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Tag: Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s Lingnan University looks ahead with new School of Data Science

Posted on by Editorial Team

Lingnan University in Hong Kong has set up a new School of Data Science in a move designed to lead the next wave of digital developments in the higher education sector.

The objective is to offer a range of interdisciplinary programmes from bachelor’s degree to PhD level, with a focus on the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and all aspects of data science. Each course will also emphasise the importance of critical and strategic thinking skills, with a view to making the school a centre for research partnerships and positioning Hong Kong as a global hub for innovation and technology.

According to Lingnan’s President S. Joe Qin, the goal is to pioneer understanding and use of AI and, in doing so, to become Asia’s leading liberal arts research university in the digital era.

At a special plaque-unveiling ceremony to mark the establishment of the new school, the attendees included notable figures from government, academia, and business.

Professor Dong Sun, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry, took the opportunity to commend Lingnan’s initiative, noting that it was the beginning of a new chapter which would see greater integration of the arts, humanities and sciences. This, he said, is the future direction of higher education, as data-related expertise becomes indispensable and demand for talent with diverse skills and attributes continues to rise.

Looking ahead, new programmes which specifically address these needs will help to drive economic growth and ensure Hong Kong remains highly competitive in a fast-changing world. With that in mind, Lingnan is introducing a new common core course in generative AI for all first-year undergraduates as from the 2024/25 academic year. This will give students the essential knowledge and practical skills needed to make best use of the latest technology, while also covering methods of evaluation and key ethical considerations.

Programmes Offered:

Undergraduate:
LEO Dr David P. Chan Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Data Science
Minor Programme in Data Science
Common Core Course in the Core Curriculum: Generative Artificial Intelligence

Taught Postgraduate:
Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and Business Analytics (MScAIBA)
Master of Science in Data Science (MScDS)
Master of Science in Industrial Data Analytics (MScIDA, to be offered in 2025/26)
Master of Science in Smart City Technologies and Applications (MScSCTA, to be offered in 2025/26)

Research Postgraduate:
M.Phil./Ph.D. Programme in Data Science (to be offered in 2025/26)

Explore more: https://www.ln.edu.hk/sds/programmes-and-courses

Lingnan’s President chairs digital panel at QS China Summit

Posted on by Editorial Team

The QS China Summit 2024 held in Shanghai on April 17-18 saw Professor S. Joe Qin, President of Lingnan University, chair a special session examining ways in which digital innovation is reshaping the world of higher education.

The high-profile participants in this Presidential Panel Discussion focused on the foreseeable impact of new technology like generative AI on course content and teaching.

More broadly though, they also considered how universities can help China become a global leader in an era when digital developments are driving rapid change in so many different spheres.

The invited panellists included Professor Zhang Dongxiao, Provost and Executive Vice President of the Eastern Institute of Technology in Ningbo and Professor Lyu Peiming, Executive Vice President of Tongji University in Shanghai.

Joining them on stage was Ms Alice Wei Wei, senior consultant for QS Quacquarelli Symonds, as well as Professor Chen Zhi, President and Chair Professor at Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College (UIC) in Zhuhai.

In addressing the given theme of “Fostering Distinction in Chinese Higher Education through Digital Innovation”, each of the speakers highlighted both challenges and opportunities that lie ahead and made it clear that, like it or not, every person on campus must be prepared for a period of significant transformation over the next few years.

In his preliminary remarks, Professor Qin outlined how Lingnan had been a pioneer in Hong Kong in terms of digital uptake since his appointment in 2023, for instance, the university has already made ChatGPT freely available for all students, faculty members and administrators – and expects them to make full use of its advantages.

In addition, as from the 2024/25 academic year, a core course on generative AI will be part of the curriculum for all first-year undergraduates. It will teach fundamental concepts and practical skills, while also dealing with ethical considerations, so that students can benefit from positives the technology offers and know to avoid the negatives.

Prof Joe Qin noted that such moves reflect Lingnan’s whole-person approach to higher education and, importantly, will give students and graduates the kind of skills needed to excel in their chosen careers.

“Digitalisation is really revolutionising our cognitive tasks,” he said. “And with the adoption of generative AI tools at university level, it feels like China is helping students to learn faster and in more individualised ways.”

