Happy Retirement 2025

We would like to announce the retirement of Mr Sik Chung YEUNG (Chung sir), Lecturer of APSS, Mr Yim Shek HO (Shek Gor), Clerical Officer of APSS and Ms Fanny CHENG, Executive Officer of APSS, who have all dedicated decades of service to our department. Their unwavering commitment and contributions have been invaluable, and they will be greatly missed. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to them for their contributions to APSS and PolyU.  Wishing them all the very best in their new ventures! 

Success Achieved at the 2nd International Conference on ASEAN Social Work and Social Development

The 2nd International Conference of The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Social Work and Social Development, themed "Social Work Horizons: Charting the Path with Research and Practice," was successfully convened in Bangkok between 9 and 10 January 2025, attracting over 210 participants from across the ASEAN region. This conference served as a vital platform for exchanging innovative ideas and fostering collaboration on pressing issues such as sustainability, poverty alleviation, elderly care, and youth empowerment. A keynote speech by Prof. Eric CHUI, Chair Professor of Social Work and Criminology and Head of APSS, entitled "Safeguarding Vulnerable Children in Hong Kong: The Role of Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting & Innovative Practices in Small Group Homes" emphasised the ongoing need to promote child protection initiatives. The conference began with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Durham University, setting the tone for collaboration. It culminated with a separate agreement with The Social Work Professions Council of Thailand, further solidifying partnerships among institutions to enhance collaboration in social work research, training, and practice, and fostering a more integrated approach to addressing social issues in the region. Prof. Ben KU, Director of the China and Global Development Network and Professor at APSS, delivered the closing remarks and emphasised the theme of solidarity and mutual support within ASEAN social work, highlighting the importance of cultivating a culture of love, collaboration, and care. He expressed a vision for ASEAN social work to shine brightly, offering light and hope to the world amidst challenges. Organisers, including the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, ASEAN Training Centre on Social Work and Social Welfare, and Social Work Professions Council of Thailand and Faculty of Political Science of Chulalongkorn University expressed their appreciation for the contributions of participants and speakers, which contributed to the event's success. Participants left inspired and equipped with new knowledge and connections to drive impactful change in their communities. Online Coverage: News on Royal Thai Government website: https://www.thaigov.go.th/news/contents/details/92207 News on The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security website: https://www.m-society.go.th/news_view.php?nid=41581 News on Social Work Professions Council of Thailand website:  (Conference) https://swpc.or.th/news_detail.php?id=6821 (MoU) https://swpc.or.th/news_detail.php?id=6822 (Child protection workshop) https://swpc.or.th/news_detail.php?id=6823   Thailand Local News: https://pimthaionline.com/?p=105595 https://www.thailandplus.tv/archives/892443  

MoU Signing Ceremony between The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Durham University

APSS proudly announces our new partnership with Durham University’s Department of Sociology. This collaboration aims to enhance the field of applied social sciences through shared research initiatives and community engagement. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Prof. Eric CHUI, Chair Professor of Social Work and Criminology and Head of APSS at PolyU, and Prof. Geetanjali GANGOLI, Head of the Department of Sociology at Durham University. With a significant gathering of social workers, academics, and policymakers, the ceremony took place during the 2nd International Conference of the ASEAN Social Work and Social Development 2025 “Social Work Horizons: Charting the Path with Research and Practice” in Bangkok. This event underscores our global commitment to advancing knowledge and practice in social sciences.

Winter Institute 2024: APSS Partners with Global Universities for Cross-Cultural Social Work Programme

The Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), in collaboration with the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice at The University of Chicago (UoC) and the Department of Sociology at Peking University (PKU), successfully held the Winter Institute 2024. From 9 to 21 December 2024, the programme took place in Hong Kong and Hanoi, Vietnam, hosting 24 postgraduate students and four faculty members from the participating institutions, including Prof. Ben Hok Bun KU (Director of the China and Global Development Network and Professor of APSS), Dr Qiaobing WU (Associate Head and Associate Professor of APSS), Prof. Robert CHASKIN (McCormick Foundation Professor and Faculty Director at the University of Chicago), and Prof. Yuegen XIONG (Professor of Sociology and Director of the Centre for Social Policy Research at PKU).   The two-week programme at PolyU, Dr WU, Dr Grace SEO (Associate Professor of APSS), Dr Vincent CHENG (Assistant Professor of APSS), and Mr Vincent YEUNG (Lecturer of APSS), featuring lectures on topics such as cross-border migration, children’s well-being, and poverty. To enhance learning, the programme featured debriefings, discussions, community walks, and field visits. Students also visited the Trapped Experience Center and engaged with refugees. While in Vietnam, they explored social protection services and supported women in the coffee industry.   The Winter Institute concluded with presentations comparing social issues across the U.S., Mainland China, Vietnam, and Hong Kong, emphasising diverse approaches to poverty and inequality.

