KE Spotlight - Community Engagement - HKU Knowledge Exchange

Faculty Knowledge Exchange Awards 2019

The annual Faculty Knowledge Exchange (KE) Awards recognise each Faculty’s outstanding KE accomplishment that has made demonstrable economic, social or cultural impacts to benefit the community, business/industry, or partner organisations. Results of the 2019 Faculty KE Awards are now available.

HKU launches third round of psychosocial programme for children with eczema and parent caregivers

HKU Department of Social Work and Social Administration launched the “Seeing the Invisible” project during the summer of 2017, the first psychosocial programme for children with eczema and their parent caregivers. The project is based on the integrative body-mind-spirit model, with the aim to enhance holistic well-being of children with eczema and their parents, as well as to facilitate better parent-child relationship. Results from phase 1 and 2 of the project showed that upon completion of the programme, children’s stress and physical discomfort had been effectively relieved while their self-confidence and emotional resilience enhanced, parents’ overall quality of life and awareness of the need for self-care have been improved, thereby fostering closer parent-child relationships. The Department will be partnering with Christian Family Service Centre (CFSC) to deliver phase 3 of the project from July to December 2019.

Jockey Club End-of-Life Community Care Project reduces anxiety of patients and their family members

Since the launch in 2016, the Jockey Club End-of-Life Community Care Project (JCECC), which HKU Faculty of Social Sciences participated as a partner institution, provided capacity enhancement trainings to over 10,000 healthcare professionals in hospitals and the community and to 586 volunteers for community end-of-life care (EoLC) support; and EoLC services to over 5,000 elderly with terminal illnesses and their family members, as well as 36 elderly homes. With the assistance of the HKU Social Sciences Research Centre, JCECC conducted a community-wide survey on EoLC in Hong Kong from 2016 and 2018. A total of 4,638 citizens were surveyed and the number of respondents who had an understanding on the EoLC concept increased from 30% in 2016 to 39% in 2018 which showed an increasing public awareness on EoLC. Over 75% of the respondents considered quality of life more important than extension of life should they have a terminal illness, indicating a high demand for EoLC services. A ceremony was held to reveal the project’s achievement in the past 3 years and announce kicking off a second phase which aims to strengthen the connection of the community with the medical care system, and to offer one more option for end-of-life care in Hong Kong.

HKU hosts Water Fun Fest 2019 to promote water sustainability

Water Fun Fest 2019, organised by the Jockey Club Water Initiative on Sustainability and Engagement (JC-WISE), will take place at Ocean Park from April 19 to May 1. Augmented Reality exhibit, AR Sandbox, together with educational videos and exhibitions, will be held. Water Fun Fests aims to engage the general public on the issues of water sustainability and to promote the significance of water conservation in an interesting way through a wide range of infotainment exhibitions and interactive games.

HKU JC-WISE launches ‘Water WISE Tram’

The Jockey Club Water Initiative on Sustainability and Engagement (JC-WISE) has launched the ‘Water WISE Tram’, a theme tramcar decorated with knowledge of Water Footprint and highlights of multiple functions and values of Hong Kong’s rivers. Water WISE Tram will travel through the heartland of Hong Kong with high visibility from March 22 to April 18, 2019, celebrating the annual World Water Day (March 22) and raising public's awareness of the importance of water conservation and sustainability through promulgating the concept of Water Footprint and re-connecting us with our rivers.

HKU and Ocean Park sign MOU to strengthen collaboration on Education and Research Programmes

HKU and Ocean Park signed a MOU to strengthen collaboration on innovative education and research initiatives. Innovation and knowledge exchange projects planned include the inaugural Ocean Park International STEAM Education Conference and Ocean Park x HKU DreamCatchers’ Hackathon in June 2019, and an International Conservation STEAM Competition with the theme “STEAM and Marine Conservation”. Public engagement initiatives such as Water Fun Fest will be hosted by Ocean Park and the HKU Faculty of Social Sciences from April 19 to May 1 to raise public awareness on water consumption and sustainability.

Animal Assisted Intervention for Hong Kong’s ‘Hikikomori’

The therapeutic value of animals to relieve stress in the young, elderly and sick has been documented by academics and medical professionals around the world. But what has not been known until relatively recently is how therapy animals can also help people who have difficulties dealing with modern society and lock themselves away in their rooms. Dr Paul Wong, Associate Professor at the Department of Social Work and Social Administration, is working with a non-profit-making social service organisation to study how therapy animals, mainly trained dogs, are helping Hong Kong’s hidden youth to regain their self-belief. Watch the full video.