These advances will have major implications not just for higher education, but also for the pace of economic development in South China’s Greater Bay Area and beyond. In short, many of today’s standard practices are set to be transformed by new possibilities.

To illustrate this, the panellists drew on their own experiences to show how AI adoption is changing the curriculum for sciences and humanities and why student skill sets must evolve, without sacrificing essentials like critical analysis and good writing.

Indeed, a recent QS survey found that problem solving and creativity are increasingly viewed as key workplace skills. AI will devise solutions but must be guided by human ingenuity.

Please click here for the detailed write-up.

HKAPA Director’s Leadership Series successfully concludes

Posted on by Communications Office

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) is honoured to have invited Mr. Tan Dun, a world-renowned conductor-composer, UNESCO Global Goodwill Ambassador and Hong Kong’s Ambassador for Cultural Promotion, to visit the Academy for a dialogue and sharing session with Academy Director Professor Gillian Choa on March 28, 2024.

 

The event titled “Director’s Leadership Series: A Dialogue with Tan Dun – Visual Music & Empty Notes”, which was held in Hong Kong Jockey Club Amphitheatre of the Academy, attracted and engaged about 400 participants in the intellectual exchange on music, arts and leadership.

Immerse yourself in arts and culture in London and Hong Kong, on Lingnan University and Goldsmiths’ dual-degree MA programme

Posted on by Editorial Team

The potential of the arts and culture sector to enrich lives, boost economies and generate new career opportunities, can be witnessed across the globe. In Hong Kong, the M+ art museum only debuted to the public in late 2021 but has already established itself as one of the most popular exhibition spaces in Asia. While on the Mainland, the boom in the construction of cultural infrastructure has continued apace since the early years of the century.

This growth is leading to a burgeoning demand for trained professionals who have both a broad perspective and an innovative approach, as well as the ability to run a wide range of facilities and events in this rapidly evolving field. That is why Lingnan University, Hong Kong, together with Goldsmiths, University of London, are launching a new MA in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy (MAAACP) this year. Students enrolled on this dual-degree programme will split their time between Hong Kong and London, and will have the opportunity to gain not only a unique international perspective but also two internationally-recognised degrees.

To underline the value of the MAAACP’s international aspect, programme co-director Professor Eric Chan, of Lingnan’s School of Graduate Studies, points out that successful professionals working in this sector are likely to move around the world in the course of their careers. “This mobility exposes these professionals to more diverse experiences, influences and ideas, that can enhance their creative outputs and their understanding of different cultural contexts.”

However, Prof Chan adds, an international perspective is also increasingly important for those who work solely in their home countries. “Local arts and culture professionals need to adopt a more global lens when presenting the local arts and cultural content to a global audience.”

A unique partnership and a unique opportunity

Professor Elle Li, School of Graduate Studies faculty and Prof Chan’s fellow programme co-director, believes the MAAACP will give students a wonderful chance to experience the differences, as well as the similarities, between the cultural environments in London and Hong Kong.

“In London they are likely to encounter a multicultural-metropolis scene that reflects its diverse population with a variety of cultural expressions from around the world,” she notes. “By contrast, Hong Kong’s arts and culture scene is shaped by its unique position as a nexus between East and West, its relatively recent colonial past, and its return to China.”

But beyond the opportunity students will have to immerse themselves in these exciting environments, the rich mix of theoretical and experiential learning in the programme’s curriculum is designed to leave them extremely well-positioned for life after graduation.

“We want to help our students enhance their employability in this super-competitive world,” says Prof Li. To that end, the MAAACP curriculum integrates theory and practice in areas such as arts management, cultural policy, curatorial practice, art projects, entrepreneurial initiatives, and professional education. “It is crucial that in arts education, nowadays, we provide out students with a broader and more diverse understanding of the global arts trends, theory, knowledge and practice.”

Art March: About 8,500 Visitors Enjoy Over a Hundred Free Performing Arts Activities at HKAPA Open Day

Posted on by Communications Office

At the beginning of Art March, The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) pulled together the efforts of the six Schools and various units and held its annual Open Day today. Filled with over a hundred free performing arts activities, with highlights on artificial intelligence (AI) and art technology, the event drew about 8,500 visitors to the Main Campus in Wanchai and the Bėthanie Landmark Heritage Campus in Pokfulam.