APSS and Goldsmiths Strengthen Ties with MoU Signing Ceremony

The Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS) and Goldsmiths, University of London (Goldsmiths), held a significant MoU signing ceremony on 18 December 2024 to foster collaboration in social work education and research. On the same day, Dr Kong YAM, Senior Lecturer of APSS, was invited to speak at the Goldsmiths Teaching Partner Forum - Global Dialogue on Children’s Social Welfare: A Hong Kong – UK Exchange.   Prof. Eric CHUI, Chair Professor and Head of APSS, delivered a talk topic: “Leveraging Innovations in Education and Teaching for Nurturing Competent and Humanistic Social Workers for Tomorrow” to Goldsmith’s students on the following day of the visit. We would also like to extend our heartfelt thank you to our APSS alumna, Dr Carmen YAU, Lecturer in Social Work, Placement Coordinator, and Lead of the Wellbeing Research Unit at Goldsmiths, for supporting the visit in Goldsmiths.   Online coverage: https://www.gold.ac.uk/news/hong-kong-polyu-mou/  

APSS-led Smart Campus Innovation Project Takes Both Gold Award and Global Education Award at QS Reimagine Awards 2024

PolyU's "Engage, Empower, Excel: Smart Campus Innovation", an interdisciplinary team led by Dr Rodney CHU, Senior Lecturer of APSS, achieved significant success at the QS Reimagine Education Awards and Conference 2024 in London. His team not only won the Gold Smart Omnichannel Campus Category Award, but also secured the prestigious Global Education Award – the ultimate recognition that celebrates the “champion of champions”. The winning team led by Dr CHU consists of experts from various departments: Dr Hilda CHEUNG, Lecturer of Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE), Dr Jeffrey HO, Associate Professor of School of Design (SD), Dr Pauli LAI, Lecturer of Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), Dr Kai-pan MARK, Senior Educational Development Manager of Educational Development Centre (EDC), along with Mr Charles WOO (Project Fellow) and Miss Kathy LAM (Project Assistant), APSS CAVE-cum-Studio Device members. Of 1,300 global submissions to QS Reimagine Awards in 2024, 155 projects were shortlisted, making PolyU's dual achievement—especially the prestigious Global Education Award—an exceptional milestone in education innovation. As the only local institution in Hong Kong to receive a gold award this year, PolyU has made a significant impact, marking a notable moment in this event. Congratulations to Rodney and his team for their great achievement at QS Reimagine Awards 2024.  As always, colleagues at APSS are all committed to providing students with innovative quality teaching at all levels. Online coverage: https://polyu.me/4fzxkrp More details about the project are available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ne1jvUhf-8 Press release: English - https://polyu.me/49YNiuc; Chinese - https://polyu.me/3DvYIcp   Online coverage: Ming Pao Daily News - https://polyu.me/4gWqIVj;  https://polyu.me/4fYWpwi Sing Tao Daily - https://polyu.me/4fzxkrp;  https://polyu.me/42hwgFE Headline Daily - https://polyu.me/3BPV0tL HK01 - https://polyu.me/4akMmjO      

Enhancing Capacity Building for Doctor of Social Work (DSW) Educators in the Mainland

Prof. Ben Hok-bun KU, Professor of APSS and Director of the China and Global Development Network (CGDN) at PolyU, has successfully secured a donation of HK$ 4,218,150 from the Keswick Foundation to conduct practice research in the Mainland. The details of the project are: PI: Prof. Ben Hok-bun KU Co-PIs:  Prof. Juan CHEN (Professor of APSS, Associate Head, Associate Director of MHRC); Dr Siu Wai LIT (Principal Clinical Associate of APSS); Dr Sui-kan YIP (Assistant Director (Partnership and Development) of CGDN. Project title: Capacity Building for Doctor of Social Work (DSW) Educators in the Chinese Mainland: A Practice Research on Building China DSW Education Funding amount: $4,218,150 Funding scheme: Keswick Foundation Limited (Donation) Project period: 1 January 2025 - 31 December 2027 Project summary: This project aims to help the China DSW programme meet global standards, construct China’s DSW education system, and evaluate the pathway of building China DSW education.   Congratulations to Prof. KU!  Our heartfelt thanks go to the Keswick Foundation for the continued support to the advancement of social work education and research in the Mainland!

