HKPC Academy and Tung Wah College Join Hands to Foster Gerontechnology R&D Services and Nurture Future I&T Talent

(Hong Kong, 21 February 2024) – HKPC Academy (the Academy) and Tung Wah College Limited (Tung Wah College) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) yesterday (20 February). Both parties have pledged to collaborate and promote the development of technology education (TechEd) and application of Gerontechnology through a range of exchange opportunities and internship programmes, equipping young people with FutureSkills and nurturing more local innovation and technology (I&T) talent to enhance Hong Kong's overall competitiveness.

The MOU was signed by Dr Lawrence CHEUNG, Chief Innovation Officer of HKPC, and Professor Sally CHAN, President of Tung Wah College, at the HKPC Building, witnessing by Ms Karen FUNG, Chief Marketing Officer & General Manager, InnoPreneur and FutureSkills, of HKPC and Professor David MAN, Vice President (Academic) of Tung Wah College.

Dr Lawrence CHEUNG, Chief Innovation Officer of HKPC, said, “The ‘14th Five-Year Plan’ supports Hong Kong to become an international I&T centre, signalling an unprecedented golden age for the I&T development in Hong Kong. HKPC Academy strives to promote TechEd and talent cultivation. We are delighted to collaborate with Tung Wah College to combine HKPC’s training experience and research & development (R&D) capabilities, together with the extensive network of Tung Wah College in the education sector, to jointly provide more opportunities for young people to acquire knowledge in the I&T field. Going forward, we will strengthen our ties and collaborations with academia through organising various training programmes, exhibitions, youth activities, and internship programmes. Moreover, we will deepen our research and project development in advanced technology fields and emerging strategic industries such as gerontechnology, cyber security, and smart city technologies. We hope to inspire young people’s interest in learning I&T and engaging in related industries by providing them with hands-on learning and practical experiences. Through this initiative, we aim to promote TechEd, thereby enhancing Hong Kong's I&T ecosystem and expanding the local I&T talent pool.”

Professor Sally CHAN, President of Tung Wah College, said, “As the first and only self-financing tertiary institution in Hong Kong to launch five professionally accredited allied health and nursing degree programmes, Tung Wah College is committed to nurturing nursing and allied health talent. With the aging population, the increase in chronic diseases, and emerging new diseases, innovative technologies can provide benefits to resolve different healthcare problems - from diagnosis to disease management. Smart healthcare has advanced rapidly in recent years, greatly improves healthcare effectiveness and efficiency as well as alleviates the pressure caused by the shortage of healthcare professionals. To equip students with knowledge of I&T in related industries, the College actively promotes innovative teaching by integrating digital technology into the curriculum. For example, the establishment of a Virtual Reality Centre enhances students' motivation and learning outcomes in human anatomy through cutting-edge technology. We are most grateful for the support of the HKPC Academy. We hope to further deepen our collaboration in various research areas. Our collaboration will provide students with internship and exchange opportunities. Such opportunities enable students to understand the development of I&T in health and related industries. This includes the application of robotics, big data analysis, cloud computing in gerontechnology, which can improve the quality of life of older people as well as those with health problems. This collaboration will respond to the society's demand for new types of healthcare talent and lead the younger generation to achieve a better future with I&T.”

At the MOU signing ceremony, around 30 students participated in the laser cutting and 3D printing workshops. Under the guidance of experts, the students were able to transform their innovative ideas and designs into unique creations. To raise public awareness of cyber security, HKPC and Tung Wah College collaborated to film a video at the “Smart and Secure City Hall” at HKPC Building previously. It serves as an educational resource for college students, providing them with insights on the latest trends and application solutions in cyber security and enhancing their knowledge of cyber security threats.

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The MOU was signed by Dr Lawrence CHEUNG, Chief Innovation Officer of HKPC (second from left) and Professor Sally CHAN, President of Tung Wah College at HKPC (second from right) and witnessed by Ms Karen FUNG, Chief Marketing Officer & General Manager, InnoPreneur and FutureSkills, of HKPC (first from left) and Professor David MAN, Vice President (Academic) of Tung Wah College (first from right).

Around 30 representatives and students attended the HKPC Academy and Tung Wah College MOU Signing Ceremony.

Tung Wah College students participated in laser cutting and 3D printing workshops.