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J.C.DISI e-Newsletter
May 2025
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J.C.DISI has been supported by funding of HK$16 million from The Shaw Foundation to launch the 5-year "Shaw STEAMS for Good" programme, designing novel STEAM curriculum and activities for upper primary and junior secondary students. The Programme’s launch ceremony, including the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with participating schools, was held on 6 March 2025.
The Programme has adopted STEAMS, a pioneering concept in education which integrates "Social" components, such as social innovation and social concern, into the framework of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education. It aims to encourage students and educators to actively engage with and bring positive impact to society by leveraging their knowledge, taking forward the aspiration of "Education for Good." Over the next 5 years, the Programme is expected to collaborate with 12 core schools, while also benefitting 30 network schools, and more than 900 teachers and 2,600 students.
Supported by the PolyU Global Engagement Office and a group of social innovation experts and academics in emerging fields like low-altitude economy and future food from the University, the Programme will design a series of student workshops, organise various activities outside the classroom, and develop the Learning/Living Lab as an immersive STEAMS learning space, the student-led "Shaw STEAMS for Good: Youth Summit," and more. It will also propose a comprehensive STEAMS curriculum and establish an online STEAMS resource-sharing hub for educational purposes.
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ASCEND Tech for Good Scheme｜Building a Smart City through Digital Inclusion
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The ASCEND (Advancing Social innovation through Collaborative Enterprise for Next-gen Digital inclusion) Tech for Good Scheme is an initiative that empowers youth-led startups to develop sustainable business models addressing digital equity issues in smart city development. It is organised by J.C.DISI and the Knowledge Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office of PolyU.
As a cornerstone of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust’s "Smart Teens Action" Project, ASCEND cultivates inclusive tech leaders who will shape Hong Kong’s equitable smart city future.
The second batch of the ASCEND was recently open for public recruitment, with each winning team eligible to receive up to HK$3 million in funding. Two information days were held at Science Park and Cyberport on 3 and 7 April 2025, respectively, both receiving enthusiastic responses. The assessment is currently underway, with results set to be announced in mid-July.
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Northern Metropolis Future Forum｜Community Co-creation and Sustainable Urban-Rural Development
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With the "Northern Metropolis Action Agenda" establishing the Northern Metropolis (NM) as Hong Kong’s strategic focus for the next 20 years, both the neighborhood inclusions and societal needs are undergoing unprecedented transformation. In response to the challenges of advancing infrastructure alongside diverse social development, fostering community making and co-creation, cultural conservation, and social innovation in parallel, J.C.DISI will hold the inaugural "Northern Metropolis Future Forum."
- Date: 8 July 2025 (Tue)
- Time: 9:30am - 1:30pm
- Venue: Chiang Chen Studio Theatre, Chung Sze Yuen Building, PolyU
Guided by J.C.DISI’s values of "Inno for Good," we strive to trigger social innovation across all dimensions of society to improve the well-being of people. This forum will focus on the sharing of insights related to digital and cultural empowerment in the context of rural-urban integration and cultural conservation.
The forum will explore social innovation pathways beyond infrastructure, cultivate a blueprint for community making, and address the aspirations and concerns of youth regarding the development of the NM. It will bring together academics, professionals, government representatives, etc. from both Hong Kong and the Mainland to engage in diverse dialogue and collaboration, jointly formulating practical policy recommendations and innovative implementation strategies to transform vision into concrete action pathways.
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SoInno Design Education Tools｜Global Design Awards 2025
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Congratulations to our "SoInno Design Education Tools - Inspiring Teachers and Students in the 21st Century" for winning the Global Design Awards 2025 in the Product Design - Toys and Games category, organized by the Hong Kong Designers Association! The student-centered tools include
- Observation｜A E I O U: Focus & synthesize findings
- Visualization｜Tech Cards: Translate abstract concepts into accessible mental maps
- Creativity｜SoInno Dice: Ignite imagination with visual cues
- Evaluation｜Lesson Planning Card: Structure effective learning outcomes
A heartfelt thank you to designers Jenny Ma and Kay Chan for collaborating with us to create tools that are both innovative and practical.
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"Innovation Level Up" Workshops｜100% New Perspectives Gained!
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J.C.DISI was invited by the Hong Kong Council of Social Services to design and deliver the "Innovation Level Up" Programme in the HSBC Hong Kong Community Partnership Programme (CPP). This initiative included a series of design thinking workshops to build the capacity of 40 participants from 20 NGOs to incubate 10 innovative community projects. All the participants agreed they gained a new perspective in understanding community problems they cared for!
Additionally, J.C.DISI organized 2 knowledge dissemination sessions of mixed formats, in which social issues such as financial literacy and future skills were being deliberated. Around 600 potential applicants to HSBC CPP took part in the activities.
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Intergenerational Harmony at Jat Min Chuen
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As a continuation of the "Inclusive Design for Intergenerational Community Training Series," J.C.DISI organized another site visit for the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) to Jat Min Chuen (JMC) developed by the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS), with the aim to explore the estates’ unique and ground-breaking intergenerational (IG) programmes and the potential to steer inclusive design in other communities. The initiatives include
- Transforming and constructing public spaces to encourage sustainable IG interactions
- Fostering bottom-up community planning via participatory engagement and cross-sector collaborations
- Promoting active aging through IG play and space activation
As a pioneer of HKHS’s intergenerational-friendly community and a key project site for J.C.DISI’s Intergenerational Play Space initiatives, JMC effectively showcases a dynamic cycle from planning and design to implementation. This inspires URA staff participants, who come from diverse backgrounds, to reimagine the concept of inclusive designs for IG communities and integrate key insights into their future community works.
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Workshop on Nature-based Urban-Rural Dual Circular Economy
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J.C.DISI is honored to join experts, policymakers, academics, and community leaders at PolyU for an inspiring workshop focused on harmonizing urban growth with rural sustainability in the Northern Metropolis. Together, we shared insights and strategies for promoting a circular economy that benefits all.
As one of the supporting organizations, our director, Prof. Ling Kar-kan, shared the stage with Ms. Xing Wenwei, founder of the Hong Kong Urban-Rural Sustainable Development Association and fellow of the AIRI Urban-Rural Sustainability Fellowship, for their compelling presentation on "Enhance the Value of Rural Areas in Hong Kong Promote Urban-Rural Sustainable Integration."
The workshop was co-organized by the Research Centre for Nature-based Urban Infrastructure Solutions, the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, and the Research Institute for Land and Space of PolyU, as well as the China Innovative Urban-Rural Governance Research Network.
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