Professor Gillian Choa, Director of the Academy remarked, “This annual Open Day is one of the Academy’s most significant community events as it allows us to spread the fun as well as the latest developments of performing arts in the Academy to thousands of members of the public over the years. We are committed to continue to embrace educational innovation to nurture young talents and contribute to the art and cultural development in Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and the region.”

A wide array of performing arts activities included a performance by Junior Symphony Orchestra, concerts of Chinese and Western music, excerpt performances of musicals, drama, Cantonese opera, dance open classes, film and television screenings, and guided tours for immersive performing arts activities. Furthermore, visitors went backstage to discover the secrets behind the scenes, including stage design, props and costume making, as well as stage effects exhibitions, indulging themselves in the world of performing arts on the day. The “On Stage @ HKAPA Digital” of the Academy Library also allowed visitors to step onto different stages virtually and take digital photos of themselves as characters in Academy productions.

About The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (www.hkapa.edu)

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), established by The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Ordinance in 1984, is a leading tertiary institution in the performing arts in Asia. It provides professional undergraduate education and practice-based postgraduate studies. The study encompasses Chinese Opera, Dance, Drama, Film and Television, Music, and Theatre and Entertainment Arts. Its educational philosophy reflects the cultural diversity of Hong Kong with emphasis on Chinese and Western traditions, and interdisciplinary learning. Since 2008, the Academy has attained the Programme Area Accreditation (PAA) status awarded by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) to self-monitor and accredit its own undergraduate and post-secondary programmes in the five programme areas of Dance, Drama, Film and Television, Music, and Theatre and Entertainment Arts. Since 2016, the PAA status has been extended to cover Master’s Degree programmes and below; and since 2023, the programmes operated by the School of Chinese Opera accredited by HKCAAVQ has also received PAA status for its post-secondary and undergraduate programmes.

Besides the main campus in Wanchai, Béthanie, the site of the Academy’s Landmark Heritage Campus in Pokfulam, has housed training facilities for the School of Film and Television since 2006.

In the QS University Rankings announced in 2023, the Academy ranks 1st in Asia and 13th in the world in the Performing Arts category.

EdUHK Shines Brightly with Three Awards Wins in its First Participation at AEII

Posted on by eduhk

The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) secured three awards at the 3rd Asia Innovation and Invention Exhibition (AEII). This is the first time EdUHK has entered inventions at the AEII, and the three projects presented captured the attention of industry experts.

The AEII, Asia’s annual exhibition and competition dedicated to showcasing innovations and inventions from the region, took place between 7 and 8 December 2023 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The exhibition was held by the Hong Kong Exporters’ Association partnered with Palexpo, the organiser of the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva. The event featured over 110 inventions vying for 46 awards.

EdUHK’s groundbreaking ‘Rapid Quantification of Microplastics Using Total Organic Carbon Analysis with Simple Sample Pretreatment\’ project was awarded a gold medal, impressing the judges with its ingenuity and potential for real-world impact. Additionally, the University received silver medals in the food safety and healthcare technology categories, for inventions which further the development of scientific and technological knowledge.

Award-winning Projects

Project Name
Principal Investigator(s)
DescriptionMedal
Rapid Quantification of Microplastics Using Total Organic Carbon Analysis with Simple Sample PretreatmentDr Tsang Yiu-fai, Associate Professor at the Department of Science and Environmental StudiesAn all-in-one semi-automatic sample pre-treatment device that can efficiently and accurately quantify microplastic abundance in water and slug samples.Gold Medal
Nano-Sensor System for Meat and Seafood MonitoringProfessor Stephen Chow Cheuk-fai, Professor (Practice) at the Department of Science and Environmental StudiesA food monitoring device that offers a new and convenient way to monitor food safety, with a series of chemo sensors to detect the chemical substance released from rotting food.Silver Medal
An Intelligent Ocular Misalignment Measurement SystemDr Fu Hong, Assistant Professor at the Department of Mathematics and Information TechnologyThis fully automated machine measures ocular misalignment, with enormous potential to help mitigate the shortage of eye professionals and provide an objective method with high granular measurement.Silver Medal

EdUHK Dr Kevin Chan Elected Fellow of Association for Psychological Science

Posted on by eduhk

Dr Kevin Chan Ka-shing, Head of Department of Psychology, The Education University of Hong Kong, has been elected as a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science (APS) for his outstanding contribution to psychological science.

