Pursuing world-leading research and innovation for societal benefits is a core mission of PolyU. This commitment is vividly demonstrated through the work of the Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation (J.C.DISI). Established in 2012, J.C.DISI acts as a catalyst for transformative social change, adopting human-centred approaches to address pressing societal challenges and propose practical solutions – most recently through its policy recommendations to the HKSAR Government for the 2025 Policy Address, aimed at promoting urban-rural integration in the rapidly developing Northern Metropolis.

With the Northern Metropolis poised for significant growth and an anticipated surge in community needs, J.C.DISI and the Hong Kong Urban-Rural Sustainable Development Association co-hosted the Northern Metropolis Future Forum. This event brought together a diverse array of stakeholders to promote urban-rural integration and community co-creation, addressing the region’s evolving needs and advancing its sustainable development vision.

The forum attracted nearly 500 participants and featured keynote speeches from guests, including Mr Yau Cheuk-hang, Director of the Northern Metropolis Co-ordination Office at the Development Bureau of the HKSAR, and Professor Wang Yahua, President of the China Institute for Rural Studies and Professor of the School of Public Policy & Management at Tsinghua University. Mr Fong Hok-shing, Director of Civil Engineering and Development of the HKSAR, joined academic and industry leaders from Mainland China and Hong Kong to discuss highlights from the Chief Executive’s 2022 and 2023 Policy Addresses, particularly the development of “landmark cultural facilities” and “iconic cultural and arts facilities” in the Northern Metropolis.

Around 500 participants from various sectors attended the forum to discuss sustainable development planning for the Northern Metropolis.

Shortly after the forum, and building on the insights gained, J.C.DISI, together with PolyU’s Policy Research Centre for Innovation and Technology (PReCIT), the Department of Building and Real Estate, and the Xiqu and Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), jointly submitted their policy recommendations to the Central Government Offices of HKSAR for the 2025 Policy Address.

Their proposal, titled “Living Intangible Heritage: ‘Cantonese Opera and Intangible Cultural Heritage Archive’ and ‘Northern Metropolis Cultural Trail’ as Urban-Rural Integration and Community Making Initiatives in the Northern Metropolis”, advocates for cultural preservation and community engagement in the region. The proposal centres on two pivotal cultural infrastructure projects. The first is the establishment of the “Cantonese Opera and Intangible Cultural Heritage Archive”, which aims to provide iconic cultural and arts facilities in the region. The second is the creation of the “Northern Metropolis Cultural Trail”, envisioned as a unique cultural landscape that preserves traditional village culture while promoting distinctive local tourism.

Professor Ling Kar-kan, PolyU Interim Vice President (Campus Development and Facilities) and Director of J.C.DISI, noted that the recommendations align with the Nation’s 14th Five-Year Plan, which positions Hong Kong as an East-meets-West Centre for International Cultural Exchange. “This suggests using Cantonese opera not only as a cultural bond to foster urban-rural integration, deepen community making and nurture local creative talent, but also to develop sustainable cultural tourism. We believe that the momentum of large-scale urbanisation in the Northern Metropolis can be channelled into a force for preserving and perpetuating traditional culture.”

Prof. Ling Kar-kan (centre), Prof. Eric Chui, Co-Director of PReCIT (3rd from right), Sr Prof. Ivy Wong Siu-wai, Associate Professor of the PolyU Department of Building and Real Estate (2nd from right), and Dr Terry Yip Tak-ping, Associate Director of the EdUHK Xiqu and Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre (2nd from left), together with members from J.C.DISI, jointly submitted policy recommendations for the Northern Metropolis to Dr Stephen Wong, Head of the Chief Executive’s Policy Unit (3rd from left).

While J.C.DISI’s proposal focuses on urban-rural integration and community making, PReCIT will separately submit recommendations for the 2025 Policy Address on innovation and technology, research and development, and talent cultivation. Through these efforts, PolyU seeks to support the Government in formulating forward-looking policies that drive the comprehensive development of the Northern Metropolis.