Forging Knowledge Exchange and Research Partnership in the Field of Social Sciences: MoU Signing between Shangdong University and PolyU

On 4 December 2024, the Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS) of PolyU and School of Philosophy and Social Development of Shandong University (SDU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen academic partnerships in the field of social sciences between the two institutions. The MoU was signed by Prof. Eric CHUI, Chair Professor of Social Work and Criminology and Head of APSS at PolyU, and Mr Xifeng XU, Minister, Officer for the Office for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs, and Director of the International Chinese Language Education at SDU. Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, and Prof. Shucai LI, President of SDU, witnessed the signing.  Online coverage: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/H-fmmkZikZHwMtFGfReNWg

International Conference on Chinese Social Work Practice Research Held at Peking University

On 30 November 2024, the international conference titled “Synthesizing Knowledge: Chinese Social Work Practices Research and Its Dialogue with the World” was successfully held at the Peking University, China. The event brought together numerous experts and scholars in social work from both domestic and international backgrounds to discuss the latest advancements and future directions in social work practice research. The conference was co-organised by the Department of Sociology at Peking University, the Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the Peking University - The Hong Kong Polytechnic University China Social Work Research Centre, and the China and Global Development Network at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. It was jointly supported by UNICEF China Office and the China Association for Social Work Education. Prof. Eric CHUI, Chair Professor of Social Work and Criminology and Head of APSS, Prof. Angelina YUEN-TSANG, Former Vice-President (Student and Global Affairs) at PolyU and Honorary Professor of APSS, Prof. Ben KU, Professor of APSS and Centre Director of China and Global Development Network at PolyU, Prof. Elsie YAN, Professor of APSS and Dr Herman LO, Associate Professor of APSS and Co-Centre Director of Professional Practice and Assessment Centre at PolyU delivered remarks and speeches to over 300 participants, including social work educators and students, professionals from social work institutions, and representatives from various sectors across Mainland China, Hong Kong, Argentina, Belgium, the Philippines, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Moldova, the United States, South Africa, Thailand, Italy, India, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam. The conference fostered rich discussions on integrating social work practices and research, promoting collaboration and knowledge exchange among participants from diverse backgrounds. Online coverage: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/yw8MfAJ9Z8QUNbvCbPnyQQ https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/-dptuHOLrpQ7gojgSHN5Bw

APSS Welcomes International Delegations in the Fall of 2024

Between October and November 2024, APSS was delighted to receive seven delegations, student groups, and visiting scholars around the world. From knowledge exchanges to academic discussions, APSS is eager to explore collaboration opportunities with these delegates and their institutions.   Photo Visiting schedule 13 October 2024 – 12 November 2024: Visited by Prof. Dr Mohammad Tarikul ISLAM, Professor, Department of Government and Politics, Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh (supported by GEO Belt and Road Academic Fellowship Scheme)   24 October 2024: Visited by Dr Maree HIGGINS, Senior Lecturer, Social Work Program Director, Academic Lead of Field Education, School of Social Sciences, Arts Design and Architecture, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia   31 October 2024: Student group visit, Sogang University, Korea     1 November 2024: Student group visit, the Faculty of Social Sciences at Chiang Mai University, Thailand   12 November 2024: Visited by Prof. Patrick O'LEARY, Co-Director of the Disrupting Violence Beacon, Director of Violence Research and Prevention, Griffith University, Australia   15 November 2024: Visited by Dr Weihua LIU, Associate Professor, School of Law, Humanities and Sociology of Wuhan University of Technology, Hubei, the People’s Republic of China   15 November 2024: Visited by Prof. Dr Michael GEBEL (Chair of Methods of Empirical Social Research, Director of the Institute for Sociology, University of Bamberg, Germany) and Prof. Dr Karl-Heinz GERHOLZ (Professor for Business and Human Resource Education, University of Bamberg, Germany)