Dr Chan is a psychologist who studies the impact of stigma on the health and wellbeing of social minorities. His recent work focuses on examining stigma experienced by individuals with mental disorders and families of children with developmental disabilities. By investigating how stigma affects these disadvantaged populations and developing targeted interventions to address it, Dr Chan’s research aims to improve their wellbeing and promote equity and inclusion.

“I am deeply grateful for being elected as a Fellow of the APS. This accomplishment would not have been possible without the unwavering support of my students, research assistants and collaborators,” said Dr Chan. “I will continue to promote the reduction of stigma and advocate for social justice through my research and knowledge transfer.”

The APS is the global scientific home for over 25,000 leading researchers, practitioners, teachers and students in the field of psychological science, spanning across all continents. Its aim is to advance scientific psychology beyond disciplinary and geographical boundaries. The status of Fellow is awarded to APS members who have consistently made exceptional contributions to the field of psychology through research, teaching, service and practical application.

HKAPA Open Day Presents Over A Hundred Free Performing Arts Activities

Posted on by Editorial Team

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA) will present its annual Open Day on March 3 this year, filled with over a hundred free performing arts events prepared by students and faculty from six Schools on the Wanchai Main Campus and the Béthanie Landmark Heritage Campus in Pokfulam of the Academy. Some activities will make use of artificial intelligence (AI) and art technology, providing visitors with an immensely joyful and unique experience.

A wide array of performing arts activities includes a performance by Junior Symphony Orchestra, concerts of Chinese and Western music, excerpt performances of musicals, drama, Cantonese opera, Dance open classes, film and television screenings, as well as guided tours for immersive performing arts activities. Furthermore, visitors can even go to backstage to discover the secrets behind the scenes, including stage design, props and costumes making, as well as stage effects exhibitions, indulging themselves in the world of performing arts on the day. The “HKAPA Digital Stage @Lib” of the Academy Library also allows visitors to step onto different stages as the character of the Academy productions virtually and take a digital photo.

The Academy heartily welcomes everyone to embark on an amazing journey exploring the integration of AI and art technology in performing arts.

About The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (www.hkapa.edu)

The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), established by The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Ordinance in 1984, is a leading tertiary institution in the performing arts in Asia. It provides professional undergraduate education and practice-based postgraduate studies. The study encompasses Chinese Opera, Dance, Drama, Film and Television, Music, and Theatre and Entertainment Arts. Its educational philosophy reflects the cultural diversity of Hong Kong with emphasis on Chinese and Western traditions, and interdisciplinary learning. Since 2008, the Academy has attained the Programme Area Accreditation (PAA) status awarded by the Hong Kong Council for Accreditation of Academic and Vocational Qualifications (HKCAAVQ) to self-monitor and accredit its own undergraduate and post-secondary programmes in the five programme areas of Dance, Drama, Film and Television, Music, and Theatre and Entertainment Arts. Since 2016, the PAA status has been extended to cover Master’s Degree programmes and below; and since 2023, the programmes operated by the School of Chinese Opera accredited by HKCAAVQ has also received PAA status for its post-secondary and undergraduate programmes.

Besides the main campus in Wanchai, Béthanie, the site of the Academy’s Landmark Heritage Campus in Pokfulam, has housed training facilities for the School of Film and Television since 2006.

In the QS University Rankings announced in 2023, the Academy ranks 1st in Asia and 13th in the world in the Performing Arts category.

HKAPA Open Day 2024
Sunday, March 3, 2024

Opening Hours

Wanchai Main Campus: 10 am – 5 pm

Béthanie Landmark Heritage Campus: 1 pm – 5 pm*

*Free shuttle bus services between the Wanchai Main Campus and the Béthanie Landmark Heritage Campus in Pokfulam will be provided on a first-come-first-served basis

Free admission, no registration required. For programme details, please visit https://www.hkapa.edu/event/hkapa-open-day2024 and the social media channels of the Academy.

