URA x PolyU Igniting Social Innovation Competition 2026 concludes successfully, empowering young minds to explore urban renewal and drive innovative solutions for sustainable urban development

(22 August 2026) The URA x PolyU Igniting Social Innovation Competition 2026 (the Competition), jointly organised by the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) and the Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) under an inaugural partnership, successfully concluded today (22 August) with an award presentation ceremony held on the PolyU campus. Supported by the PolyU Policy Research Centre for Innovation and Technology (PReCIT) and Esri China (Hong Kong), the Competition aimed to empower secondary school students to explore and gain in-depth understanding of urban renewal in Hong Kong. Centred on two URA urban renewal projects – the Sai Yee Street / Flower Market Road Development Scheme and the Peel Street / Graham Street Development Scheme, the Competition invited students to use innovative thinking in developing feasible place-making or community-making proposals.

The Competition garnered an enthusiastic response, attracting nearly 400 students from 64 secondary schools. Over 220 principals, teachers, students and guests also gathered to witness the innovative achievements of the young talents.

The award presentation ceremony was officiated by Mr CHAN Kwok-ki, Chief Secretary for Administration of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administration Region (HKSAR) of the People’s Republic of China; Mr CHOW Chung-kong, Chairman of the URA; and Prof. WONG Wing-tak, Deputy President and Provost of PolyU. Distinguished guests included Ar Donald CHOI, Managing Director of the URA; Prof. David SHUM, Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences; and Prof. Eric CHUI, Head of APSS and Co-Director of PReCIT.

Mr Chan Kwok-ki remarked, “The Competition has provided a learning platform for secondary school students across Hong Kong that integrates knowledge, technology and humanistic care, enabling students to appreciate the balance between urban development and community preservation, and to respond to the needs of community development with innovative thinking. The ideas and proposals put forward by the students in the Competition truly embody the innovative spirit required to drive urban renewal. I hope students will keep in mind the principle of ‘technology for good,’ and eventually become leaders equipped with both technological innovation capabilities as well as social responsibility, injecting new momentum into Hong Kong’s development as a smart city.”

Mr Chow Chung-kong noted that with the URA celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the Competition served as one of the key highlights of its silver jubilee celebrations. “Since its inception, the URA has been driven by the mission to facilitate urban renewal, improve the living environment of older districts, and promote sustainable development of the city. Urban renewal goes far beyond demolishing old buildings and constructing new ones. More importantly, it is about preserving the community characteristics and local culture, as well as holistically enhancing residents’ quality of life. The Competition guided students to explore the Flower Market and the Central and Western District, and experience the unique historical fabric and cultural essence of these areas firsthand. Participants were invited to devise innovative and viable ‘place-making’ or ‘community-making’ proposals, injecting new possibilities into these older districts through youthful perspectives while embodying the URA’s three core approaches: ‘people first’, ‘district-based’, and ‘public participatory’.”

Prof. Wong Wing-tak stated, “PolyU is committed to promoting social innovation education. We aim not only to foster academic excellence but also to encourage students to translate their creativity into actionable solutions for complex societal challenges. PolyU will continue to collaborate closely with the HKSAR Government, the URA and all sectors of society to cultivate a more inclusive and inspiring environment, supporting our younger generation as they flourish and thrive.”

Through a series of activities including workshops, docent tours and group research, participating students gained deep insights into community characteristics, residents’ needs and the opportunities and challenges of urban development, before proposing innovative solutions that address community needs and promote urban renewal. By establishing a cross-disciplinary platform and leveraging emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), 360-degree cameras, and geospatial data, the Competition guided students to integrate social science theories with real-world urban development issues. It enhanced their civic awareness, critical-thinking and social responsibility, inspiring them to apply the knowledge of urban renewal and applied social innovation towards building more liveable, inclusive, and sustainable communities.

Summarising the outcomes of the Competition, Prof. Eric Chui commended the participants for their meticulous identification of community pain points and their diverse, locally-informed proposals. He added, “I am delighted to see this year’s Competition reach a record scale. Students ventured into the community to discover the challenges faced by old districts firsthand. Through empathy, innovative thinking and the integration of geographic information systems and artificial intelligence, they have designed practical and human-centric social innovation proposals for vulnerable groups sometimes overlooked in the process of urban transformation.”

Following a rigorous evaluation by a judging panel of PolyU scholar, the URA representative and industry professional, the award winners of the Competition have been successfully selected as follows:

Mr Chan Kwok-ki (7th from left), Mr Chow Chung-kong (6th from left), and Prof. Wong Wing-tak (8th from left), presented the first, second and third prizes to the winning teams.

Ar Donald Choi (6th from right), and Prof. David Shum (7th from left), presented the Merit Awards.

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