. As the population is ageing in Hong Kong, the prevalence of AD is likely to increase. There is an urgent need to develop new drugs that can treat or slow down the progression of AD. The current study suggests that the compound F-SLOH has promising theragnostic potential for treating AD at an early stage.”

Professor Ricky Wong Man-shing said: “The study provides the first in vivo evidence that F-SLOH is an effective agent that can target and treat multiple neurodegenerative changes in an AD mouse model. The research findings can drive advancements in AD diagnosis and treatment in humans.”

HKAPA’s School of Dance proudly launches Dance Well Classes at Artistic Spaces

Posted on by Communications Office

The Jockey Club Dance Well Project is a creative movement programme designed for people with Parkinson’s disease and people of different ages and abilities through regular dance classes and activities in artistic spaces like galleries, museums and performance venues. Organised by our School of Dance and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, this three-year Project will start the Dance Well Classes in September 2022.

Academy Director Professor Gillian Choa says, “One of the Academy’s main focuses has always been serving our community through engagement programmes of various performing art forms. We are delighted to lead this meaningful project, which aims to have a positive impact on the overall wellbeing of those with Parkinson’s disease, their families and close friends, and at the same time generate awareness of the disease in society. We are extremely grateful to the Hong Kong Jockey Club for its kind support of the project.”

The Project is modelled after the Dance Well initiative introduced in Italy by the Municipality of Bassano del Grappa and the Centro per la Scena Contemporanea in 2013. The practice has since been extended to other Italian cities and adopted by Tokyo, Kyoto and Kanazawa in Japan. HKAPA is introducing this approach to Hong Kong and invites local dance artists to collaborate to bring an inclusive dance experience to members of the public. A scientific research will also be led by our School of Dance to assess the practices and impacts of dance on the physical functioning, psychological and social wellbeing of people with Parkinson’s disease in Hong Kong throughout the project period.

Jockey Club Dance Well Project – Dance Well Classes Details (first 2 series):

Venue: JC Contemporary, Tai Kwun (10 Hollywood Road, Central, Hong Kong), Ben Brown Fine Arts (201, The Factory, 1 Yip Fat St, Wong Chuk Hang)

Date: Sep 30, 2022 to Nov 25, 2022 (Designated Wednesday & Friday)

Time: 9:45 am – 10:45 am

12 Sessions, Free Admission

Venue: Rehearsal Room, Xiqu Centre (88 Austin Road West, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon)

Date: Nov 9, 2022 to Dec 30, 2022 (Designated Monday, Wednesday & Friday)

Time: 10:00 am – 11:00 am

12 Sessions, Free Admission

For details, please visit: https://jcdancewell.hkapa.edu/

EdUHK research on role of feedback orientation in converting external feedback to learning opportunities

Posted on by eduhk

Dr Yang Lan, Assistant Professor at the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, The Education University of Hong Kong, has written a book chapter entitled ‘The Role of Feedback Orientation in Converting External Feedback to Learning Opportunities for Implementing Assessment-as-Learning in the Context of Feedback’.

The chapter, which features in the book Assessment as Learning: Maximising Opportunities for Student Learning and Achievement (Z. Yan & L. Yang [Eds], Routledge, 2021), looks at students’ feedback perceptions conceptualised in a construct called feedback orientation and the links with learning opportunities. The key argument is that not all feedback can be effective.

Students have their individual differences, leading their perceptions and interpretations of feedback differently. Dr Yang’s chapter reports key findings from a systematic review to understand students’ feedback perceptions and the links with learning opportunities. It does this through the lens of Feedback Orientation, which is a construct consisting of multi-dimensions of student feedback perceptions: perceived usefulness of feedback (feedback utility), perceived capability to use feedback (feedback self-efficacy), perceived social value to use feedback to maintain and enhance student-teacher relationship (feedback social awareness), and perceived responsibility for using feedback to improve academic performance/achievement (feedback accountability). These dimensions of feedback orientation collectively determine an individual’s overall receptivity to feedback.