Trailer of HKAPA Open Day 2024: https://youtu.be/1A79I2jMJe

Using the digital tools of the future to boost our understanding of Asia’s past

Posted on by Editorial Team

Today’s historians are able to deploy a range of digital technologies to identify new research sources, analyse historical patterns and uncover once-marginalised voices. They can also visualise, present, and disseminate historical materials and findings, through digital media, and via Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality simulations, to reach ever wider audiences. Most excitingly, the possibilities of some of the latest developments, such as in the field of generative AI, are still yet to be fully explored.

“We could train an AI bot with text from the Han Dynasty, from around 2,000 years ago,” explains Professor Leung, Head of Lingnan University’s Department of History. “Once properly trained, we could then talk to a ‘person’ from the Han Dynasty.”

Prof Leung believes such technologies are opening up unprecedented opportunities for researchers, teachers and students, and enabling the general public to engage with and appreciate history, as never before. To support those aiming to seize these opportunities, Lingnan’s Department of History will launch its new MA programme in Digital History in Global Asia (DHGA) in September 2024.

Lingnan University’s new MA in Digital History in Global Asia

The DHGA will be the first MA of its kind, both within Hong Kong and the wider region, and Lingnan’s liberal arts ethos combined with the Department of History’s teaching talent, make the university the ideal home for such a programme.

“We hope to train our students to, first, use the tools really well and then to understand the meaning of the new data that is generated,” Prof Leung says.

The focus on Asia’s global past in the programme is intended to provide students with concrete material to apply the digital tools to. What’s more, many of the early developments in the digital humanities, digital history and geographical information systems, were made by scholars in Asian studies.

“One of the first corpuses of text fully digitised was the Buddhist corpus,” Prof Leung notes. This track record provides the MA with deep foundations to build on, and Asia continues to be at the forefront of the evolution of digital history.

Preparation for an exciting future

The skills and understandings to be gained on the DHGA programme are in demand in a range of fields, such as education, the creative media, cultural management, heritage preservation, information science, programming, and academia.

The programme’s four core courses are designed to provide foundational knowledge, while the elective courses will explore digital tools and their potential uses. Students will learn to use a range of digital applications for historical research, including: QGIS (Geographic information Systems mapping); Gephi, Tableau, Excel and other database software, and; SketchUp and Visual Novel, for 3D rendering and visual storytelling.

When it comes to the DHGA’s final capstone project, Prof Leung says he wants students to make their own personal choice of topic, one that is not only relevant but also that they find inspiring. “It will really depend on the specific interests of the students, but we do want it to have a very concrete, substantive digital component.”

EdUHK establishes research network with IOE of UCL

Posted on by eduhk

The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) announced the establishment of a new collaborative research network with the Institute of Education (IOE), University College London (UCL) – an institution which has been recognised as the top-ranked institution in the discipline of Education & Training by the QS World University Rankings every year since 2014.

With the aim of fostering intellectual dialogue and promoting innovative research on critical issues in education, the network will leverage the unique strengths and expertise of both universities to advance theoretical understanding and practical applications in various fields, particularly in language and education.

Under the new network, a wide range of research topics will be explored, including intercultural communication, translanguaging, family language policy, language and identity, well-being, technology-assisted/digital learning and teaching, and teacher education. The network will provide an inclusive platform for researchers, education practitioners, policy makers, and research students to engage in critical discourse, generate new knowledge, and contribute to the advancement of global education.

The team from IOE, UCL will be co-led by Professor John O\’Regan, Professor of Critical Applied Linguistics and Vice-Dean (International). The team from EdUHK will be co-led by Dean of Graduate School Professor Michelle Gu Mingyue and President Professor John Lee Chi-Kin. Serving as advisers will be experts and scholars from both universities, including Professor Angel Lin Mei-yi, Chair Professor of Language, Literacy, and Social Semiotics in Education from EdUHK.

Professor John Lee said, “I firmly believe that this collaboration will not only enrich the academic communities of both universities, but also have a profound impact on education research and practices worldwide.”