On Friday, 19 September 2025, the Department of English and Communication (ENGL) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University welcomed over 70 students, teachers, families, and distinguished guests for the Award Presentation Ceremony of the Hong Kong Secondary School Short-Essay Competition 2025—a joyful celebration of student creativity, bold thinking, and writing in the age of AI.
This inaugural competition, organised by ENGL, received more than 1,100 submissions from across Hong Kong. The Gold, Silver, and Bronze awardees were honoured in person, with the ceremony spotlighting their unique voices and reflections on the theme "AI and Me."
The ceremony opened with welcoming remarks by Professor Eric Friginal, Head of Department, followed by an inspiring address from Professor Li Ping, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities. Officiating at the ceremony, Professor Li shared his vision of how the humanities can help guide the ethical and innovative development of AI.
Ms Jenny Yeung, Chief Curriculum Development Officer at the Education Bureau and a member of the judging panel, served as Guest of Honour. She presented the prestigious School Award to Delia Memorial School (Broadway) for their active participation.
Audience members were treated to live readings by three selected Gold Award winners, whose essays ranged from imaginative science fiction to moving reflections on AI's role in education, identity, and society. The ceremony concluded with the presentation of certificates by Professor Friginal, followed by a group photo marking this proud moment.
The winning entries have been proudly published by PolyU Press in the anthology:
AI and Me: Winning Essays from the Hong Kong Secondary School Short-Essay Competition 2025.
This competition forms part of ENGL's broader mission to promote writing, creativity, and ethical engagement with AI among young people. With the enthusiastic support of schools, families, the Education Bureau, and PolyU leadership, the competition has grown into an annual flagship outreach event for secondary schools in Hong Kong.
Explore further:
- Visit the 2025 Competition website
- Download AI and Me (PolyU Press)
- Call for submissions 2026: Fables for the AI Era
- Read Professor Phoebe Lin’s article in the South China Morning Post: "Youngsters are cracking the puzzle of writing in AI era"
