A Roaring Success for APSSGA's Movie Screening and Fundraising Event! All Tickets Gone in Celebration of APSS's 50th Anniversary!

On 15 April 2023, as part of the APSS 50th Anniversary series of celebratory events, the APSS Graduates Association (APSSGA) successfully organised a Movie Screening and Fundraising event. The event, which also included a ‘Director Sharing Session’, was held at THX Premiere Elements. Over 200 APSS alumni, students, and colleagues came together to watch the award-winning movie “A Light Never Goes Out”. The director, Ms Anastasia TSANG, joined us after the film to share about the background that inspired her to produce this remarkable film. The film and the sharing session were well received by the audience.   All proceeds from this fundraising event will go to the APSSGA Hardship Fund (APSSGA Award). The Award will be established to support APSS students with financial difficulties. We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who generously donated to this meaningful cause. Donations to the APSSGA Award can be made at the following website: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/apss/about-apss/giving-to-apss/.   More exciting events are in the pipeline to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of APSS. Stay tuned for further announcements!

Introducing APSS to Secondary School Students in PolyU Taster Programme 2023

On 12 April 2023, the Global Engagement Office (GEO) collaborated with APSS to host the PolyU Taster Programme 2023 for Secondary School Students at the PolyU Campus. The Joint Programme Leaders of the BA (Hons) Scheme in Applied Social Sciences, Dr Kong YAM and Dr Raymond TAM, presented the key features and curriculum structure of this undergraduate programme to 34 Secondary 4 and 5 students.   During the small group sharing session, members of the APSS Student Association shared their experiences of university life with the participants. Prof. Eric CHUI, Head of APSS, also welcomed the participants with a brief message before paying a visit to APSS CAVE cum Studio at Z Core. Participants had the opportunity to explore the teaching facility in APSS's CAVE cum Studio. Not only did they get to see the state-of-the-art equipment in teaching and learning, but they also had the chance to use the facilities themselves. As part of the experience, the students were invited to join a video shooting session, providing the students with a unique glimpse into the world of video production and editing. Overall, this was an invaluable opportunity for participants to gain hands-on experience and to explore the exciting possibilities that await them in the field of applied social sciences.

Successfully Holding the 11th Lam Woo Distinguished Social Work Awards Ceremony and Social Work-Stations Building and Social Work High-Quality Development Symposium

The 11th Lam Woo Distinguished Social Work Awards Ceremony and Social Work-Stations Building and Social Work High-Quality Development Symposium, jointly hosted by the Department of Sociology of Peking University, the Department of Applied Social Sciences of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and the Peking University-The Hong Kong Polytechnic University China Social Work Research Centre, was successfully held on 2 April 2023. Nearly 4,000 experts and scholars from the social work field, frontline social workers, teachers, and students participated online or in-person.   The symposium invited eight scholars from Mainland China and Hong Kong to share and exchange views on the high-quality development of social work education, exploration of social work practice models, organizational functions and construction paths, and the establishment of basic social work service systems of Social Work-stations building. Also, this year, a total of two Scholar Awards, five Student Awards, and four Practicum Project Awards were given to exemplary scholars and students during the Awards Ceremony.   Read more: https://polyucrdn.eksx.com/load.php?id=579620

APSS International Scholar Talk by Prof. Ka Tat TSANG from the University of Toronto

For the third International Scholar Talk Series in the academic year 2022-23, Prof. Ka Tat TSANG, Professor of Social Work at the University of Toronto, delivered an online talk entitled “SSLD: An Intervention System for the Post-Professional Era” on 17 March 2023. This International Scholar Talk Series is one of the initiatives to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of APSS. During his presentation, Prof. TSANG introduced how the post-professional condition is marked by the combined challenges of technological innovation, late capitalism and a rapidly changing practice environment. The talk was moderated by Prof. Eric CHUI, Head of APSS, and Prof. Edward CHAN, Professor of APSS and RGC Senior Research Fellow. Discussion was made on how the profession is responding to processes of the post-professional condition and how some professions may benefit from this changing context. A big thanks to Prof. TSANG for giving an intellectually stimulating presentation!

Holding a Social Enterprise Puzzle Challenge Activity for the First Time

In collaboration with several social enterprises and start-ups, APSS implemented the Social Enterprise Puzzle Challenge on 14 and 15 March, 2023. Around 150 university students and staff members participated in this Challenge. Students from APSS guided visitors through the stories of social enterprises and start-ups. Visitors were also invited to play a puzzle game, which aimed at introducing two business model development toolkits for social enterprises. Visitors gained an appreciation and greater understanding of how social enterprises could benefit our society. One of the co-organisers of the event was Spartan, a start-up established by a group of BA (Hons) in Social Policy and Social Entrepreneurship students. Spartan provides a platform with an artificial intelligence (AI) system that integrates job-matching, skills-enhancement tutorials, and CV enrichment. It is designed for students in post-secondary education, and it aims to help them be well-prepared for their future careers. This was the first event organised by APSS that effectively bridged social enterprises, start-ups, and the university community. We encourage more students to team up with others to brainstorm and apply innovative ideas. If you want to team up with others, please fill out the e-registration form: https://forms.gle/Rp3N3vbxirjYAjQn7

Having Fun outside Classroom – A Chinese Character Ink Rubbing Workshop

All incoming exchange students, local and non-local students were invited to join a Chinese Character Ink Rubbing workshop organised by APSS Student Exchange and International Affairs on 16 March 2023. In addition to having fun, it was a great opportunity to learn the traditional art and also to get to know each other. Special thanks go to Miss Nancy SONG, our Year 3 undergraduate student (majoring in Social Policy and Social Entrepreneurship), for teaching us the history and techniques of ink rubbing.

