PolyU hosts Hong Kong’s first Global Confucius Institutes Forum, gathering 150 delegates to drive digital and AI advancement

In his welcoming remarks, Dr LAM Tai-fai, PolyU Council Chairman, said, “President Xi Jinping attaches great importance to international Chinese language education, emphasising the need to uphold integrity while pursuing innovation, strengthen connectivity and integration, and build consensus among all parties. As the Forum host, PolyU is honoured to gather with Confucius Institute delegates from around the world for valuable exchanges and discussions, to explore new opportunities for cooperation among Confucius Institutes, the potential of integrating education and technology, and innovative ways to develop international Chinese education. With the unique advantage of ‘One Country, Two Systems’, Hong Kong serves as a bridge connecting China with the rest of the world, playing the role of a ‘super connector’ and a ‘super value-adder’. PolyU and CIHK are committed to continue connecting Confucius Institutes globally, promoting cooperation, working hand in hand to advance cultural exchange between China and the rest of the world, to promote Chinese culture, and to contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind.”

Dr Lam emphasised that PolyU is committed to nurturing students with a strong sense of national pride and a global perspective, so they can serve society and contribute to the country. To this end, the University requires every student to study courses related to Chinese history and culture, and holds a “PolyU Chinese Culture Festival” every year. Today’s forum is one of the flagship events of this festival.

At the opening ceremony, Dr LU Qiaomei, Director of CIHK, read the “Empowering Exchange and Integration through AI Transformation: Declaration of the Global Confucius Institutes Hong Kong Forum”, aiming to unite consensus, boosting shared progress and rooting cultural heritage. The Declaration focuses on four key directions for development:

• Actively integrating digital, intelligent and AI technologies into the teaching, cultural dissemination, and ecosystem development of the Confucius Institutes, helping to fulfil the noble mission of “fostering people-to-people bonds”;
• Developing multilingual and multi-scenario digital teaching resources to provide high-quality, personalised Chinese language education services and create a “teaching anytime, learning anywhere” smart learning ecosystem;
• Harnessing immersive technologies to revitalise elements of Chinese culture, establishing digital exchange platforms, and promoting mutual learning between Chinese culture and other cultures; and
• Establishing cooperative mechanisms to enhance cross-border and cross-regional cooperation, working together to build a global AI and digital technology community for Confucius Institutes.

The event featured a series of keynote speeches and parallel discussion sessions that contributed cross-disciplinary insights. Dr Louis NG Chi-wa, Museum Director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, shared new perspectives on international cultural communication in the new era from the angle of cultural dissemination; Prof. CAO Jiannong, PolyU Vice President (Education), explored educational transformation in the AI era; and Prof. YANG Hongxia, Executive Director of the PolyU Academy for Artificial Intelligence, Associate Dean (Global Engagement) of the Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences, and Professor of the Department of Computing, presented a novel fusion-driven AI innovation framework to seek breakthroughs. The event was highly significant in uniting Confucius Institute representatives with experts and scholars from diverse fields to exchange experiences and ideas, injecting fresh vitality into development across multiple domains.

As the first Confucius Institute in China and the only one of its kind in Hong Kong, the Confucius Institute of Hong Kong has, since its inauguration in 2006, provided opportunities for people to learn the Chinese language, and about Chinese history and various aspects of contemporary Chinese society. It also serves as a bridge between China and the other parts of the world in advancing research and teaching about China and aspires to become an international centre for young scholars in the field of China studies.

Group photo of PolyU Council Chairman Dr Lam Tai-fai (5th from left) and President Prof. Jin-Guang Teng (5th from right) with the speakers.

The Forum, themed “Exploring New Opportunities for Cooperation among Confucius Institutes in the Era of AI”, was a flagship event of the PolyU Chinese Culture Festival.

Dr Lam Tai-fai affirmed that PolyU and CIHK remain dedicated to fostering global connections among Confucius Institutes.

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