HKPC Organises “vHK Grand Tour” AR Design Competition Kick-Off Ceremony cum Seminar to Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Establishment of the HKSAR and Promote the Use of AR Technology among Secondary Students for a Green and Smart Hong Kong

(Hong Kong, 22 June 2022) To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) today kicked off the “vHK Grand Tour” AR Design Competition (the Competition), officially launching a series of activities which aim to encourage Hong Kong secondary academia to combine augmented reality (AR) technology with famous landmarks in Hong Kong, thus creating their ideal Green and Smart City landscape and enhancing their sense of belonging to the city. On the same day, a seminar was also held to introduce students and the general public to the Government’s “Smart City Blueprint for Hong Kong 2.0” (Blueprint 2.0), the latest development in immersive technologies and their applications in STEM education, thereby enabling the new generation to master new digital technologies and promote Hong Kong as a green and smart city.

Funded by the General Support Programme of the Innovation and Technology Fund under the Innovation and Technology Commission, the Competition is also supported by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, Education Bureau, and a number of innovation and technology (I&T) enterprises and education organisations such as Meta and Microsoft Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers. The kick-off ceremony of the Competition also invited Ms Rebecca Pun, Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, and Mr Victor Lam, Government Chief Information Officer, as officiating guests to launch the event.

Mr Willy Lin, Chairman of HKPC, said in his welcoming speech, “With the rapid development of Metaverse technology, academia has begun to incorporate advanced immersive technology into teaching to enhance the overall learning experience. As the superconnector among the government, the I&T sector and the education sector, HKPC has been committed to promoting I&T education and talent training, and advocates equipping young people with ‘FutureSkills’ to expand the local I&T talent pool. Coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, HKPC hopes the Competition can enable students to experience the application of AR technology and increase their interest in immersive technologies; and at the same time arouse young people's vision of Hong Kong becoming a smart city and enhance their awareness of green living and sustainable development, thereby strengthening their sense of belonging to Hong Kong. In the future, HKPC will continue to leverage its advantages in the field of I&T, and combine its rich experience in talent training to lay a solid foundation for nurturing talents for the I&T development of Hong Kong.”

In her opening address, Ms Rebecca Pun, Commissioner for Innovation and Technology, said, “With the development of technology, we emphasize more on the application of innovation and technology, especially on the benefits brought about by I&T in our daily life, and through which we have a fresh understanding and feeling towards Hong Kong's history, culture, art and other aspects. Taking the opportunity of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Special Administrative Region, the HKPC organised this competition to encourage students to recreate different Hong Kong landmarks and attractions with new technology and allow the public to know and appreciate Hong Kong, our home, from a new perspective. This is very meaningful.” Ms Pun also pointed out that on promoting I&T, the Government has unprecedentedly invested more than $150 billion in the past 5 years. Currently, the I&T industry in Hong Kong is flourishing. She encouraged fellow students to explore the world of science and technology and acquire the skills needed for preparing their future career in the I&T industry.”

The Competition will be held in different stages across a period of about 9 months, covering first round assessment, training workshops, final round assessment, an award ceremony and an exhibition. The Competition participants should design and produce the AR works based on the theme of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR and the vision and goals of Blueprint 2.0 to showcase a brand new image of a green and smart Hong Kong to the public. Also, as the COVID-19 epidemic has brought unprecedented challenges to the city, participants are required to integrate anti-epidemic elements into their works to demonstrate the impacts and benefits of innovative technologies on public hygiene and daily life. Ultimately, the AR works of top 25 finalist teams will be available for public viewing online and offline, while people from all over the world will be able to participate in the “vHK Grand Tour” without being restricted by time, space and region.

The deadline for registration of the Competition is 8 July, while the deadline for submitting work proposals for the first round assessment is 22 July. Schools and secondary students who are interested in participating in the Competition can register online. For more information, please visit: https://www.vhk.hkpc.org/

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HKPC organised the “vHK Grand Tour” AR Design Competition Kick-off Ceremony cum Seminar today and invited Ms Rebecca Pun, Commissioner for Innovation and Technology (left), and Mr Victor Lam, Government Chief Information Officer (right), as officiating guests to launch the event with Mr Willy Lin, Chairman of HKPC (centre).

Mr Willy Lin, Chairman of HKPC, said in his welcoming speech that coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, HKPC hopes the Competition can enable students to experience the application of AR technology and increase their interest in immersive technologies; and at the same time arouse young people’s vision of Hong Kong becoming a smart city and enhance their awareness of green living and sustainable development.

Dr Lawrence Poon, General Manager, Smart City Division of HKPC, introduces details of the “vHK Grand Tour” AR Design Competition to students and the general public, and urges schools and students who are interested in participating in the Competition to register online before 8 July.