This systematic review expands the current scope of understanding and harnessing the power of feedback from the perspective of students. Despite the powerful influence of feedback on learning, we know little about the complexity of the feedback process in authentic learning and teaching situations from a student’s perspective to make it work more effectively in the classroom. The relationship between external feedback and students’ learning opportunities might not be linear. Evidence through meta-analytical studies indicates that students may not take on the feedback because of their perceptions towards it. If students are not internalising feedback to help them engage in learning, achieve, and create new learning opportunities, Assessment as Learning in the context of feedback does not happen. Students’ feedback orientation, therefore, plays an essential role in converting external feedback to learning opportunities to process feedback mindfully. Only when students use teacher feedback to adjust their learning strategies, learning goals and actively monitor their learning progress and achievement can they authentically practice Assessment as Learning in the context of feedback.

In summary, Dr Yang reviews and provides an evidence-based feedback ecological model showing how students can convert external feedback into learning opportunities, including productive feedback processing and learning engagement.

HKBU at forefront of human-AI symbiotic art creation with innovative performance

Posted on by HKBUCPRO

A pioneering and bold attempt to apply artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in the performing arts was carried out by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) in a public concert held on 14 July in Hong Kong.

The innovative performance was the first human-AI collaboration of its kind in the world, and it showcased how AI can be a creative force that can perform music, create cross-media art, and dance.

The performance was powered by the AI technologies developed by HKBU scientists under the “Building Platform Technologies for Symbiotic Creativity in Hong Kong” research project. The concert, dubbed “A Lovers’ Reunion”, was the Annual Gala Concert of the HKBU Symphony Orchestra, and it was conducted by its music director, Professor Johnny M Poon.

The research project is led by Professor Guo Yike, Vice-President (Research and Development) of HKBU, and supported by HK$52.84 million (US$6.77 million) in funding from the Theme-based Research Scheme under the Research Grants Council. Its deputy project coordinator, Professor Johnny M Poon, is the Associate Vice-President (Interdisciplinary Research) and the Founding Dean of HKBU’s School of Creative Arts.

The project team also comprises computer scientists from HKBU’s Augmented Creativity Lab. The unique mix of scientists and artists in the project team enables them to merge their cross-disciplinary knowledge and come up with sparkling ideas on how to unleash the endless possibilities of art creation with the infusion of cutting-edge technologies.

At the Concert, the project team presented a performance that marked the first time in the world that an AI choir had combined with an AI-generated visual storyteller to perform interactively with a conductor and an orchestra. The HKBU Symphony Orchestra shared the stage with an AI virtual choir to perform a newly arranged version of the song Pearl of the Orient with the voices of 320 virtual performers.

The AI virtual choir was “trained” by HKBU researchers using the generative models of singing that they built by extracting and disentangling key contributing features of vocal singing from a collection of songs recorded by professional singers.

An AI media artist learnt from the lyrics of the Pearl of the Orient, and it created a stunning cross-media visual narrative of the song according to its interpretation of the underlying meaning of the lyrics. Unlike the conventional AI machines that import images as a reference for the algorithms to mimic, it used textual lyrics as the sole input so that it can associate the underlying meaning of the lyrics with an appreciation of the beauty of Hong Kong.

Another highlight of the Concert was a ballet performance featuring AI virtual dancers in Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé, accompanied live by the HKBU Symphony Orchestra. With the help of professional dancers from the Hong Kong Dance Company, the AI virtual dancers interpreted the underlying emotional and aesthetic connections between the music and the dance. The dance movements, inspired by a newly discovered species of box jellyfish in Hong Kong, were then choreographed.

Please click here to view highlights of the performance, and click here for more production details of the performance.

The AI-driven performance is one of the many milestone deliverables of the “Building Platform Technologies for Symbiotic Creativity in Hong Kong” research project, and others include an art data repository, a generative AI algorithms system, a research theatre, a digital art and policy network, and some unique and creative application projects, to name but a few.

Another important initiative HKBU is organising is the “Human, Machine, Art, Creativity: International Symposium” in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on 9 August.

“AI is revolutionising numerous fields of knowledge, and it is playing a more and more significant role in many creative processes like music, visual arts and architecture. The Symposium will gather world-renowned researchers from academia and industry, crossing different expertise areas, to jointly discuss emerging topics in human-AI symbiotic art creativity,” said Professor Guo.

The Symposium will cover topics including the enabling technologies of symbiotic art creation and manifestation, the aesthetics and cognitive values of symbiotic art creativity, the new trend of the art economy with Web 3.0, new issues raised by the new forms of art in society, and the impact on art community stakeholders, among others.

Interested parties can visit the Symposium’s website for more details.