To redress the paucity of academic literature on school uniforms and to give visitors an overview of their development over the past 100 years, the Hong Kong Museum of Education launched the Hong Kong School Uniforms – Past and Present exhibition in November 2018. The year-long exhibition, the first of its kind in Hong Kong, provides a visual summary of how schools differentiate themselves through badges and logos, and the styling, fabric and colour of their uniforms.

Long before the inclusion of Cantonese opera on the UNESCO Human Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2009, EdUHK scholars had been facilitating the transmission and development of the art form. In light of the challenges in sustaining the rich cultural heritage of Cantonese opera, EdUHK established the Research Centre for Transmission of Cantonese Opera.

To mark the University’s 25th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of UNESCO’s inscription of this art form on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list, the Centre put on two nights of performances in the Grand Theatre of the Xiqu Centre in the West Kowloon Cultural District on 20 and 21 June 2019, attracting an audience of about 1,700 people. The aim of the Cantonese Opera Night event was to strengthen collaboration among the Cantonese opera community, the University and the general public.

EdUHK is committed to promoting Chinese language education and research, with Cantonese studies identified as a key research area. The Animated Chinese History for Curious Minds Project, launched last year by an expert team from EdUHK’s Research Centre for Chinese Literature and Literary Culture, recorded over 1.6 million hits on its website during the first year of its launch.

In May 2019, The School of Cantonese Studies was held at EdUHK, attracting about 60 participants from different parts of the world, including mainland China, France, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

In July 2019, the University hosted The Fifth International Conference on Teaching Chinese as a Second Language. At the Conference, EdUHK announced the establishment of the Centre for Research on Chinese Language and Education, which aims to facilitate research and knowledge transfer in Chinese linguistics studies and Chinese language education by linking up scholars, experts and teachers in Hong Kong, Greater China and the world. The newly established Centre focuses on three research areas: Chinese linguistics, language in education, and the acquisition and teaching of Chinese as a Second Language.

Later that month, EdUHK and the Chinese Programme at Princeton University jointly organised the “2nd Advanced Workshop on IB Concepts and Teaching Chinese as a Second Language (TCSL)”. Numerous experts, principal examiners and senior educators in the International Baccalaureate (IB) field shared related theories and their practical experience with the IB Chinese curriculum.

The University provides fertile ground for ideas, nourished by discussions, different perspectives, and the pooling of knowledge, experience and skills. EdUHK hosts events throughout the year to facilitate learning and enhance understanding.

In October, celebrated French economist Professor Thomas Piketty became the first guest speaker of the Distinguished Lecture Series in French Culture and Education, jointly presented by EdUHK and the French consulate, and sponsored by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. Speaking to a full house, he reinvigorated discussions on global wealth inequality and modern capitalism.

The International Geography Olympiad (iGeo) was held on campus in July, the first time Hong Kong hosted the annual event. Students aged between 16 and 19 from 43 countries showcased their map, inquiry and graphicacy skills in the component tests to compete for top honours under this year’s theme “Discovering a vibrant city for our smart future”.

Long popular in cities in North America and Europe, One City One Book made its debut in Hong Kong in 2019 with funding from the University. Faculty members and students collaborated with schools as well as literary and community-based organisations to conduct a series of events and workshops with the aim of fostering a culture of reading and encouraging the sharing of opinions.

Since becoming the first tertiary institution to admit elite athletes in 2010 through flexible study arrangements, the University has led the way in enabling elite athletes to achieve their dream of graduating from university and stretching their potential beyond the sporting arena.

In 2014, EdUHK became the first University Grants Committee-funded institution to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Hong Kong Sports Institute (HKSI). This year, it established the EdUHK Postgraduate Degree Programme Scholarship for Elite Athletes and announced its pledge to be an Elite Athlete Friendly University.

In December 2018, 40 “teachers of elders” received a Professional Certificate in Lifelong and Elderly Education from the EdUHK Elder Academy. The “Train-the-trainer” Professional Certificate Programme in Lifelong and Elderly Education enables devoted elderly teachers to pass on their knowledge and experience. Since its founding in 2010, the Academy has offered a range of programmes in an intergenerational learning environment for younger students and older adults.

The Student Affairs Office and the Salvation Army Tai Po Multi-service Centre for Senior Citizens co-organised the Intergeneration Learning and Elderly Service Project with the aim of enhancing students’ exposure to local elderly services and developing their service leadership and organisation skills. In 2018/19, six programmes and a lifestyle booklet were created by EdUHK students, with the aim of empowering older adults and facilitating intergenerational communication.

Members of the University community and visitors can enjoy the tranquil, lush surroundings of the Tai Po Campus. To share the beauty of nature with more people, the University participated in the annual worldwide City Nature Challenge (CNC), jointly organised by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the California Academy of Sciences in April 2019. With a total of 1,271 observations covering 380 species, EdUHK outshone the other six tertiary institutions in Hong Kong and Macau and was named the most biodiverse campus in Hong Kong in the Inter-University CNC.

To better understand the current situation and measure the effectiveness of its existing green initiatives, the University conducted its first waste audit in 2018. Then in December, the Third International Conference on Biological Waste as Resource, with a Focus on Food Waste, was held on campus. Academics, experts and undergraduates from Australia, Belgium, Canada, mainland China, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, India, South Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States discussed state-of-the-art technologies, advanced management strategies, and various other issues to assist in the formulation of an effective sustainable management agenda for organic waste.

As one of the signees of the Environmental Protection Department’s Food Wise Hong Kong Campaign, EdUHK is committed to adopting measures to reduce food waste generation on campus and to encouraging behavioural and cultural changes that engender respect for food and natural resources. In this regard, the University expanded the food waste recycling programme, which was first implemented in catering outlets, to include student halls and staff quarters.

Since 2009, EdUHK (as the then Hong Kong Institute of Education) has been granted a Wastewi$e Certificate in the “Class of Excellence” category for its waste reduction measures.

After a rigorous selection process, Professor John Lee Chi-kin was appointed UNESCO Chair in Regional Education Development and Lifelong Learning. The four-year appointment, first awarded to EdUHK in 2011, has since been renewed twice. With the reappointment, EdUHK will continue to contribute to the development of 21st century skills and positive values, capacity building across education sectors, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), life and values education, environmental education and intercultural education.

The University is committed to its role in helping achieve UNESCO’S Sustainable Development Goals, several of which are related to the environment. The University is conducting research, sharing its knowledge, and collaborating with industry to work towards a greener Hong Kong. A two-year study completed by our scholars in 2018 assessed the readiness of the hospitality industry for a future green economy and suggested ways different organisations could contribute to a sustainable future.

This summer, the University launched a two-year project, titled Life Education and Citizen Science through Tree Protection and Conservation. Through a specially designed mobile app and teaching and learning materials, the project aims to create a platform for citizens to contribute to greening and re-greening efforts, raise public awareness of tree conservation, and promote the importance of life education.

For the 14th consecutive year, EdUHK won the title of Caring Organisation by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service. In addition, the University received a Certificate of the Good Employer Charter from the Labour Department and was named a Family-Friendly Employer and awarded a Special Mention by the Family Council. For its efforts to promote a breastfeeding-friendly workplace, the University received an Award for Breastfeeding Support from the Family Council and a Certificate of Appreciation from UNICEF.