Serving our Society

Outstanding athletes from APSS have lined up to share tips on sports and health to elderly participants of a self-health management programme, implemented by the Wong Tai Sin District Health Centre. The aim of the programme is to use various activities, such as online seminars and exercise demonstrations, to enhance the awareness of hypertension among residents of Wong Tai Sin district. The project was also supported by various organisations and institutions.   Online media coverage of this news can be found in the following link: hket - https://topick.hket.com/article/3179395

Second APSS International Scholar Talk Series

Prof. Rebecca ANG, Professor at the Psychology and Child & Human Development Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, gave a talk on February 11, 2022.   After the talk, Prof. Daniel SHEK, Associate Vice President (Undergraduate Programme) and Chair Professor, and Dr. Ann LI, Assistant Professor, joined the discussion on reclaiming teachers’ psychological wellbeing under the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 120 participants attended the online presentation.

APSS School Talk to Secondary School Students and Teachers

Dr. Kong YAM and Dr. Raymond TAM, Co-Programme Leaders of BA (Hons) Scheme in Applied Social Sciences and Teaching Fellows of Social Work, delivered a school talk to S.4 to S.6 students and Secondary school teachers on January 26, 2022. The talk introduced degree programmes offered by APSS, information about career paths and admission interview tips. The talk also featured student sharing. Over 190 participants attended the online school talk.

Moving Forward Together: MoU Renewed between PolyU, PekingU, and UChicago!

Since 2016, PolyU has established a strong partnership with Peking University (PekingU) and The University of Chicago (UChicago). The Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) signed between the three parties brought together a wide range of specialty areas and provided unique opportunities for knowledge and skills exchange to enrich education and research.   In the past five years, two research teams involving leading experts from the three universities, had formed to address the issues of rural-to-urban migration and poverty in China. Winter Institutes were organised for students from all three universities to engage in in-depth discussions and gain overseas fieldwork experiences. A total of 22 APSS students, 24 PekingU students and 23 UChicago students have participated in and benefited from this collaboration.   On 2 November 2021, faculty members from PolyU's Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS), PekingU's Department of Sociology, and UChicago's Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice (formerly known as School of Social Service Administration) came together to discuss about the MoU moving forward. We are thrilled to share that the MoU has been renewed, paving the way for another fruitful five-year collaboration!   The collaboration aims to advance the development of post-graduate social science education and research in social work, social welfare and social policy in China through facilitating collaborative international collaborative graduate education, scholarly exchange and research in social work.   Faculty members from three universities look forward to fostering a stronger partnership in the coming five years!   Cheers!  

Annual Best Paper Award for Research Postgraduate Student 2021

PolyU Research Reveals that Short-term Study-in-China Programmes Promote Local University Students’ Intercultural Competence and Understanding of Mainland China

To enhance young peoples’ understanding and identification with China, local academic institutions have been organising various exchange programmes between China and Hong Kong. A recent Public Policy Research Project conducted by PolyU revealed that short-term study-in-China programmes enhanced the intercultural competence of local Hong Kong university students. Dr Lu YU, Associate Professor at APSS; and Professor Daniel T. L. SHEK, Interim Vice-President (Research and Innovation), Associate Vice President (Undergraduate Programme), Chair Professor of APSS and Li and Fung Professor in Service Leadership Education shared the findings a press conference on 14 December 2020. The short-term study-in-China programmes positively influenced their perception and attitude towards Mainland China, as well as their identification with China. The findings strongly suggest the importance of further promoting short-term learning opportunities in Mainland China for Hong Kong’s younger generation. Learn More News coverage: CRHK NowTV RTHK-English News Headline Daily HK01 Ming Pao On.cc Sing Tao Daily South China Morning Post Tai Kung Pao  

Community Comes Together to Tackle Double Aging

The Social Invocation Regional Forum (SIRF2020) was held on 20 November 2020. Dr CHANDRA Yanto, Associate Professor at Department of Applied Social Sciences and Director of Centre for Social Policy and Social Entrepreneurship (CSPSE) was invited to be one of the speakers in a thematic session. The thematic session featured 4 speakers surrounding the topics on “Regional Landscape on Social Innovation”. Dr. CHANDRA shared his insight on “Predictors of Social Innovation Performance”. He presented the review and ongoing study on social innovation projects and CSPSE’s works on promoting social policy and social entrepreneurship. SIRF2020 has examined the unique challenges of “Double Ageing”. Experts from Asia and Europe explored proposals and strategies that enable a better future for sustainable cities and their inhabitants. About CSPSE The CSPSE is strive to foster collaboration with universities, government, businesses, third sector organisations and promote social policy and social entrepreneurship research, grant capture, academic conferences, and advocacy on ideas, solutions, policies that seek to create public values. 【社會創新】香港深圳廣州 社會創新的協同與發展 [HK 01, 13 November 2020] About SIRF2020

PolyU’s Social Sciences is Ranked 82nd in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2021

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is ranked 129th in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2021.PolyU’s Social Sciences also achieved encouraging results in the (THE) World University Rankings 2021, advancing 14 places to 82nd. Learn More: THE World University Rankings 2021 by Subject: Social Sciences THE最新學科排名發佈 (簡體中文)

Central-Asian Programme – Online Capacity Building on Social Work Education and Social Work Research

Led by Dr. Benjamin Hok Bun KU, Associate Professor of Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS), the 2-day programme organised by China Research and Development Network of APSS and the Department of Sociology and Social Work at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University was successfully held on 14 & 15 October 2020. This is a rare opportunity for international scholars from Denmark, Hong Kong, Italy, Kazakhstan, South Korea and Tajikistan to offer the programme, sharing valuable experiences in the development of social work education and research to more than 60 social work educators, researchers and practitioners from Central Asia. The programme was well-received by the delegates with meaningful questions and inspiring feedbacks. Our special thanks go to Prof. Edward K.L. CHAN, Professor and Interim Head of APSS, and Dr. Crystal KWAN, Assistant Professor of APSS, for being one of the speakers of the programme. Last but not least, appreciation to the co-organiser, International Association of Schools of Social Work and the supporter, Nursultan Nazarbayev Foundation in Kazakhstan. Online Capacity Building on Social Work Education and Social Work Research” Central-Asian Workshop

Project to Develop a Computerised Cognitive Screening Test for Seniors to Identify Early Cognitive impairments in Preclinical Phase

A research team led by Dr. Ada Wai Tung FUNG, Assistant Professor at Department of Applied Social Sciences, has received a grant of HK$449,000 from the government’s competitive Innovation and Technology Fund for Better Living (FBL), for the project entitled “Hong Kong - Vigilance and Memory Test (HKVMT) to enhance detection of early cognitive impairments in preclinical phase”. Members of the team include our Deputy Project Coordinator Dr. Kevin Chan, and Dr. Newman Lau (SD), Ir Alex Choy (IC). To address the needs of care, supports, and proactive management in elderly with early and subtle cognitive impairments who have not yet reached the diagnostic level, the team are aiming to develop a computerised cognitive screening test to help frontline social workers and allied healthcare staff easily differentiate the elderly with early cognitive deficits from normal cognitive ageing. Dr. FUNG said, “The system will facilitate elderly centres in effective resources allocation to the at-risk group for cognitive training, we hope this project will benefit more elderly people in the future.” The FBL, launched by the Innovation and Technology Bureau in 2017, is a scheme for funding innovation and technology (“I&T”) projects which make people’s daily living more convenient, comfortable and safer, or address the needs of specific community groups.