APSS International Scholar Talk by University of Warsaw, Poland

We are honoured to have Dr Maria THEISS, Assistant Professor of the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies at University of Warsaw (UW), to deliver a talk amid her hectic three-day visit to PolyU.  The talk, entitled “Who should receive what and why?": Citizens' perceptions of deservingness and distributive justice in a multilayered welfare context”, was held face-to face for the first time in the International Scholar Talk Series on 9 March 2023. This talk is also one of APSS’ 50th Anniversary celebratory events. During her presentation, Dr THEISS examined how Polish citizens reflect on deservingness principles and how these notions are contextualised by the legacy of the Polish welfare state.  The talk was moderated by Dr Qiaobing WU, Associate Professor and Associate Head of APSS.  Dr Herbary CHEUNG, Research Assistant Professor of APSS, and several attendees joined the discussion on how people’s mindset of deservingness affects social policy implantation in Hong Kong and identified areas for possible research collaboration between UW and PolyU. Thank Dr Maria THEISS for delivering an inspiring presentation!  

Establishment of a Dual Degree Programme and Staff and Student Exchange with The University of Warsaw, Poland

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Faculty of Political Science and International Studies (WNPiSM) at The University of Warsaw (UW) on 8th March 2023.  The aim of the MoU is to foster a strategic cooperation and collaboration between Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS) at PolyU and WNPiSM at UW. The partnership includes the establishment of a dual degree programme, staff and student exchange, joint research activities, participation in seminar and academic meetings, exchange of academic materials, and special short-term academic programmes.  Prof. David SHUM, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences at PolyU, was invited to give the opening remarks. Prof. SHUM said, “Our Faculty of Health and Social Sciences and APSS have always been committed to nurturing professional service providers in the health and social sciences sectors. We strive to offer the best education for social and healthcare professionals, and we work towards innovative and impactful research that addresses complex social and health problems in society.” Prof. Daniel PRZASTEK, Dean of the WNPiSM at UW, was delighted to see the strategic cooperation and collaboration between our two universities, especially the proposed dual-degree programme in the area of social policy. Marking this special occasion, Dr Aleksander DAŃDA, Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Hong Kong and Macau, was invited to give a congratulatory speech. Dr DAŃDA had high hopes that the partnership will facilitate students “to go into distant places, to see the differences with their own eyes and to understand the differences. By understanding, accept those different cultures.” The MoU was signed by Prof. David SHUM and Prof. Daniel PRZASTEK. The signing was witnessed by Dr Aleksander DAŃDA, Prof. Kwok-yin WONG, Vice President (Education) of PolyU, and Prof. Ben YOUNG, Vice President (Student and Global Affairs) of PolyU. Prof. Eric CHUI, Head of APSS, exchanged a souvenir with Prof. PRZASTEK, as a token of appreciation. The signing ceremony ended with rapturous applause. PolyU has always encouraged academic departments to strengthen cooperation and academic exchange with different world-leading universities. APSS looks forward to exploring further opportunities for collaboration with WNPiSM in different areas.  

Collaboration with Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Kazakhstan

Dr Ben KU, Associate Professor of APSS and Director of the China and Global Development Network (CGDN), and Ms Kan YIP, Assistant Director (Development and Partnership) of the CGDN, visited Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU), Almaty, Kazakhstan on 21st February 2023, to exchange views and to discuss opportunities of developing a mutually beneficial collaboration. They were warmly received by the Rector of KazNU, Dr Zhanseit TUIMEBAYEV and several faculty members* from KazNU. The visit began at the Al-Farabi Library in KazNU. At the meeting, Dr KU and Dr TUIMEBAYEV expressed eagerness for the two universities to work together through the establishment of the joint centre at KazNU in order to pursue international and interdisciplinary collaboration, especially in the field of global social development.  *Faculty members from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University are: Dr Gulmira ABDIRAIYMOVA, Head of the Department of Sociology and Social Work; Dr Bekzhan MEIRBAEV, Dean of the School of Philosophy and Political Science; Dr Vitaly SALNIKOV, Dean of the Faculty of Geography and Environmental Management; and Dr Nurzhan KUANTAY, Dean of the Faculty of Journalism. Read more from CGDN website: https://polyucrdn.eksx.com/load.php?id=578225

Second Event to Celebrate APSS' 50th Anniversary - Narrative Therapy Workshop - Full House!

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of APSS, Dr Siu Wai LIT, Principal Clinical Associate of APSS, hosted a face-to-face workshop on Narrative Therapy on 25 February 2023.   This workshop targeted helping professionals who were new to Narrative Therapy, and those who wanted to explore the application of Narrative Therapy in their workplace.   With approximately 60 APSS students and alumni in attendance, the workshop provided attendees with a philosophical foundation and discussed the basic concepts of Narrative Therapy. Attendees also had a taste of how to use techniques such as narrative conversation in real-life situations. We received valuable feedbacks from them on the professional and helpful training offered by Dr LIT’s workshop.   APSS look forward to providing more workshops and training for community members in the future.   Watch the workshop highlight video: https://youtu.be/uXcdtKhPa10