PolyU Research Centre for Gerontology and Family Studies wins the Silver Award in the Tertiary Institution category of the Investor and Financial Education Award 2025 from Investor and Financial Education Council (IFEC)
The Research Centre for Gerontology and Family Studies at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has received the Silver Award in the Tertiary Institution category of the Investor and Financial Education Award 2025 from Investor and Financial Education Council (IFEC), in recognition of its innovative research project “PREParation through Motivational interviewing and Education for Financial planning, PREP-ME-Finance”. This award recognises the Centre's outstanding contributions to advancing financial education among older adults in Hong Kong.
Award Presentation Ceremony
The award ceremony took place on the afternoon of 10 March 2026 (Tuesday) at the IFEC FinEd Hub, The Mills, Tsuen Wan. It featured award presentations across the Kindergarten and Primary School, Secondary School, and Tertiary Institution categories.
About PREP-ME-Finance Project
PREP-ME-Finance is an innovative research project led by Prof. Bai Xue, Director of PolyU Research Centre for Gerontology and Family Studies, targeting community-dwelling adults aged 50+ living alone or with a spouse/partner. It employs a four-arm clustered randomized controlled trial across 24 elder centres, recruiting 400 participants to compare motivational interviewing (MI), MI with photovoice, education-only, and waitlist control interventions. The project enhances financial preparation for later life by addressing needs, risks, barriers, and goals through structured sessions on goal-setting, decision-making, resource exploration, and planning.
Project Impact
Participants showed significant improvements in financial preparation attitudes and behaviours, with statistical significance (p<0.05) in key measures across MI groups compared to controls. The initiative aligns with the Hong Kong Financial Competency Framework, covering themes like financial planning, saving/investing, and risk protection, and collaborates with District Elderly Community Centres (DECCs), Neighbourhood Elderly Centres (NECs), and Active Ageing Centres (AACs).
